Session Concept – PDF

Due to the events on the 9^th of October 1989, Leipzig has a special political responsibility and strong ties to this topic. The peaceful revolution had a great impact on the process of Germany becoming reunited.

Referring to statistics of Shell’s 16^th study on youth ,,Jugend in Sachsen’’,  young people are more and more disinterested in institutionalized politics, but at the same time very much involved into voluntary social work. This is not just a German problem, but exists all over Europe. Within the session we want delegates to talk about the current situation and problems concerning democracy in today’s world. What is democracy and how should it look like? Are there alternatives and what are future perspectives? We want young people to find new ways of participation. We give them a platform to exchange their ideas and visions. We want to show them the importance of participating in political issues, of thinking about ongoing affairs and raising their voice to shape the future.

For further information about the session please contact Franziska Hülß, head organizer of the session.

Session Concept – PDF

From 31st August to 4th September, the European Youth Parliament will be guest in the Rhine-Main region for the fourth time. For our international Forum in Wiesbaden, we anticipate about 90 young people from across Europe to discuss European issues and explore the cultural diversity of Europe. Therefore the cosmopolitan city of Wiesbaden is the perfect host. The Parliamentary Assembly will be held in the  Hessian state parliament. There, the young people will discuss their resolutions according to the rules of the European Parliament and will practice impersonately dealing with other opinions and standpoints during the development of concrete projects, which are meant to be implemented by project partners after the meeting.

Integration is not only a subject of public debate in the German media, but is has always been an important issue in the European member states. While the media attempts to highlight many aspects in an open debate, people often feel that this will not lead to results. The European member states have long offered common actions as possible solutions to promote the integration of third country nationals in EU countries. Although integration policies fall within the competence of the member states, successful pan-European initiatives already exist through which all citizens and residents – with or without an immigrant background – are meant to have the opportunity to be part of a diverse society.

The focal points of the meeting in Wiesbaden will deal especially with social and educational aspects of integration of young people in Europe. Participants will be given the opportunity to speak their own minds in the debate on integration. The adolescents will furthermore help fashion the future of Europe – their future Europe – through the development of independent projects.

Take Part!

Join the 80 Delegates from all over Europe and take part in the International Forum on Integration in Wiesbaden! Please use this form to apply for session.

For further information about the session, please contact the head organiser Pia Spiesmacher.

The first International Forum of the European Youth Parliament in Weimar will celebrate the occasion of the 20 year anniversary of the Weimar Triangle. From 28th August till 2nd September representatives from Germany, Poland and France will discuss the future of the Weimar Triangle with delegates from Denmark, the Czech Republic and the Ukraine. By simulating the European Parliament the participants will draft resolutions on Migration, Demography and Learning Mobility of Young People.

The Weimar Triangle was established on the 29th August 1991 through a joint declaration by the Foreign Ministers of France, Poland and Germany. Since then it offers a trilateral forum for dialog and cooperation. In February the French President Sarkozy, the Polish President Komorowski and the German Chancellor Merkel met to launch a German-French-Polish Youth Office.

In cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office, the European Youth Education and Meeting Centre in Weimar (EJBW) and the Schwarzkopf-Foundation, the European Youth Parliament will focus on the historical importance of the Weimar Triangle. A twenty year old trilateral forum, whose decisions define future European politics.

The work of the European Youth Parliament is not of symbolic nature. The result of the session – the resolutions – will be handed over to and discussed with politicians and experts.

But there is more to Europe than “just” politics. It is a continent full of culture, culinary delights and great traditions. We celebrate this diversity by creating not only political dialog between the participants but also cultural exchange. Special events, such as the Eurovillage, offer delegates a chance to experience Europe’s diversity. At the International Forum of the European Youth Parliament in Weimar, the participants will not only understand the broad spectrum of opinions of their fellow delegates, but also the motivation that drives them.

Take Part!

Join the 80 Delegates from all over Europe and take part in the International Forum in Weimar in! Please use this form to apply for session.

Session Concept - PDF

Continuous carbon emissions have endangered the global climate equilibrium ever since industrialisation. Even if society manages to reduce emissions drastically, it will take several hundred years for the climate to recover. Heat waves and natural catastrophes like hurricane Katrina 2005 have demonstrated that it is time for the public debate to focus on prevention and protection measurements for people across the globe. Alongside slowing down climate change, there is an urgent need to recognize the already visible consequences in different regions of the world and find suitable adaptation strategies in order to mitigate the effects of present and future environmental dangers and conflicts.

Europe’s youth is not only the first generation to grow up in the presence of the climate debate but also the generation of future decision makers. We want to provide the participants of this summit with a forum to analyse the situation from different angles and develop innovative and creative ideas for society to handle drastic and unpredictable climate variations.

For further information about the session please contact one of the head organisers Franziska Maier or Benjamin Gradhand.

Picture Credits:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chimber/2568723888/

From May 30th to June 4th 2011 around 80 young Europeans will gather in Regensburg for the European Forum of the European Youth Parliament.

Regensburg Concept – PDF

The young people will deal with the European single market in various international committees and discuss ideas and visions for the future of the European Union and the European single market. In the General Assembly the delegates will discuss and vote on their drawn up resolutions. Subsequently, the resolutions will be presented to prominent representatives of politics, economy and society.

The Single European Market

Strawberries from Spain, wine from France, flowers from the Netherlands – the boarders within the European Union are becoming increasingly blurred. Since the implementation of the Single European Market in 1993, it has reduced trade barriers, created jobs and increased prosperity in the European Union. Since the EU’s enlargement to 27 Member States, the EU has become the biggest common market in the world. Although it was one of the greatest achievements of the European integration, its implementation remains controversial, including the extension of rules and the issue of social protection. Still, it cannot be called a completion of the internal market, because new challenges stemming from the global economic crisis require a continuous correction of the regulations and operations. The city of Regensburg offers a perfect backdrop for the participants given its position as an historically important commercial centre with trade relations with all countries of the European continent and serving as a major hub for the goods from all over Europe.

For further information about the session, please contact the head organisers Maximilian Gigl and Annika Heffter.

Sponsors

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Picture Credits:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23560781@N05/2248459035/in/photostream/

Visit the official website of the session: www.schwerin2011.de

Schwerin goes Europe –  in spring 2011, Schwerin will host the 21st National Selection Conference. 100 delegates from all over Germany are going to discuss the European Union’s future, with special emphasis on the European identity.

Two delegations from Slovenia and Denmark will contribute to the international atmosphere. The beautiful castle “Schloss Dreilützow” is our accomodation and committee-work location. The session’s highlight, the General Assembly, takes place in the Golden Hall of the “Neustädtisches Palais”.

Topic of this year’s debates will be the European Union’s future.

The financial and economic crisis has put the principle of European solidarity to a severe test. Meanwhile a public discussion on the Europan identity has started, which the delegates are going to take up. They will debate the importance of European values as well as the influences on these values. Their visions will then be pronounced in concrete action plans for the EU.

The National Selection Conference is divided into three elements: teambuilding, committee-work and General Assembly. An independent jury observes committee-work and general assembly. Two delegations will be selected to represent Germany at the International Sessions of the European Youth Parliament in autumn 2011 in Zagreb (Croatia) and in spring 2012 in Istanbul (Turkey). Selection criteria such as linguistic competence, strength of argumentation, teamwork and wealth of ideas create a highly demanding event.

In spring 2011 around 70 young people will gather in Heidelberg for the International Forum of the European Youth Parliament.

The participants will discuss current European issues, exchange ideas and experience Europe’s cultural diversity. The highlight of the session, the General Assembly, will be held in the Great Hall of the Old University of Heidelberg. During the General Assembly the delegates will debate their resolutions according to the rules of the European Parliament and experience the factual dispute of different opinions.

Nutrition as a sustainable concept

Facing famine and poverty in the developing world, a high demand for food in newly industrialised countries and the huge amount of wasted food in industrial nations, the participants will focus on finding sustainable solutions to the global food problem. With natural catastrophes, the fear of worldwide famine grows. The trend towards consumption of organic food and vegetarianism in Western countries reflects an increasing awareness of the importance of healthy nutrition. The delegates will discuss the problems of food production, climate change, growth of population and development policy. They will not only have discussions on the topic of food and environment but also get the chance to visit an organic farm. The food provided at the session will mainly be vegetarian and organic.

For further information about the session, please contact the head organiser Angelika Maier.

Picture Credits:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dos82/2349494138/

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Visit the official website of the session: http://regensburg.eyp.de/

Visit the official website of the session: www.schwerin2011.de

© Gerda Hasselfeldt / Studio Kohlmeier

Gerda Hasselfeldt, the Vice-President of the German Bundestag, has accepted the patronage for the International Forum in Regensburg. From May 30th to June 4th 2011 around 80 young Europeans will gather in Regensburg for the European Forum of the European Youth Parliament.