Since 1998, young people between the age of 16 and 26 get the chance to be part of the world´s biggest city network. Hereby, they are regularly sent as delegates to the International Hanseatic Day. There, together with mayors and other representatives of the cities, we form the modern Hansa.
The Hanseatic Day is the highlight of our organisation where we – based on an open minded and non-political exchange – participate and contribute to our own program come together at the Hanseatic Day to participate in and contribute to the highlight of our organisation.
During these days we take part in a program which differs each year, but always focuses on the values of cooperation, freedom, culture and tolerance.
As an autonomous organ of THE HANSA, we have our own statutes which are fixed in our bylaws. They contain topics such as our official language. In contrast to the rest of THE HANSA it is not German, but English.
At our annual assembly of delegates we discuss our progress and the future direction our ship will sail.
During our events, friendships are built and ideas are collected on how our network can grow.
Take a look on our Instagram page for current activities all over Europe!
Your commission 2026 - 2028
Spokesperson
Hi! My name is Jakub Siwy. I am 24 years old and I live in and represent the Hanseatic city of Stargard, Poland. As well as being involved in the development and promotion of our Hanseatic heritage, I am also a member of the West Pomeranian Province Youth Council. I am studying for a Master’s degree in Business Management and am involved in the student union. I am delighted to be a member of Rotaract Szczecin International, where I find fulfilment through charitable work. I am interested in business, start-ups and investing, and in my spare time I enjoy reading non-fiction books, going for a run or meeting up with friends. I am delighted to be able to take on this role and, together with the other members of the Commission, help shape the future of the youthHansa!
Deputy-Spokesperson
Hello! I'm Eline Jansen. And I've lived all of my 21 years in the beautiful hanseatic city of Kampen in the Netherlands. In history class, the hansa was a topic often discussed, and that piqued my interest in it from a young age. When I got the opportunity to go to Neuss in 2022, I did not pass the chance up! This will be my second term as a commission member and my 6th and 7th year being a delegate overall. I study journalism in Zwolle (another great hanseatic city), and I am very passionate about people and their stories. That's why my goals for this term are to connect delegates even more to their local history and to one another. Hopefully I'll see you around!
Commissioner for Internal Communication
Hi! My name is Iga Eliza Hudak and I am 21 years old. I come from the Norwegian Hanseatic city, Bergen, where I am going to start my studies this fall. I also work part time as a healthcare assistant. This is my first time in the commission, and I am excited to give back my time and effort to the youthHansa! My job in the commission is going to be about the internal communication. That suits me well, because I enjoy to organise and plan things. In my free time I like to work out, hike, read and hang out with my family and friends. I am looking forward to work together with the Hanseatic days and other events!
Commissioner for Hanseatic Affairs
Hello, my name is Paula Eick. I am 21 years old and live in the German Hanseatic city of Stade, right on the Elbe River. I will soon be starting my second year of training as a tourism and leisure business management assistant. In addition, I am pursuing the supplementary qualification as a European Business Management Assistant, as I am particularly passionate about international exchange and cross-border collaboration. I am very excited to play an active role as a member of the youthHansa Commission over the next two years and to bring this role to life. Why have I remained loyal to the Hansa? It’s simple: I want to connect young people—far beyond the boundaries of their cities and countries. My goal is to work with the Hansa to create a safe haven where young people feel welcome, accepted, supported, and at ease. This is exactly the vision I’m already pursuing with the North German Youth Hanse, which is currently being established. I now want to bring this experience to the Commission and further develop it at the European level.
Participation Commissioner
Hey there!:) I am Leo Staritzbichler, 22 years old and represent the beautiful Hanseatic city of Lüneburg, Germany. I moved there from Stuttgart to study Environmental Sciences and Law and really got to appreciate and love the Hanseatic heritage, not just in my new home but also in the entire region. This heritage, which is based on exchange of ideas and culture, has to be brought to the modern day, spearheaded by the youth of all Hanseatic cities. As a commissioner I focus on actual, real youth participation and on transforming the Hansa into an opportunity for young people to be heard, by their local city councillors as well as mayors from all across Europe.
Cheers!
This is how you can reach us!
If you have questions about youthHansa, write an email to youthhansa@hanse.org.
