“SWAP _Xchange: start(s) the change!"
We firmly believe that young people have immense potential to hold decision-makers accountable for their actions. They are not just individuals who bear the consequences of decisions made by previous generations, but they are the catalysts for transformation.
“SWAP_Xchange: start(s) the change!” is an Erasmus+ 18 months long youth participation activity where young people take a leading role in addressing environmental concerns. With the support of youth-focused organizations, the goal is to empower & enable young people to actively engage in environmental policymaking. This project focuses mainly on the fashion industry which is one of the biggest in regard to environmental impact on Planet Earth!
15 young people in total from Armenia, Slovakia and Italy during the 18 months of joint work will initiative and implement numerous local and international activities including large scale offline and online awareness raisins in Armenia, Slovakia and Italy, international meetings with core teams to coordinate the work and share best practices, local workshops, clothes SWAP events as well as an international hackathon.
All these activities are aimed to increase awareness among peers in their communities of the importance of achieving a Sustainable Green Europe and mitigating climate change, develop green competencies, foster eco-conscious behavior by being a role –models of change-makers within their local communities, strengthen international cooperation between the EU & the EECA region and finally create a platform for participating youth and decision-makers to engage in dialogue at both local and European levels.
Local Workshops
For three consecutive days in Tsaghkadzor, our core team guided participants in exploring the connection between sustainable fashion and environmental protection.
On the first day, participants got to know the program and its goals, engaged in several team-building and learning activities, and wrapped up the day with active leisure time.
Day two began with discovering the difference between fast and sustainable fashion, followed by the “Sustainable Me in Fashion” card game that helped reinforce their knowledge. With the support of the team, participants explored the story behind their clothes, played the “Threads of Fortune” board game, and concluded the day with a lively clothing swap event.
The final day sparked great interest through a study on capsule wardrobes and a biomimicry puzzle. Finally, participants joyfully received their certificates, having proudly gained new knowledge and green skills!
KICK OFF MEETING IN ITALY
Launched in autumn 2024, the SWAP_Xchange program, supported by Erasmus+, aims to promote sustainable fashion while fostering cross-cultural exchange and long-term cooperation among European and partner countries.
In October 2024, the first international meeting of the program took place in Tuscany, Italy, bringing together 15 participants from Armenia, Italy, and Slovakia. The meeting focused on the intersection of ecology and sustainable fashion, with discussions centered around local and global challenges and potential solutions.
As part of the collaborative activities, the Armenian team had the opportunity to showcase their interactive game, "Sustainable me in Fashion", which was originally developed under the “Fast Fashion! Fast Forward?-4F” project. The event marked a significant step forward in fostering teamwork and strengthening international cooperation among the participating countries.
The program continues, and our team members strengthen their knowledge and share it with young people during an awareness-raising campaign in various cities and villages of Armenia.
International Meeting in Slovakia
Wrapping up the local workshops and awareness campaigns held across different regions, the “SWAP _Xchange: start(s) the change!” national teams reunited — this time in Slovakia!
A group of 15 young participants from Armenia, Slovakia, and Italy came together to exchange experiences, share the skills developed throughout the program, and plan future actions.
During three days of intensive training, participants explored the fundamentals of creative thinking, teamwork, and leadership.
The meeting concluded with our signature clothing SWAP — now a cherished tradition!
SWAP & Learn: A day of Sustainable Fashion
September 14, 2025, was filled with new emotions and many guests. We hosted our long-awaited clothing swap event, SWAP & Learn: A Day of Sustainable Fashion. The theme of sustainable fashion and environmental awareness brought together many like-minded people. The event began with a presentation of our team and goals, interactive games, diverse workshops, and of course, the clothing swap corner.
Our partners led the workshops. Lateupcycling organized a hands-on session on making bags from old jeans, the Teryan Cultural Center presented a t-shirt-making workshop featuring their dzzec_official brand, and our hosts, Ani and Tatev from Gortsaran_projects, introduced the process of paper recycling.
International Hackathon in Armenia
The “SWAP_Xchange: start(s) the change!” teams gathered in Armenia for the hackathon stage of the program. Over three days, participants reflected on their journey, discussed successes and challenges, set new goals, and worked in national teams.
Within the hackathon framework, each team developed innovative and relevant projects aimed at promoting sustainable fashion and engaging wider social groups.
On the final day, participants presented their projects, each unique, diverse, and full of inspiring ideas for change. The invited jury Gerasim Mkrtchyan (Advisor to the Mayor of Tsaghkadzor), Levon Hakhoyan (IT specialist and founder of hispeech.ai), and Nare Zakaryan (representative of the sustainable fashion brand @dzzec_official) announced the Italian team as the winner.
Awareness-Raising Campaigns
As part of our project, we are running large-scale awareness-raising campaigns both online and offline. These campaigns aim to inspire and engage young people from various regions and communities across Armenia. Through these initiatives, we promote and advocate for green lifestyles and sustainable choices, especially when it comes to fashion and clothing consumption.
By offering interactive activities, educational content, and opportunities for dialogue, we encourage youth to rethink their relationship with fashion, understand the environmental impact of fast fashion, and embrace circular economy principles.