Where it all began
Tinerii Mărgineni started simply: a few young people from Marginea who felt things could look different back home. They had no office, no budget, no project experience. They had only the conviction that young people in rural areas deserve more than they're usually given.
Everything that followed grew from there.
Timeline
Rural Youth Connect 3.0
Ștefan attends Rural Youth Connect 3.0 and learns about the European Youth Village programme. He comes back with a clear question: what if Marginea became a European Youth Village? The first group forms and the candidacy preparation begins.
First candidacy, first final
We submit our candidacy for the European Youth Village 2025 title. Marginea is selected as a finalist — the first sign that what we're doing makes sense.
First activities
As part of Rural Youth Day, we organise four activities: a hike, a film night, a football championship and a board game evening. Over 250 young people from Marginea take part. We realise people have been waiting for exactly this.
First European funding
We win our first grant through the European Solidarity Corps with the SportfiTU project, dedicated to physical and mental health. We don't win the SET2025 title, but we gain something just as important: the confidence that we can write and win European projects.
SportfiTU launch
We officially launch SportfiTU at a public event attended by over 130 people, including the mayor, teachers and local press representatives. The local administration signs the Support Charter for Youth Initiatives.
Youth Centre
We receive a space in the cultural centre and establish the Marginea Youth Centre — the first space in the village dedicated exclusively to young people. Things that used to require a trip to the city can now happen at home.
Clean-up Action
Over 30 young people and children from Marginea clean up the Prund area as part of the SportfiTU project. Mayor Lazăr: "Congratulations to the youth! An example to follow!"
Let Youth Cook
We organise Let Youth Cook, an ideas competition where any young person from Marginea can propose a community project. 16 projects and 536 votes. Winner: the Bikepark project, proposed by Lungu Darius.
STMR 6.0
We attend the Rural Youth Summit, 6th edition. We return with a decision: we will apply for the European Youth Village 2026 title.
Summer School and SET2026 final
We organise the Summer School "La Marginea Școlii". On the second day, after six hours of waiting, we find out that Marginea is a finalist for European Youth Village 2026.
We win the European Youth Village 2026 title
At the European Youth Village Gala, Marginea receives the European Youth Village 2026 title, alongside Hăghig and Golești. The most important European title for a rural community. Two years of work, a result for a lifetime.
Marginea officially becomes EYV 2026
The group, the Town Hall and European Youth Village governance sign the documents that officially make Marginea the European Youth Village 2026. The 12-month mandate begins.
Youth Forum
We establish the Marginea Youth Forum, a permanent structure parallel to the Local Council through which young people in the village can raise issues, propose solutions and dialogue directly with local authorities.
Where we are today
From a group of people with no resources and no experience to the European Youth Village 2026 title. We have an active youth centre, a functioning youth forum, European funding won and hundreds of activities organised.
But the most important thing doesn't appear in any statistic: we've built a community of young people who know each other, collaborate and believe that things can change back home.