OTS: The International Visegrad Fund presents the Mini project of the Year...

OTS: The International Visegrad Fund presents the Mini project of the Year award for the first time

Bratislava, April 17 (TASR/OTS) – The International Visegrad Fund has presented the Mini Project of the Year award for the first time, highlighting successful projects from the V4 GEN Mini Grants programme. The aim of this initiative is to draw attention to outstanding cross-border projects by young people that contribute to strengthening cooperation within the V4 countries.

Four mini projects competed for the award – one from each country of the Visegrad region: Poland was represented by the project Urban Hackathon, Slovakia by Borderland Stories, Hungary by Promotion of a Healthy Lifestyle, and Czechia by Solar Panels for Teenagers. The participants presented their activities through videos they prepared themselves. The Visegrad Fund published the project videos, and the winner was decided by the public through their reactions. The nominated projects attracted significant interest – reaching more than 36,500 viewers, with nearly 4,800 fans taking part in the voting.

The winner: Solar Panels for Teenagers

The Mini Project of the Year 2025 award was granted to the project Solar Panels for Teenagers, implemented in cooperation between the Secondary School of Electrical Engineering in Lipník nad Bečvou and the Secondary Vocational School in Žarnovica. The project is an example of successful cross-border cooperation in vocational education and innovation.

Project coordinator from the Czech secondary school, Regina Lutková, emphasized that the project was created as a joint initiative of students and project leader Petr Hronek. From several proposals, students chose to focus on building a solar panel as the most engaging challenge. They particularly appreciated the opportunity to design and create a fully functional model with practical use in education. “Participation in the project brought students not only a significant improvement in professional knowledge and new skills, but also new connections. Joint activities also allowed them to experience how a different school environment operates,” she added.

“The International Visegrad Fund does not forget the youth of the Visegrad region and places its trust in dedicated teachers and professionals working with young people, who – with the Fund’s financial support – create meaningful activities. These have the potential to better prepare young people for living together with their neighbours,” said Linda Kapustová Helbichová, Executive Director of the Visegrad Fund.

By awarding the Mini Project of the Year, the Visegrad Fund aims to continue supporting creativity, cooperation, and the active involvement of young people in projects that strengthen relationships within the Visegrad region.

The International Visegrad Fund is an international organisation established by the governments of the Visegrad Group (V4) countries—Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. Its mission is to foster closer cooperation and mutual understanding among citizens within the V4 region, as well as between the V4 and other regions, such as the countries of the so-called Eastern Partnership countries and the Western Balkans. For twenty-five years, the Visegrad Fund has been contributing to the development of civil society by financing joint grant projects, awarding scholarships, and providing mobility opportunities for artists. Its annual budget of €11 million is equally funded by the governments of the V4 countries. To date, the Fund has supported more than 11,000 grant projects and individual mobility initiatives, with a total funding amount exceeding €150 million.

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