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EDITORIAL We are connected. Connected by being citizens of a shared planet, connected by being Young Europeans, connected by being here at Essen. Through these connections we can expand our web of knowledge and understanding and perhaps even venture into other webs we have not discovered thus far. The following issue revolves around this interconnectivity and the nexus we build in this session. Given this session’s unique natural connection as a “sister session” we stand in a position of great potential to make the most of this chance. In an eight page long feature The Essential explains, examines, expands upon and energises the tri-session
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format, a concept very new to the organisation. It is important for us to understand the basis of such an innovation to truly grasp this opportunity. Whether new to the European Youth Parliament or already a salty dog, projects such as these promise exciting development. This, for the first time, creates a thematic and topical connection between multiple sessions over the course of a year, building bridges for the European Youth Parliament’s future. We want to be construction workers erecting these bridges, facilitating your web-expansion and helping you take a deeper look into the session we are attending together. •
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CONTENT Energy Appropriate by Megan Smith Get Greener with Regina by Ella Glenz Energy Culture Across Europe by Chris Nölte & David Teruel Presidential Interview by Martha Saunders Feel The Energy by Mara Bălaşa Topic Map by David Teruel & Megan Smith Featured: From the Trİlogy to the Trinity by Britta Thiemt & Titus Verster & Caley Routledge Energiser to Energiser by Lee Moran Christmas Culture by Martha Saunders
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BY
MEGAN SMITH
ESSEN ENERGY APPROPRIATE 4
“A city of mining and industry that has made itself available to us for discussions on Energy. Defying the odds and being ecological and industrial at the same time.”
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ermany holds an incredible amount of power in the EU and thus it only makes sense to hold the final of the three sister forums in Germany. German efficiency, incredible hard work and the location in terms of the theme could not be more appropriate. This country in the wider perspective is seen as a strong force in the EU, playing an important role in policy making and of course in all things energy related. In 2013, Essen held the 9th Energy and Finance and 4th International Ruhr Energy 2013 Conference, where discussions about energy were high on the agenda. Furthermore, the city is becoming increasingly more important in the energy industry, refocusing on its routes and expanding its power in the energy circle. Therefore, the theme ‘Young Energy for Europe’ is entirely suitable for this particular location. You may be wondering why it is so appropriate to hold a session in Essen. Why come to this small city not essentially well known or famous for much? Well that is because you have been looking at this from entirely the wrong direction. Have you not googled Essen? At this point you must have seen the small pieces of coal that line the decorative bowls in the lobby of the hostel along with glinting red bobbles? Even though it may seem like a strange combi-
nation, the reason for that is simple: Essen is famous for its mining and industry, with 13 large German corporations having their headquarters there and of course the coal mining hype in the area. Obviously, the need for energy here was high, so the industrial city was established on the Ruhr River and the surrounding coal resources by clever people who understood the large demands for energy that would be needed. The Zeche Zollverein is probably the most popular sight in Essen to tourists. It is the only place worldwide where the complexity of the coal industry becomes so visible. The Zeche Zollverein was in use until 1986 and perhaps thankfully (considering the worries about mines collapsing that have led to the delays in the ICE trains) was then turned into a museum. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site which only further displays the importance of this system. If you are interested in experiencing Essen‘s unique cultural heritage you can take part in a guided tour through Zeche Zollverein as it is an element of the official timetable. Despite Essen being developed on the bases of industry and mining, it has become one of the three greenest cities in Germany. This is an impressive feat and displays how energy can become more environmentally friendly. Examples of where nature and en-
ergy have come together are evident from the healthy landscape which surrounds the hostel. How better to display the possibilities for young energy and emphasise the need to care for our environment in finding our energy? Even though the city was formed by industry and mining, today it can be declared as conscious of the environment and aware of its stewardship. The Baldeney Lake, relatively close to the youth hostel, perfectly points out how nature and industry are linked to each other: It was arranged to produce watercraft from the river Ruhr while enabling a habitat for wildlife. In a world where energy is high on the priority and our demands are only growing, we need to become more energy efficient while also maintaining an ecological awareness. Essen seems to epitomise this: generating huge levels of powers while being considerate towards its natural surroundings. We are fortunate to have found such a unique and suitable place to host a session that is concerned with energy. Essen supplies the energy and incredibly well so, we, the youth of this session supply the young element of the theme. ‘Young Energy for Europe’ while being appropriate to the location is also an important theme that needs innovation and creative minds.•
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ENERGY CULTURE WITHIN EUROPE by Chris Nölte & David Teruel
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ccording to a research carried out by the Market Observatory for Energy in 2011, Malta’s energy consumption in 2009 was 100% dependent on oil while in other member states, such as Belgium and Germany, the share of oil did not even reach 30%. France, for example, has nearly 80% nuclear energy production, being the highest rate in the EU. The percentages themselves have no negative connotations. The problem is the consumption of an unclean and non-renewable energy. Not only is it a finite resource which cannot be revitalised, but it also heavily contributes to global warming.
Since everybody has a different opinion when it comes to energy, it is intriguing to see the differences not just between nations within the EU, but also between Europans.
In order to achieve this, the Media Team prepared a poll asking the participants of Essen 2013 to share their own opinion. The questions were mostly about controversial topics related to energy, about issues such as EU-Member States competences, alternative energy production methods, etc. Participants were also asked which was the main problem regarding energy production was - nuclear waste and catastrophes or lessening of fossil fuels. To clarify the reIn 2009, 2/3 of the total primary energy lation between the policies of the countries production in the EU, which is the ext- and the citizen’s opinion, it is essential to raction of energy from a natural source, look at the results of the recent poll. were coming from only 5 Member States. It could be mostly due to the fact that their According to our poll, the measures alinfrastructure is more prepared to produce ready being taken by the EU to counter bigger amounts of energy. In order to ba- climate change are not sufficient. About lance the gap between those countries, the- 80% of the people thought that there is re should be a diversification of the energy still potential to improve and thus the proproduction. cess should be more encouraged by the EU. However, they also believe that enerEven if there is a tendency to be over-de- gy production and safety should remain a pendent towards a specific source of ener- shared competence between the EU and its gy, it is also relevant that since 1990 the Member States. In addition to that, to the production of energy coming from rene- question how the EU should be involved in wable sources has risen up by 111%. This Member State’s energy policy, about 80% does not only mean that countries have have replied that they should do it wherevgot aware of their real negative impact that er it is necessary. non-renewable energies were causing but also for the fact that they have reduced the percentage of non-renewable energies. Participants were not sure whether lessTherefore, it can be said that the tendency ening fossil fuels or nuclear waste and changes and whereas there are still some catastrophes are the bigger issue at the countries too dependent on non-renewab- moment, since they are both controverle energies, the situation is improving. Di- sial topics. Lessening fossil fuels is slightly versification is coming. more relevant at the moment.
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The main focus, according to the participants, should be to invest in renewable energies such as wind, solar and hydroenergy. A few (20%) also considers more nuclear energy plantations as an option. Another question was how important should political and social factors be in the EU’s choice of energy trade partners. Half of the poll-takers answered that the EU should, wherever possible, avoid trading with countries that do not maintain basic human rights. However, another 40% say that the EU should take these factors into concern whilst trading, however focus on securing energy. Furthermore, there are main differences in attitudes to energy. One good example might be our ideas about comfort. People in Germany tend to believe that a comfortable house is kept heated in winter and cooled in the summer, so there is a relatively constant temperature. In other cultures, though, we find very different ideas about comfort and heating. Finns, for example, find German homes terribly overheated or overcooled, and under-ventilated. In conclusion, although most of the countries have a specific dependency to a different type of energy production, there is a clear tendency towards a more renewable production. The participants gave us an interesting insight into their opinion on these controversial topics. Especially the relation between the EU and its Member States and the future of our energy supply are points with different opinions because of different backgrounds. •
The aim when producing energy is always the same - to power things. However, the way it is obtained, varies between the different Member States. Therefore, the question to ask is: Are we aware of the differences between the production of energy? How much presence does sustainable energy have in different European states?
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Get greener with Regina How EYP Germany reduces our ecological footprint BY ELLA GLENZ
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et’s talk about Regina. With her stainless steel body she recently has been upgraded, to ‘90’, and in her newest form she can be seen as a rather environmentally friendly item. Once activated, she works efficiently enough to produce as much as you need. Regina is the new coffee machine the organisers’ of Essen 2013 have added to their team. Just switch her on and the 15 litres of pure black nectar she produces will be enough for every coffee break. A fact that will be become so valuable to all of us, especially towards the end of the session. In general, you can take the investment of Regina as the result of very thorough, not only ecological, but also financial considerations of our hard-working organisers. According to organiser Maximilian, commonly known as Moobak, the basic actions in order to reduce the environmental impact of everyone have been reinforced as much as possible at Essen 2013. As he is also a board member of EYP Germany he can be taken as a rather reliable source when it comes to measures that have already been taken to raise ecological awareness in the organisation. According to him,
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EYP Germany does not set up unrealistic rules that cannot be followed. So no matter how honourable and considerate ecological principles might be, no false ideas shall be promoted; we must accept that EYP sessions do absorb a lot of energy resources. First of all, what should be concentrated on is mainly avoiding any unnecessary waste. Not grabbing too many cookies during coffee break is always a good way to start. In the worst case though, the blue bags which are nicely taped on the walls in almost every room in the hostel shall remind yourself to handle your rubbish appropriately. An even better example of the eco-friendliness of EYP Germany are the plastic cups that you received at the welcome desk and hopefully have not lost yet. The mathematics behind it are simple: If you hand over single-use cups to 150 people, twice a day, over a seven day event, the amount of cups being thrown away at a single session quickly increases to over two thousand cups; plastic wasted. Moreover, I admit that the reusable plastic cups can be a nice souvenir but this should not be misunderstood as a call to take them home. The cups have
been used like this for two years, and they have done a good job so far. They will continue to ensure a more or less neutral effect on the environment as well as saving a lot of money, which is always a good thing. Transport issues should not be underestimated either. In Essen 2013, the organisers refused to set up a single transfer taxi service to pick you up from the train stations or getting you to the committee work venue. Therefore they decided to create the most convenient combination for you and the environment by hiring a private bus service, or just letting you guys have a nice refreshing walk up the hill to the hostel. EYP Germany was able to incentivise this session through travel reimbursements. Even here the officials took environment into consideration. The rules state that no money for the flight travel within Germany gets paid back when you took a flight instead of having a nice train ride. Even though you often get a cheaper and far often more time-efficient journey by catching a flight, it is far more harmful to the environment. Of course, it is often the case you can only take the environment into consid-
eration when it makes sense from a financial point of view. Furthermore, postal services to get all the materials needed for Teambuilding and Committee Work had to be hired. Otherwise, markers, badges, cups and the cookies for coffee break would not have reached their destination on time. So apart from you getting to the session by train or plane, issues of post, food and electricity also have to be kept in mind. Overall, the eco-friendly activities of EYP Germany can be estimated to be average, Moobak admitted modestly. At an EYP session, nothing runs completely self-efficiently – not even Regina. The only thing we can do is to forgive us the little progress by implementing tiny methods of using energy in a sustainable way step by step and not lose the focus on the broader perspective. •
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CLIM
ZAHRA P M A K R E D RUN
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“IF AT FIRS T
by Martha Saunders
YOU
DON’T W IN”
“I didn’t enjoy my first EYP session. I found it quite annoying because it was over the weekend and that’s supposed to be fun and free.”
It wasn’t the response I was expecting from Zahra Runderkamp, President of Essen 2013 and a consistent presence in my EYP journey since she presided the National Session where I was selected in 2012. Reknowned as she is for her contribution to the organisation on both a national and international level, I was expecting gushing nostalgia about her EYP debut. But then Zahra’s ascent in EYP has been far from the classic story; rather than being selected and continuing as a delegate, she got involved as an official straight away. “I like having responsibility and making an active contribution to the session rather than being on the receiving end” she explains. Whilst her first experiences were less fulfilling than some, Zahra still feels that she has received as much from EYP as she has put in. Whilst you can learn hard skills at school or university, she estimates 99% of her soft skills have been picked up from EYP. “I remember myself from before EYP and I look at myself now, and I feel so lucky. I just wish that everyone could be involved and have these kinds of experiences.” So what made her want to preside this forum? Zahra gazes contemplatively through the window onto the grey streets of Essen. “I suppose I have a real bond with this place,” she says thoughtfully. Whilst she has attended a huge number of sessions in
many roles, a previous Essen forum in 2010 was particularly important for her because it was the first time she really faced difficulties; chairing a problematic committee. Instead of discouraging Zahra, this gave her a whole new perspective on her role in EYP. “It was really challenging, but it was what I needed” she explains. “It made me realise I was actually doing something important and leading a process. Before that, I felt I was useless.” Alongside her bond with the city is her connection to the session theme. She was involved with the bid for the Hague, Essen’s sister session, right from the start and the concept of the trilogy and the energy theme fits into her hardworking philosophy. “It’s not very sexy” she admits. “It just doesn’t draw you in straight away and it makes it a lot more difficult being so technical, as everyone has to do a lot more research. But it’s still such an important topic, and the overlapping subjects give me high hopes for General Assembly. I want every delegate to be able to give input in all of the topics and provide different perspectives.”
the other participants, she sees her duty as “developing the chairs, and helping the delegates grow up in that session.” It could be argued that having already experienced so many roles in EYP, she is now more of a facilitator for helping her fellow alumni. But she insists that she still has a great deal to learn, and the role of President brings her the most in terms of the challenges she seeks. What does Zahra want the delegates of Essen to learn from her? To motivate them to do something for their National Committee, to go abroad, and for them to be inspired by their chairs. Most of all, she wants to embody dedication to the cause of EYP. Zahra is evidence that EYP can provide something for everyone, even if you don’t enjoy the first roles you try, and most of all that persistent efforts will always pay off.
Zahra will be leaving EYP the Netherlands in March, but the results of her hard work will certainly remain and she’s sure it won’t be the end of the road for her. She’ll still attend as many sessions as she can. “It is still The way Zahra flourishes under pressure giving me so much” she smiles, “As long as and responsibility makes her an ideal I enjoy it and it remains challenging, I will candidate for President, and she loves the continue.”• ability to execute her own vision perfectly. Far from seeing her role as controlling
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FEEL THE ENERGY BY MARA BĂLAŞA
“Young Energy for Europe”. What pops up into your mind when you see these words? Do you think of people, of fossil fuels, age or sustainability? Or do you simply start contemplating the ceiling?
E
nergy is the basis of our life. It gives us light, keeps our bodies warm and our fresh orange juice cold. It is all around us. Look out the window! Do you see the big, shiny, yellow thing called “the sun”? It gives off energy. If you find your way home during the night, it is due to the street lights powered by energy. If you are enjoying driving your car you should also thank energy for being able to do that. There were numerous physicians who have tried to classify the types of energy and reveal all of its mysteries, but this topic is just so broad that no one has managed to discover everything about it. After all, we live and we learn. And, while learning, we form opinions using arguments based on knowledge. So how does the session’s theme relate to us, the youth? Fortunately, there is no right answer for that question, since it already leaves more than enough room for interpretation.
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What we do have to bear in mind is the fact that the aforementioned theme has a huge impact on us, the new generation. As someone wise once said, we are young, responsible adults and therefore we ought to behave appropriately and, moreover, be interested in everything that may, or will influence our lives.
of energy can also be called “young energy”. Why is that? Well, the answer is simple: because it is new. Or at least that may be the first impression, since being new is not its only quality. Power and efficiency are, to name but a few, also strong properties of young energy.
Having this in mind, we can now understand better why renewable energy may be compared to young humans like us. We are the ones who have ideas and who are also able to put them into practice, in order to find suitable solutions for any problem. Sustainable energy does the same, but in a different way. Its reliability consists in the fact that, although not fully explored, it can aid the world in combating problems such as global warming and scarcity of resourcNowadays, one of the most commonly es. used terms is “green energy”. Of course, this originates from the colour of grass, the There exists a certain holdback when it omnipresent leaves and the rolling hills. comes to change, just as there is a certain However, it does not stop there, as this type reticence when the youngsters take imOne might gain a deeper understanding of what sustainable energy actually is only after reflecting upon these words. Keeping in mind that it can be found in various forms and under a wide variety of denominations, what we should do is start gathering information about it. Can you find a better way of doing that than participating in this challenging international forum? No.
portant decisions. “People love chopping wood. In this activity one immediately sees results� is what Albert Einstein used to say. This could, more or less, explain why there are still skeptics among societies. Investing in green energy is comparable to investing in a youngster: you never know what the result will be. Moreover, we have all heard over and over again of how many issues there are regarding this controversial theme. The European Union importing resources from other countries is no news and neither is the fact that these resources are slowly, but surely coming to an end. This is why we should be interested in what happens with green energy. After all, it is a matter that relates
directly to us, for example the more solar panels used by households, the fresher the air will be. The fresher the air will be, the healthier our life will be. Since we are all responsible for our own future, it is our duty to research and gather information on such things. We are the ones who need to innovate, in order to take care of Mother Nature, just as she has taken care of us. Bearing in mind that we dispose of force, we are able to make a change. Of course, this forum will not change the world, but it definitely is a step towards the right direction. These are only a few of the reasons that should make us eager to find out even more about energy. After all, we do not want apathy to ruin our life, do we?•
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Connecting Topics As you already know, the topics that will be debated during this International Forum are all orientated towards the theme of Energy. This means that, regardless of having a committee on industry and research or foreign affairs, they all revolve around the same topic and, therefore, have relevant points in common. This mind map, prepared by the chairs during their training workshop before the session officially started, interconnects all the topics. Not only did they set more questions to bear in mind but also some possible solutions. During Committee Work you will get the chance to broaden your knowledge towards your topic and, with it, you will become aware of how similar your topics can be. After having had two sister sessions and in order to enrich this third and last resolution booklet that will be produced during the following days, try to make sure you understand and connect all the ideas presented in this mind map. •
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FROM TRILOGY TO TRINITY Everything you need to know about the ‘Young Energy for Europe’ sessions.
This year, a very special project has been taking place in EYP. Three seemingly normal sessions have all been connected by a common theme, ten topics and one sponsor. The first two of the RWE Foundation-sponsored sessions took place in Istanbul and The Hague earlier this year, and will now be concluded in the third and final forum in Essen. All three parts of the trilogy carried the theme ‘Young Energy for Europe’. Looking back on two-thirds of the trilogy, and still living the final chapter, it is time to take stock. In this article, the Essential digs deeper into three aspects of the trilogy: The organisation, the sponsor and the Presidents, or, as we like to call them, the Trinity.
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by Britta
Thiemt & Titus Verster & Caley Routledge
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THE ORGANISATION In her speech right in the beginning of teambuilding, our president Zahra welcomed you all to what she referred to as a “truly unique session”. Following the mottos “the more the merrier” and “together, we are strong”. Essen’s uniqueness originates from the fact that it does not stand alone, but marks the finale of a trilogy of International Forums that all shared the same themes and topics.
Starting in May 2013, over 250 young Europeans have been discussing ten topics revolving around the theme “Young Energy For Europe” in three different countries, cities and sessions. Another common denominator is the organisation that sponsored the trilogy: the Essen-based RWE Foundation. While the second forum in The Hague was not actively intertwined with the first one in Istanbul, the results of both sessions as well as some of their participants have been brought to this final forum in Essen, enabling delegates to benefit from the work that has already been done, as head organiser Sebastian “Schnue” Rieger explains: “Basically, we have ideas from previous sessions coming into Essen so that the delegates have the opportunity to create something out of other resolutions before the actual GA, which is usually too late to really change anything.”
from minor amendments, no alterations are possible. The debates during GA that give the proposing committee constructive criticism as well as different stances and perspectives on their topic can not be included in the actual resolutions – a classic case of missed potential, a tremendous potential that is not made use of at the moment.
In Essen however, the organisers have prepared an event where delegates will be given the opportunity to benefit from the results of the prior forums: the EnergyNexus. In case you have mistaken this special part of the programme for an event advertising a super-villain’s latest plan, an explanation might come in handy. The EnergyNexus is comprised of two phases: after regular expert talks, delegates will be able to study the resolutions from Istanbul and The Hague that deal with their topic. Furthermore, Turkish and Dutch “ambassador delegates” who either experienced After all, as soon as the chairs have typed the resolution writing process themselves up and optimised the resolutions, they are or were informed about it can be consulted in their final form, meaning that, apart in order to explain and expand on them.
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So in an open dialogue with the ambassadors, but also with experts and chairs, each committee will be able to gather different opinions and perspectives on their topics that will hopefully inspire productive discussions in the final stages of committee work. Although even Schnue himself acknowledges that EnergyNexus “kind of sounds like the name for a mobile phone?”, the name for this innovative format was actually very well-considered: “‘Nexus’ is something that is interwoven, intertwined, so I thought that this would be quite a fitting name because we have the perspectives from young people all over Europe coming together with the well-funded knowledge of experts, and this will take place at EnergyNexus.” Because of this new and creative concept, Essen 2013 really is a very exciting session to be at, or, in Zahra’s words, ”truly unique”. •
THE SPONSOR “Essen, just like every EYP event, strongly relied on the support of sponsors, or in this case, particularly on a single one: the RWE Foundation.”
It is corporations, governments and organisations which, with financial and organisational support, make our work possible. Considering the benefits we get out of participating in EYP sessions we are definitely very grateful for their support and for their trust in us. Nevertheless, there is a genuine risk that by allowing external organisations to influence our sessions, we might lose sight of our aim. Since corporate involvement can possibly lead to the corruption of original ideology, there is often a negative perception of it. The extent of the RWE Foundation’s involvement in the organisation of the forum in Essen is actually a first for Germany’s national committee. But whilst talking to head organiser Schnue about the RWE Foundation’s influence on this session, he was keen to stress that he had in fact not sold his soul. It’s ok Schnue. In fact, the coordination and cooperation between EYP Germany and the Foundation should be applauded: In this case, the ideological fit
between our organisations has proven to important whilst organising a session. The be entirely beneficial for both sides. RWE Foundation has proven to be of great help in this field, providing the organisers And the RWE Foundation did even more of Essen with helpful tips and recommenthan that: in coordination with EYP Ger- dations on many practical details. many and the other National Committees involved in the project, they contributed All in all, the RWE Foundation has been, their expertise in the process of creating besides functioning as the main sponsor of the concept of the trilogy sessions. the trilogy, a great help to the organisation of all three forums. In this case, the influFirst of all, each session received a number ence and cooperation of a corporate sponof experts from RWE or one of its daugh- sor turned out to be really fruitful. The aim ter-companies. In The Hague, for example, is to continue this positive sense of cooperfour experts from Dutch energy company ation throughout any further projects that Essen came by during committee work may come. • to enlighten the committees with their knowledge and expertise. Some feared the talks would have been RWE-centered, but nothing could be less true: all experts provided the delegates with unbiased and insightful presentations, after which they responded to questions very openheartedly. Moreover, Schnue has had a lot of contact with the headquarters of the RWE Foundation in Essen regarding transportation, venues and other practical things that are
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THE PRESIDENTS “The Trilogy: a Refreshing Challenge”
one of the chairs came up to me with the complaint that the topic was not relevant anymore, and that it needed rephrasing, Exactly one month before the kick-off of which RWE immediately agreed on.” Essen, another International Forum took place in The Hague, the Netherlands. The However, a lot can still be improved on Hague 2013 was the second edition of the the tri-session concept. The willingness RWE-sponsored trilogy of sessions that all of all participants to engage with previous share the same theme and topics, of which sessions has to be bigger. “A lot more can Essen will be the third and final one. The be done in this format. For example, you Essential talked to Schima Labitsch, prescan invite delegates from previous sessions ident of The Hague 2013 and newly electto join committee work to comment on ed GB member, about the concept of the clauses, or to function as an expert. It is trilogy. really up to the NCs to make it clear to the presidents that they wish for cooperation Though very important for The Hague between the sessions.” She thinks that this 2013, Schima did not have much to do should be the primary focus for the presiwith the creation of the tri-session concept. dent. “The trilogy was negotiated by the Office, with the help and cooperation of EYP TurAll in all, Schima does not see any disadkey, the Netherlands and Germany. Aftervantages in the tri-session concept: “it is wards, the National Committees (NC) ina ‘normal forum’, plus something extra.” vited the presidents and Head-Organisers Obviously, there are things that could be to make the idea reality.” improved, and it is definitely a challenge to live up to the concept that requires a lot One of the things Schima did to in fact of work from all participants, but Schima realise the idea behind the trilogy, was orremains positive: “it is a refreshing chaldering her chairpersons to contact their lenge.” • respective Istanbul chairs. “This way, they could anticipate and prevent the challenges surrounding their topic during committee Schima’s Suggestions work or general assembly, already before coming to the Hague.” Zahra Runderkamp, our own president, has demanded the same 1. Delegates should not be discourfrom her team of chairpersons.
Schima Labitsch – The Hague
Ben Brown - Istanbul In May, the 8th Istanbul Youth forum took place. Besides being the latest in a long tradition of Istanbul-based forums, it also kicked off the trilogy of ‘Young Energy for Europe’ based sessions, sponsored by the RWE Foundation. The Essential talks to Ben Brown, president of the predecessor to our very own forum in Essen. Considering the fact that the forum in Istanbul was the first of three, it certainly has a special position. For Ben, for example, it is difficult to see the effects of the efforts of him and all other participants of Istanbul. “Those who take part in the first session do not have the opportunity to really appreciate the fact the session is part of a trilogy in the same way as those who take part in following sessions.”
However, it did give him the opportunity to act as an expert on the theme and its challenges in conversations with Schima and Zahra, the presidents of respectively The Hague and Essen. “I have spoken to the Presidents of the two other sessions and we have shared ideas and experiences, which has been extremely productive.” Schima sees a lot of potential in the trilogy as a concept for EYP sessions in the future: Ben thinks the ‘Young Energy in Europe’ “It distinguishes the session from others, trilogy could definitely be an example for since it is part of something bigger. Wherefuture EYP projects, and considers it to be as the attention for a certain theme usually an extremely successful and worthwhile stops after one session, topics now carry on exercise. “A trilogy model ensures that a throughout an entire year.” On top of that, legacy is created and developed across sev- one of the goals of the GB, inter-NC cooperal sessions in a way that is not possible eration, is increased due to the tri-session with a stand-alone session.” concept, something Schima very much appreciates. However, as with any other large project that is the first in its kind, there are many The cooperation with a corporate sponsor things that could be improved in the fu- is also one of the unique aspects of the trilture. Ben comments on the social media ogy. Over all, Schima is very positive about interaction between the sessions by say- the work done with the RWE Foundation. ing that “It would have been a good idea “They were very open and tolerant. Of to show media from all sessions to all the course, they came up with the theme, but participants at some point.” This might be it was up to the office and the NCS to crea very good idea to amplify the feeling of ate the topics. A good example is the topic unity within this trilogy of sessions. phrasing of AFET II. Before The Hague,
aged by the seemingly technical topics. Even though they do not look like your technical conflict-based topics like, for example, abortion, they have potential to be. Important is that delegates do their research thoroughly and make creative solutions.
2.
All participants should have a good look at the resolutions from Istanbul and The Hague. This is basically what the trilogy and especially Essen are all about: taking the product of the previous sessions into consideration, and build upon them during their own Committee Work.
3. Delegates should try and challenge the chairpersons with their knowledge and brilliant ideas. 21
TheTrouble WITH
TRILOGY
THE
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ou know they are related, but not quite how. All you can tell is that they obviously do not talk enough to actually know very much about each other. Throughout Essen, it has become increasingly clear how unaware many delegates and officials were of the idea that sessions were related at all. And that is through no fault of their own. The tri-session concept has much potential, but not many would deny that its execution has had its flaws. This is not to disrespect or belittle the work of the numerous officials and National Committees who put on the sessions, nor the delegates who took part; it is simply the honest acceptance that this format has potential to become something far greater, it just is not quite there yet.
“Describing the sessions of Istanbul, The Hague and Essen as sisters is inaccurate. More appropriate, maybe, would be ‘estranged cousins’.”
should be used to attempt to achieve this, by engaging a greater number of us than is typically possible, and collaboratively arriving at the best solutions we’re capable of. I have faith in the ability of the delegates of Essen to produce high quality solutions to tough problems. It falls to us to enable them to draw on the work of previous work of other sessions, but also to allow those sessions to have a greater direct influence on the conclusion to all our work.
videos explicitly referring to, explaining and marking the progression of the project at each session would have been of use. For example, Istanbul videos could’ve explained the future and expectations of the project; the videos of The Hague could’ve shown the progress made in Istanbul; Essen at least has a strong conclusion in the form of the energy nexus, but not everyone can benefit from that. Ol’ reliable Schnue suggested that we simply have a recurring item, perhaps a mascot that attends each session. The best way to add this unity is, of course, not agreed upon and your ideas are welcomed; the recognition of its important place in these types of sessions, however, is commonly accepted.
III
The issues I have with how things have turned out stem from how the tri-session format was first conceived: two sessions that are entirely independent, and one that draws the results of the previous two together. That is a tough burden for the final session to bear. It also seems counter–productive; by establishing two thirds of the sessions as essentially normal sessions, with nothing special about them, you are generating weak links between the sessions. These sessions should in no way have been normal. These sessions do not exist simply for the sake of existing; they exist because it is increasingly apparent that it will fall to our generation to tackle the problems that are currently inadequately addressed. This tri-session format
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CALEY ROUTLEDGE
The weak links between these sessions have been identified by both Presidents of the preceding sessions to Essen, and noted by the Head Organiser of our current session, Schnue. From the beginning, these sessions should have been presented as part of a project that makes them more than just simple sessions; without that, labelling them as connected sessions is pointless. You yourself, as a delegate, might have come to Essen and not had any clue about the connection to other sessions. If the importance of the links had been pushed more, we might have had a greater number of delegates from both Istanbul and The Hague here with us, working towards that collaborative conclusion; by lacking this sense of unity we denied them any motivation to be here. As the President of the IYF, Ben Brown, believes, this unity could have been achieved through the work of the media teams. It has been suggested that
By developing a unified tri-session system we move towards having a great number of intelligent young individuals working together to tackle the issues with which they are faced. It is important this is collaborative; no single person has the answers. I hope in future sessions the family gets back together, spends some time appreciating each other for what they are and what they’ve achieved. By listening to and appreciating each other’s ideas, we can assess disadvantages and advantages of potential actions plans and perhaps pave the way for an optimal execution of innovative ideas like this. •
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Energiser to energiser BY
LEE moran
Y
oung energy for Europe: with many young people apathetic to any notion of active citizenship, how best could the European Union, the Council of Europe and the European Youth Parliament generate energy and activity from youths who do not actively engage with politics or their community? Young people don’t like politics. It is a common belief throughout the world and as much as we EYPers try to believe that is not the case, it has shown time and time again to have some validity. Although it is a sweeping statement apathy amongst the youth is a key factor in politics. No one can deny that EYP does do a great deal to help young people actively engage with politics and the ideals of active citizenship. EYP is a tiny percentage of youth in Europe and does not grant millions of youths the same opportunities that we’ve had. Young people are interested in their world, their community and making it a better place. The problem lies in how the institutions which govern it exclude them. The youth are confident, vibrant and energetic but the system is not. How can one possibly engage with active citizenship when it does not engage with us in the real world? For a start, most countries do not allow a person to vote until they are 18 and in some cases the registration process is so difficult people don’t even opt for registration. Apathy is apparently akin to laziness or so some people believe, but this is just simply not the case. They are not related. One undeniable fact is that the youth have energy. One doesn’t need to see this through athletes, performers and partiers alike to know that. This energy needs to be channelled in a new way to engage with active citizenship but they must meet halfway. It can have a negative effect, such as the damage caused by the UK riots although it was a statement of dissatisfaction by the youth. They consistently show that they are apathetic towards voting despite expressing their desire for change. The system needs to change as much as the youth. We cannot sit by while issues for the youth consistently get ignored by politicians. Yes, one could argue the youth have guaranteed protection and are sheltered from the real world, however it is just not that simple.
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EYP provides an apt example of how young people are trying to engage with world issues and try to make a differ-
Young energy for Europe: with many young people apathetic to any notion of active citizenship, how best could the European Union, the Council of Europe and the European Youth Parliament generate energy and activity from youths who do not actively engage with politics or their community?
ence. Much like the real world in EYP after much political discussion and little progress one starts to get sluggish and eventually disinterested. This is where the energiser comes into play; these little games you play aren’t just a photo op for your journo. They get the blood rushing around the body and the mind to mend whatever wall you hit as a committee. Those games are an example of how to energise the youth and to actively engage with the issues facing them. The ability to turn sleepy delegates into passionate orators through shaking limbs and dancing about is remarkable. This session in Essen is special. As an energy themed session, it is always interesting to see how the session them can be incorporated into the session without being unoriginal. What about energy themed energisers ? Some of us had been set this task and it is interesting to see the results. The delegates are certainly aware of one, the energy evolution game. With arms flailing about the place, solar panels and jazzy radiation, the element of energy was incorporated from the very beginning of the session. Perhaps thematic energisers are a way forward, it could help you not only get active mentally and physically but engage with the subject matter of the general theme of the session. To state the obvious EYP uses energisers to energise delegates, here at Essen however we use energy energisers to energise delegates lacking energy at a forum on energy. The energy theme is prevalent at all stages through the session but incorporating it into games is a good way to not only engage with it on a basic level but also just to have fun, something which is lacking in real world politics. There is absolutely no reason as to why politics cannot be fun, maybe we just elect boring people. What society needs is a type of energiser to energise it. I don’t mean jellyfish or bear hunt but a metaphorical one. Something to kick start active youth involvement in politics which has been diminishing more and more. In the past it was not an issue as people were engaged in all levels in politics, many revolutions and great social change was started by the youth, where is that drive, that passion and the commitment to change. The change in the past was not concluded but at least young people then tried their hardest to change that. Do not let their effort be in vain. •
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Christmas
Culture by Martha Saunders
“Essen has gathered close to 100 delegates from every corner of Europe. Despite sometimes vast geographical and cultural distance, every participant of the session is looking to find some kind of common ground.“
D
uring committee work you will have to find consensus and compromise on your topic, but at coffee breaks you will usually leave fracking and LGBT discrimination at the door and discover many more differences and similarities between yourselves and your cultures. With the session starting at the beginning of the festive season, one topic is recurrent that is present in every culture: Christmas. While the spirit of Christmas exists in every delegate’s country of origin, the diversity in how it is perceived, expressed and celebrated both on a national and individual level is huge. While Edgar, a delegate from France, felt that French Christmas was extremely commercialised and had lost a lot of it’s real meaning (a sentiment shared by the English and Irish journalists) Yolanda from Spain felt that her country still place a strong emphasis on the biblical story of Christmas, with celebrations involving many graphic and dramatic retellings of the tale. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Azra from Turkey, where Christmas naturally holds no religious significance – instead, it is celebrated on the 31st of December as a welcoming of the new year.
be traditional for a town to decorate a ship instead of a tree as a nod to the country’s dependency on ships and the value they came to possess in Greek society as a result. Presents themselves, whilst always given, are shared at very different times. The exchange usually happens on Christmas Eve, the day itself or Boxing Day, although some countries such as Spain have to wait until King’s Day on the 6th January to receive their presents. Dutch participants will be giving gifts today, 5th December, in a celebration known as Sinterklaas. If you have a Dutch delegate, chair or journalist in your committee, take a moment to write them a short poem – another Sinterklaas tradition.
Something relatively consistent in all the conversations I had with delegates and officials was a feeling that while traditions are usually consistently followed, their meanings have been lost as the event has become overly commercialised. Advertisements and Christmas songs begin mid autumn, and every company takes full advantage of what the festive season can give them – higher sales and more money. Particularly in an increasingly secular and culturally diverse Europe, it’s easy to be cynical about a festival allegedly devoted to giving and love when the main message seems to be Whilst some themes such as Christmas consumerism. trees, the giving of gifts and intoxicated uncles remain fairly consistent, other tra- However, whilst Christmas has perhaps ditions are also incredibly diverse, and can been exploited on a corporate level, I still tell us a great deal about a nation’s culture. believe there is something about it which George explained that in Greece it used to transcends the criticisms. This was best
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exemplified by Carolina from Switzerland – whilst she couldn’t think of any unique cultural traditions her country has around Christmastime, what really makes the event special was that it brings the whole village together. Nods and sounds of agreement from around the committee room confirmed the understanding I had come to about the lowest common denominator in regards to Christmas. All across Europe, it has really come to symbolise togetherness. There’s something infectious about the Christmas spirit which seems to bring out the best in people; the deeper we get into December, the more plentiful the smiles and friendliness. It’s a time to come together with your family and community, despite your differences, and try just for the day to show only warmth towards one another. In a world where we are becoming more and more individualised and slowly seem to be losing our sense of community, that’s something to be cherished. At the end of the day, maybe we are all mindless consumers being puppeteered by corporations into parting with our money. Maybe we are all inherently selfish and just appreciate the time off work and being laden with gifts. But no matter what the reasons are behind it, the simple consequence is that it makes people happy. As George from Greece so eloquently put it, “In all languages, the words ‘Merry Christmas’ seems to me to be the most beautiful that you can hear”. •
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supported by:
Dieses Projekt wurde mit Unterstützung der Europäischen Union durch das Programm JUGEND IN AKTION finanziert. Der Inhalt dieses Projektes gibt nicht notwendigerweise den Standpunkt der Europäischen Union oder der Nationalagentur JUGEND für Europa wieder und sie übernehmen dafür keine Haftung.
a project of:
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The European Youth Parliament is a programme of the Schwarzkopf Foundation.