With great joy, honor, and a sense of responsibility, the organization New Agriculture New Generation announces that it is among the 50 civil society organizations worldwide selected by the Citi Foundation under the Global Innovation Challenge 2025 program.
The announcement took place on October 21, 2025, in New York, where the organizations that will each receive $500,000 in funding were presented, aiming to develop innovative employment solutions for low-income youth.
The new program: Bridge to Employment: Future Ready (BE Future READY)
New Agriculture New Generation was selected for the design and implementation management of the program “Bridge to Employment: Future Ready (BE Future READY),” which will be carried out in collaboration with ActionAid throughout Greece.
The program aims to offer more than 500 young people fast-track training that will act as a “Bridge to Employment.” Participants will receive certifications from training activities focused on Green Skills, entrepreneurship, digital and financial literacy, as well as paid apprenticeships in the agrifood sector.
At the same time, awareness-raising activities and job fairs will be organized at ActionAid centers in Athens and Thessaloniki to connect participants directly with employment opportunities.
The program targets low-income young people in Greece who are unemployed or underemployed, with a focus on rural and semi-rural areas, low-income urban centers, young women engaged in agriculture and entrepreneurship, as well as young migrants and refugees. Through targeted training and career guidance actions, the program seeks to improve beneficiaries’ access to sustainable employment prospects, contributing to social cohesion and regional development.
Statement by Aimilios Kyriakou, CEO of Citi Greece and Head of Commercial Banking for Greece, Cyprus, and Malta:
“We are particularly proud that another Greek proposal was distinguished in Citi’s Global Innovation Challenge 2025, which aims to strengthen youth employability through a total of $25 million in funding to 50 organizations worldwide.
Following our successful collaboration with New Agriculture New Generation on the Social Farming 360° program, Citi and the Citi Foundation are once again partnering with the organization, supporting the ‘Bridge to Employment’ program—another important step in our ongoing commitment to support the most vulnerable members of society and the communities in which we operate.
With more than 60 years of continuous presence in Greece, Citi remains committed to giving back to Greek society and, together with New Agriculture New Generation, acts as a ‘bridge’ between young people and the Greek countryside.”
Statement by Effie Lazaridou, CEO of New Agriculture New Generation:
“It is an exceptional distinction for us that the Citi Foundation has chosen us for the second time in three years as recipients of the Global Innovation Challenge among thousands of competing organizations.
We continue to support the sustainable development of rural areas and youth employment in the regions, and with this new program, we will strengthen young people’s green and entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to access employment and growth opportunities in the crucial agrifood sector.”
Statement by Eva Polyzogopoulou, General Director of ActionAid Greece:
“We create sustainable employment prospects for young people, giving them tools and a voice through education and continuous support. Our long-standing experience with vulnerable groups and youth makes the collaboration between the Citi Foundation, New Agriculture New Generation, and ActionAid even more meaningful and impactful.”
New Agriculture New Generation has been selected for the second consecutive time by the Citi Foundation under the Global Innovation Challenge, having also been awarded in 2023 for the Social Farming 360 program, implemented in collaboration with the General Secretariat for Anti-Crime Policy, ActionAid and Freedom Gate.
The organization also participates in another Global Innovation Challenge project led by PRAKSIS, focused on the professional reintegration of individuals experiencing housing insecurity.
This continuous international recognition highlights the consistency, reliability, and social contribution of New Agriculture New Generation in promoting employment and sustainable development within the agrifood sector.
