Food pantry for Dublin students named Irish winner of the European Charlemagne Youth Prize
This is a student run and led initiative to tackle student hunger and food waste across TU Dublin campus. The European Charlemagne Youth Prize is awarded annually by the European Parliament and highlights projects by young people that promote active citizenship and bring communities together.
TU Dublin's student run food pantry has been named the Irish winner of the European Charlemagne Youth Prize.
About the project
This is a student run and led initiative to tackle student hunger and food waste across campus. This project has been able to save over 2,000 kilograms of food from going into a landfill, prevented more than 3,200 kilograms of CO₂ emissions, and helped to support and feed over 1,000 students in a year.
This initiative, built with FoodCloud, SVP society and student volunteers, has opened up an important discussion on food poverty among students. It also raises awareness about reducing food waste, with food also donated to the culinary section of the university and becoming compost at the university community garden.
Selection process
The jury were impressed with how the project gives a practical example of Europeans living together as a community that can be replicated across Ireland and Europe.
The Irish jury was composed of MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Jean-Marie Cullen from the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI).
Voices of Aphasia, a project from Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) students supports people with a life-changing condition that affects their ability to communicate was named runner-up.
Background
The European Charlemagne Youth Prize is awarded annually by the European Parliament and highlights projects by young people that promote active citizenship and bring communities together.
Each country selects one national winner, and the top 3 European winners will receive a cash prize to support their project. Representatives from TU Dublin’s food pantry will travel to Aachen, in Germany, for an awards ceremony in May where the overall European winner will be announced.
"All of the projects presented were of an exceptionally high standard, each demonstrating impressive creativity, careful planning, and a strong commitment to strengthening democracy, cooperation, and a shared European identity. I would like to warmly congratulate the winners, TU Dublin Food Pantry, as well as the runners-up, Voices of Aphasia, for their innovative projects that make a meaningful and positive impact on their communities. With Ireland set to take on the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, it is more important than ever that Irish people become actively involved and ensure their voices are heard in shaping the future of Europe." - MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú
"TU Dublin's food pantry is a great example of a youth-led initiative responding to the needs of young people – led by young people, for young people." - National Youth Council of Ireland