The story of Project X
The story of this by now legendary summer festival actually begins on a dark November night in an ordinary Swedish cabin. During a national volunteer meet-up, a few volunteers were assigned the somewhat thankless task of “boosting regional cohesion” in the remote, northern region of Norrland. The catch?
This region spans ⅔ of Sweden – a total of 242 735 km² - which is the size of three Austrias and larger than most European countries! Some of the volunteers in the region lived an eight-hour drive from each other, which doesn’t exactly encourage spontaneous hang-outs. |
It was quickly concluded that local pizza nights wouldn’t be the solution to this challenge. So, the volunteers came up with the idea of organizing a summer camp where YFUers from not only the region, but all of Sweden could come and spend a few days having fun together.
In short order, a venue was selected at a family farm of one of the volunteers outside of Falun in the middle of the country, and invitations were sent out using the hottest technology of the day: a Facebook event.
Then, somebody in the group asked a simple question, that would change the YFU world forever:
In short order, a venue was selected at a family farm of one of the volunteers outside of Falun in the middle of the country, and invitations were sent out using the hottest technology of the day: a Facebook event.
Then, somebody in the group asked a simple question, that would change the YFU world forever:
What if we invite… ALL YFUers – from everywhere?!
Promptly, the invitation was sent out. No one knew if it would succeed or not.
That following July, 58 YFUers from 14 countries made their way up to a Swedish forest to experience a summer festival life to its fullest on a farm surrounded by sunlit meadows and a cooling lake.
Project X World has since then grown into an international culture festival where people embark on a spontaneous adventure and explore friendships across borders.
The journey this festival and its participants have made throughout the continent has been nothing but extraordinary.
Now, a full decade later, the festival is coming back “home” to Sweden as a way to celebrate its 10 year jubilee!
That following July, 58 YFUers from 14 countries made their way up to a Swedish forest to experience a summer festival life to its fullest on a farm surrounded by sunlit meadows and a cooling lake.
Project X World has since then grown into an international culture festival where people embark on a spontaneous adventure and explore friendships across borders.
- In 2014, a whopping 134 YFUers from over 20 countries partied for four days on an beautiful Estonian beach.
- In 2015, more than 150 YFUers from 20+ countries journeyed to a Sound-of-Music-esque, verdant mountainside in the Swiss Alps.
- In 2016, almost 160 YFUers went full Viking mode on a lush pasture surrounded by cows and the rural seaside in Denmark.
- In 2017, more than a hundred YFUers ventured northwards to carpe-all-the-diems in a beautiful Teijo national park in Southwestern Finland, and some participants even sailed there from Sweden.
- In 2018, 130 crazy YFUers sipped drinks by the natural pool in an old quarry in the Czech Pilsen woods.
- In 2019, a group of 140 international YFUers convened in an idyllic park in southern Germany – among many other things enjoying a 24-hour access walk-in fridge!
- In 2020, well, *something* happened and threw some cogs in the machinery.
- In 2021, this *something* turned out to be quite stubborn, and crushed our plans and dreams (but not our spirits!) once again.
- And in 2022, after two years of pandemic disappointments, a brave group of people showed that the beating heart of Project X is not only kicking, but going stronger than ever, in the heart of la France!
The journey this festival and its participants have made throughout the continent has been nothing but extraordinary.
Now, a full decade later, the festival is coming back “home” to Sweden as a way to celebrate its 10 year jubilee!
So what is Project X to the people who go?
The philosophy is in all its beauty, that if you gather hundreds of people from different countries and cultures, all with a common love for YFU, magic will emerge. And so, the Project X ambassadors have witnessed this magic year after year – not because of the settings, the weather, or the beverages, but because of the inner creativity and imagination that stems from the Project X ambassadors themselves. Only they can set the barriers and borders for what Project X World is and will become. Project X to me is summer, friends and an amazing time together. I have been part of the tradition since Estonia in 2014, and a summer's just not complete without PX. I have made so many wonderful friendships through this tradition, and had some of the funnest times of my life. |
On the fence about going to PX? Looking for a sign to say yes? This is it. This is your sign! Project X was not like a regular festival. The atmosphere was friendly and everybody treated each other as if they were friends. One could encounter various types of people. While somebody was reading a book on a hammock, others were playing drinking games while some people were swimming in the sea. |
Project X history2023 Sweden
2022 Cheniers, France 2020 Online event 2019 Immenreuth, Germany 2018 Konstantinovy Lázně, Czech Republic 2017 Teijo, Finland 2016 Thy, Denmark 2015 Nüsslibühl, Switzerland 2014 Pärnu, Estonia 2013 Falun, Sweden |
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Aftermovies & Impressions
Project X 2016, Denmark
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Project X 2015, Switzerland
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Project X 2014, Estonia
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Project X 2013, Sweden
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