In the Hoperunners project, Danish youth are engaged in the fight for global justice — with their running shoes on.

It has been an active summer for International Aid Service (IAS) Denmark. In July, IAS organized an innovative running event aimed especially at young Danes, focusing on raising awareness about quality education for all. The project, called Hoperunners, is supported by the Connect for Global Change fund — CISU’s EU-financed fund for public awareness and engagement.

“With Hoperunners, we focus on Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education — and on children and young people with disabilities in the Singida region of Tanzania who today lack access to school and community,” says Christoffer Wilki-Kurtzhals, Head of Engagement at IAS Denmark.

He continues: “In Singida, many children with disabilities face superstition and stigma, which means they are excluded from the social and academic community that education provides. Their fundamental human right — the right to education — is not fulfilled. Through awareness-raising and active participation in our Hoperunners project, Danish and Tanzanian youth will become agents of change who fight for all children and young people

— regardless of circumstances — to have the opportunity to learn, grow, and participate in society.”

Digital Campaigns and New Methods to Reach Young Audiences

With Hoperunners, IAS aimed to create a project that appeals to young people aged 15–30 — through folk high-school courses, running events, and targeted digital campaigns. Through collaborations with influencers and creative campaign content, IAS hopes to reach 32,500 young people, particularly those who are “less aware” on social media, with messages about the right to quality education and equal opportunities for all.

“We want to engage people in communities of action across borders. Awareness and engagement projects are crucial here. A project like Hoperunners gives us the resources to test new and innovative ways to communicate our message and foster public engagement — both in Denmark and the Global South,” concludes Christoffer.

IAS is already planning several new Hoperunners races for 2026. Follow updates on their website or Instagram profile.

 

Students as a Driving Force for Global Change

With support from the Connect for Global Change fund — CISU’s EU-financed fund for public awareness and engagement — the National Union of Students in Denmark (DSF) has launched the project “Students Set the Agenda.”

DSF dates back to 1932, when international solidarity among students across borders was one of the founding principles of the organization.

“We want more young people to engage in global development as part of their studies. With the project ‘Students Set the Agenda,’ we in DSF aim to create opportunities for students, through voluntary work and on their own initiative, to join networks where they can launch concrete projects with student organizations in the Global South,” explains Rasmus Lindboe, Secretary General of DSF.

In practice, the project includes a series of workshops and presentations from partners in Cuba, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, held at Danish universities. The goal is to recruit students who either want to participate in existing projects with student organizations in these three countries or to start entirely new collaborations with other students.

After the workshop series, Danish students will host information stands at universities — for example during university elections — to recruit volunteers for the projects. A final wrap-up event will create a sense of community among students who wish to take concrete action and form new partnerships with peers in the Global South.

“We saw great potential in the Connect fund because it is flexible and offers strong opportunities for including partners from the Global South — and because CISU’s consultants provide excellent guidance,” says Rasmus Lindboe, adding with a smile: “And it also helps that the financial reporting is, after all, quite reasonable.”

CISU is the national coordinator in Denmark of the EU-supported Connect for Global Change program.