“Europe, My Story!”: Art Competition Opens for the EU PRO Plus 2027 Calendar

 

EU PRO Plus programme has launched an art competition titled “Europe, My Story!”, open to high school students from 99 towns and municipalities across Šumadija, western, southern and eastern Serbia. The competition is traditionally organized with the support of the EU Delegation to Serbia and the Ministry of European Integration, with the goal of encouraging young people to express their ideas, views and outlook on the community they live in through art.

This year’s theme invites young people to show what Europe means to them and where they recognize it in everyday life: in knowledge, solidarity, diversity, nature and cultural heritage, as well as in the positive changes that EU support brings to their communities. This could include better conditions in schools, improved public spaces, support for young people and entrepreneurs, or new opportunities for development and a better quality of life for residents.

All students, regardless of grade, from high schools in towns and municipalities covered by the EU PRO Plus programme are eligible to take part. Each student may submit one entry, while schools may organize internal competitions and select up to ten entries to send to the competition.

Students, as well as the wider public, will be able to vote online for their favourites among 20 entries pre-selected by an internal jury. Voting will take place on the EU PRO Plus programme website after the competition closes and will last five days. The entry with the most votes will receive the audience vote, which, together with the votes of representatives of the EU Delegation, the Ministry of European Integration and UNOPS, which implements the EU PRO Plus programme, will take part in selecting the winning entries.

The twelve best entries will feature on the pages of the EU PRO Plus 2027 calendar, and their authors will be awarded a laptop, tablets and mobile phones. The mentors of the top three winners will receive tablets, while the school that shows the greatest dedication and quality in organizing its internal competition will be awarded a laptop, a projector and accompanying equipment.

Entries should be sent by post to UNOPS/EU PRO Plus, Skerlićeva 4, 11000 Belgrade, marked “Art Competition”, by 5:00 PM on October 23, 2026.

All information and detailed terms are available on the EU PRO Plus programme website: Terms of the EU PRO Plus Programme Art Competition for the 2027 Calendar.

The European Union supports the activities of the EU PRO Plus programme, which contributes to more balanced socio-economic development in Serbia, with €30 million. The programme, led by the Ministry of European Integration, aims to contribute to improved territorial development governance, economic growth, and better local infrastructure and cohesion across 99 local self-government units in two regions: the Šumadija and Western Serbia Region and the Southern and Eastern Serbia Region. On-the-ground activities are carried out by UNOPS.