The young cancer advocates were part of a group of 82 participants from 30 different European countries, who came to Sziget to raise awareness about YARN, an EU co-funded project working to improve the quality of life of young people affected by cancer.
Zara Larsson meeting members of YARN at Sziget Festival, Budapest. Photo credit: Bence Boros
After her energetic Main Stage performance at Sziget Festival this week, Swedish pop sensation Zara Larsson met backstage with a group of 20 young people from 11 European countries taking part in the European Youth Cancer Network (YARN) gathering in Budapest.
The group included young people who have experienced cancer, some of whom only recently completed treatment, including participants from Zara’s home country, Sweden, as well as Hungary.
Despite having just stepped off the Main Stage, Zara told the group she did not even feel particularly tired, saying she had really enjoyed performing at Sziget and felt energised after the show.
She took time to chat with each young person, listened to their stories, posed for photos and gave hugs. For some participants, the meeting became an emotional moment, with several young people moved to tears.
Zara Larsson meeting members of YARN at Sziget Festival, Budapest. Photo credit: Bence Boros
Participants described Zara as genuine, kind and incredibly generous with her time. Several spoke about her positive energy and how naturally she connected with everyone she met. Young women said she inspires them to be confident and proud of who they are, while others highlighted her advocacy for women’s rights and her message of self-acceptance. One participant described meeting Zara as “like talking to a fellow advocate”, while another said that behind the international pop star they found “a kind human being”.
Zara Larsson hugs one of YARN’s members at Sziget Festival, Budapest. Photo credit: Bence Boros
The meeting took place in the context of the European Youth Cancer Network (YARN) gathering in Budapest, which brings together 82 young people with lived experience of cancer from 30 European countries. Throughout this week, participants are also hosting a stand at Impact Island (Civil Sziget), raising awareness of the realities of cancer at a young age.
YARN (the European Youth Cancer Network) is an EU co-funded initiative and the largest multi-stakeholder, lived experience-driven effort of its kind in Europe, working to improve quality of life for children, adolescents and young adults affected by cancer.
Coordinated by Youth Cancer Europe’s Hungarian founder Katie Rizvi, it brings together young people with lived cancer experience, healthcare professionals, psychosocial care specialists, policy-makers, researchers and patient organisations from 25 EU Member States and three eligible neighbouring countries. At its core is the Youth Cancer Council, a pan-European advisory group of 100 young people with lived cancer experience who help shape decisions across the project, alongside the ACE Academy, YARN's advocacy training programme.
Public engagement at cultural events such as Sziget is a key part of how YARN reaches new audiences across Europe. For more information about YARN please visit https://youthcancereurope.org/yarn/
Zara Larsson with members of YARN at Sziget Festival, Budapest. Photo credit: Bence Boros
