The project "BUILDING BRIDGES (OF FRIENDSHIP) - FROM TRADITION TO INNOVATION" brings together young people aged between 13 to 16 years from three different European cities and communities: Neu-Anspach (GER), Saint Florent sur Cher (FRA) and Sentjur (SLO). Among the participants from Neu-Anspach is one handicapped teenager and furtheron three teenagers out of a so called “integrating class”, who came as refugees from Syria. It is the third time this one week long youth exchange takes place in Neu-Anspach. The main and outstanding aim of the project is to provide a special opportunity to young people from different nationalities in gaining international project experience. Especially the common and mostly practical work in workshops during the project promotes the process of learning beyond an established curriculum and provokes intense joy of learning. This combination also encourages essential key competences, e.g. particular skills in foreign languages as well as intercultural and social competences. The workshops, which are all related to the overall topic "Building Bridges - From Tradition to Innovation", motivate the young people to deal with traditions and values and encourage them to get in discussions with others about these topics. In group-wide activities suggestions out of the workshops are intensified, this includes for example a guided tour on the historical subject of Goethe, where the current thoughts of the young people are picked up in an innovative, playful and interactive way. This "bridge-building" between our traditions and the current life situations of young people sharpens their awareness of potential for innovation. Hence they deal moreover practically with the bridge between for example the historical house building with clay bricks and ecological sky-scrapper construction, with bridges between traditional recipes and meals of the modern "Cook & Chill method" as well as with the bridge between classical dances and new fashion dances like Zumba.Thanks to the project patronage of a member of the Hessian State Parliament, it is also possible to offer a very intense learning experience in terms of political education to the young people and to enrich civic competences and increase knowledge of concepts on democracy, citizenship and civil rights. In this context the young participants from Germany work on the information materials of the Hessian State Parliament in order to translate them for their French and Slovenian guests before the actual start of the project. The joint excursion to the parliament along with the personal meeting and discussion with a mandate holder ("politicians to touch") makes a significant contribution to policy interest and understanding of politics. At the same time they experience European cooperation in terms of politics first hand in these discussions.The programme of the project is completed by sports and outdoor activities like the visit of a so called low-rope climbing garden, which is an ideal teambuilding instrument, and a visit to a swimming pool. Thereby the young people increase their competence in the fields of joint action, fairness and team spirit. Furthermore they take responsibility for themselves and others and learn “hands on” about collaboration and cooperation.The stay of the young guests from France and Slovenia in host families offers a very direct and personal insight into the living conditions of their hosts especially in contrast to an average vacation abroad. Vice versa, it also gives the opportunity to the hosts to get to know young people from France or Slovenia closer and perhaps to win them as a friend, language exchange buddy or future host. In a short time they make intercultural experiences, get to know different living and family concepts and experience how fast you can overcome language barriers and why it is of value to learn foreign languages.As a highlight the results of the project are presented by the young people to the wider public, e.g. via press releases, on the last evening in the context of a celebration of the town twinning. The following long-term effects are potentially encouraged and supported: interest in international exchange - in school, education and work, furthermore motivation for attending and organizing other youth projects, youth meetings, etc. Specific examples are: The friendships and personal networks developed within the youth project are used for work placements and scholar exchanges abroad and thus promote international employment opportunities for young people.