Youth Exchange 'SPORTIN: Strengthening Participation and Opportunities through Respect, Teamwork and Inclusion!' 17 - 25 June 2025, Rettenegg, Austria

Erasmus+ Can Change your life! by Vito Paternò

Among the opportunities offered to the young people, the most important is Erasmus+, the European Union's program to support education, training, inclusion and sport. It provides chances for individuals to study, train or volunteer abroad and for organizations to participate in European partnerships. Erasmus is named after Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466–1536), a Dutch philosopher and humanist who felt limited and constrained by the reality he was born into. Driven by an insatiable intellectual curiosity, he travelled across Europe to exchange ideas, engage with scholars from different cultures and broaden his horizons. Through his journeys, he developed a poliedric and open-minded culture that continues to inspire the spirit of the Erasmus+ programme today.  

Just like him, I’ve always tended to stay in my comfort zone, surrounded by familiar faces, known places and habits I’m used to. But, at a certain point, I realized that sometimes, in order to grow, I must go beyond what is comfortable. As Alessandro Manzoni once wrote, it is necessary to live “fuor dall'ordinario” (out of the ordinary) to truly challenge ourselves and open up to the unexpected. That’s why I chose to participate in Erasmus projects: to live something new, transformative, and enriching.

Through this exchange, I learned how to adapt, to listen without judging, to connect with people who spoke different languages, had different stories and saw life from different angles. I confronted contrasting worldviews and, rather than pulling back, I leaned in learning how to navigate diversity with openness and curiosity.

One of the most touching parts of this experience was our focus on inclusion. We discovered the world of people that are treated as "less than" just because of the color of their skin, their religion or a mobile disability...the world of people who face challenges every day with strength and dignity. This opened our eyes to the deep injustice still present in our societies, but also to the beauty of resilience and the power of empathy. True inclusion begins when we recognize the value in every single person, and choose to walk beside them, not ahead or behind.

The most precious benefits I've received by this experience are new friendships that I hope won't end when the project is over. We shared fears, dreams, jokes, late-night talks, silent walks. My team was really particular as I was the actual real Italian. The other five members were students in Italy coming from India, Pakistan, and Indonesia. I’ll be honest, at the beginning I had some prejudices: I thought it would be hard to connect, to truly collaborate with them, but I was completely wrong. They turned out to be kind, intelligent and humble people. We shared ideas, laughter and even challenging moments.

In addition, the intercultural exchanges were pure magic. During the national nights, I tasted dishes I had never imagined, each one telling a story of places and families, of traditions and memories. We danced and sang songs in languages I didn’t understand but felt deeply and we laughed like we had known each other forever. In those moments, borders disappeared. We weren’t just students and workers from different countries...we were human beings, curious, open, alive, all together gathered in the village of Rettenegg with its breathtaking and unspoiled landscapes, perfect for unplugging from the hectic daily life.

And yet, even as I celebrated the beauty of our differences, I discovered something equally powerful: how much we have in common. Thanks to the Globalization, we wear similar clothes, listen to the same music, share the same desire to travel, to fall in love, to understand ourselves. We are not the same (and we shouldn’t be!), but we are close, deeply close, in ways I couldn't have imagined. We are like notes in the same melody: each unique, each essential and together we create something greater than ourselves...a harmony made of diversity.

Under an academic point of view, my English skills have improved:  I’ve learned how to express ideas clearly and listen with patience. But what I treasure the most are the lessons I didn’t expect: how to be alone without feeling lost, how to ask for help, how to be myself.

This Erasmus in Rettenegg has been a turning point in my life...a moment of rupture and rebirth.

When I come home, I won't be the same Vito. I feel more independent, more courageous and more aware of the kind of person I want to become. I can shout it with pride: Erasmus+ can change your life!