From 27 April to 3 May 2025, the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) hosted a week-long Youth Union Exchange Programme, bringing together 11 young trade unionists from across Europe.

Throughout the week, participants delved into the social dialogue models of Luxembourg and Belgium, while actively participating in significant events such as International Workers’ Memorial Day and May Day rally. The programme featured visits to innovative institutions, including Luxembourg’s IFSB (Training Institute for the Construction Sector) — the only centre of its kind in Europe, offering a collaborative ecosystem of public and private actors to deliver diverse training courses to construction workers and a field visit to Holcim’s Go4Zero cement plant in Obourg, Belgium — a pioneering facility set to become the world’s first net-zero cement plant by 2030. Holcim presented its cutting-edge innovations in building materials, offering a glimpse into a low-carbon future for the construction industry.

Participants also visited the headquarters of CG FGTB and CSC ACV BIE to gain insights into Belgium’s labour market and collective bargaining structures. These exchanges allowed participants to share and reflect on the challenges facing young workers in the BWI sectors, including retirement schemes, precarious working conditions, and representation in decision-making processes.

Climate change and its growing impact on occupational health were key themes throughout the week. On 28 April, the group marked International Workers’ Memorial Day by launching a youth statement and distributing hundreds of flyers across Luxembourg City to raise awareness about heat stress and its deadly consequences for workers.

The programme culminated on May 1, as participants joined local union rallies and festivals in Belgium to celebrate International Workers’ Day, calling for peace, freedom, and workers' rights.

More than just a learning experience, this exchange empowered young trade unionists to build lasting solidarity, take inspiration from each other’s actions, and renew their commitment to advocating for youth agenda of the BWI, decent work, social justice, and climate-resilient labour practices in their home countries.

Lastly, BWI youth had the chance to participate in an escape game which raises awareness on the dangers of the far right in Europe, and for which CSC ACV Belgium received a European prize. This tool helps members understand that it is essential to fight against xenophobic ideas that are constantly gaining ground.

The BWI extends its gratitude to BWI affiliates OGBL (Luxembourg), CG FGTB, and CSC ACV BIE (Belgium) for organising and supporting this programme which provided a dynamic platform for young unionist from Belgium, France, Georgia, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Sweden, and Ukraine to engage in learning, solidarity, and action.