OFFICIALS’ WELCOME BOOKLET 7th Regional Selection Conference of EYP Czech Republic Tábor 2019
REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
WORDS OF WELCOME SESSION PRESIDENT Dearest, fantastic Officials’ Team, It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to Tábor 2019 as one of the Team Leaders of the session. My name is Alina and I shall be leading the Chairs’ Team alongside my 3 lovely board boys, Alex, Tim and Kuba. As the session is edging closer and closer, from my side, I’d love for you to reflect on where you are right now. Think about the milestones you have reached, think about where you are heading and think about where you want to head. The atmosphere I’d like to bring to Tábor is one of remembering and reflecting. We progress in EYP at a very fast rate and we tend to get carried away with the overstimulation our network provides. As much good as EYP does, it’s important to take a step back and truly understand how much you have grown, learnt and what areas you would like to still work on. So, think about that one thing you’d like to work on for your own self and set that as your purpose for Tábor. I can’t wait to meet you all at the end of this month so until then enjoy life and see you in Tábor! Alina Khan
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
PRESIDENT OF EYP CZECH REPUBLIC Dearest Officials, It is my pleasant duty and a great honour to welcome you to Tábor 2019 on behalf of the Board of the European Youth Parliament Czech Republic. Our National Committee was established 20 years ago and has since sought to provide the participants with events combining a very high organisational level, a strong academic quality and a safe and open space to grow through exploring beyond the infamous comfort zone. I and my fellow Board Members are doing our best to ensure that this session is no exception and hope that together with David, Adam, Alina, Marek and Jan—the amazing Team Leaders who work very hard to make Tábor 2019 happen—you will enjoy this event to the fullest and move forward as individuals. To embrace this opportunity, I encourage you to meet and talk to as many people from the session as possible and to be ready to learn and benefit from what is coming no matter what your experience or background is. I am more than proud of each and every one of you for the amount of energy and preparations you are putting into this project. Thank you. Dearest Officials, I wish you all an inspiring weekend and I look forward to meeting you very soon. Yours faithfully, Viktor Karlíček
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TĂ BOR
HEAD OF JURY Dear fellow Officials, In more or less than a month, the fourth year of Regional Selection Conferences of EYP CZ will be taking place. Having had the opportunity to participate in the majority of them from the ex-position of an NC Board Member, it is now an exciting pleasure for me to join the Officials’ team and its leadership. This is probably not going to be your first Regional Selection Conference, but I would like to encourage you to find something special which you can use as a memory and easy connection to this event not only in order to keep it fresh in your EYP memories and avoid mixing experience from various sessions together but also to realise where you currently stand in EYP and analyse how much progress you have already gone through. For some of you it might be the first experience as an Official, first time solochairing, first time attending a session abroad etc. What for? Even though I suppose we all can agree that EYP is a truly unique project with the number of organised events highly rising each year, it might soon become easy to lose the track a bit and mix all of your EYP experience into one box. However, if you focus on realising your current position and that special aspect which happened or possibly made you apply for that given session, you can later see the progress how much your personality and skills have developed, you can see the benefits that each session gave you and improvements you made on your weaknesses. I wish you to find that aspect and hope that this experience will not be just a regular session to your EYP session history. Cannot wait to meet you all! Yours, Marek Haisl
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
EDITOR Dear Officials, Welcome to the Regional Selection Conference of EYP Czech Republic in Tábor! I am honoured to have the privilege of inviting you to what promises to be an unforgettable and fruitful event. My name is Jan Franciszek Adamski and I am the Editor of the session. My team and I will be tasked with bringing you engaging content during the event, as well as making sure your memories are well preserved. This congregation we’re planning is going to be a unique opportunity for you to exchange ideas with your peers, come up with new, bold concepts and flood your mind with new knowledge. Maybe you’ll come up with something that will revolutionise our world. Maybe you’ll meet your new best friend. Maybe you’ll try a new snack, learn about a new custom or discover new music. Either way, I want you to make sure that you take something home from this conference. Build it into yourself and become a better, brighter person. This is what my vision for Tábor 2019 is all about. I want to make sure everyone is able to express themselves, give something to others and receive something that will make them better (or simply happier) human beings. I’ll make sure that everyone who has something to say will be heard, provided they do not seek to harm anybody. My Media Team will be open to your suggestions, ideas and inspirations. We will embed your preferences and ideas in our output, and hopefully together we will be able to weave a tapestry of individuality that will represent each and every one of us. See you in Tábor! Jan Franciszek Adamski
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 Tร BOR
HEAD ORGANISERS Dear Officials, It is our greatest pleasure to welcome you onboard the Regional Selection Conference 2019 Tรกbor. Primarily we would want to express our gratitude that you have chosen to be a part of our session. We tremendously value all the energy you put into the preparation phase of the session because, without you, our session would stay a dream forever for us. We hope for Tรกbor to become a melting pot for people of various levels of EYP experience, nationalities, cultures and mainly opinions and world views. Regional Selection Conferences are a place to try, experience, and discover new things. That is why we are aiming towards a session where everyone takes home something to build upon in the future, therefore using it as a runway for exporing other EYP opportunities. We cannot wait until you all appear in Tรกbor to kick off something that we have been devoting our lives to for almost a year now. Safe travels, David and Adam
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
TÁBOR The city of Tábor is an important centre of transport, economics and culture in its region. It is also the second largest city in South Bohemia. The romantic landscape of the Lužnice river is one of the most popular places among tourists in the Czech Republic, thanks to a large number of historical monuments and its natural beauty. The town is situated about 84 km from Prague and 60 km from the town of České Budějovice. The first mention of the settlement is estimated at 6th or 5th century BC, the late Stone Age. In 1420, members of the well-known Hussite uprising settled in this area and gave the city a biblical name—Tábor. At the end of the 15th century, it experienced an unprecedented development, which gave the city features that we can still see today.
SESSION MOTTO “Emphasising individuality in a globalised world.” The session will be focused on the contrast of globalisation and significance of individuals. The aim is to discuss ways how people can retain their uniqueness and their own ideas, while still maximising the benefits of globalisation and integrating themselves in today’s society. This is why this motto suits Tábor so well. Because its residents have managed to maintain their way of life despite several major historical events.
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
COMMITTEE TOPICS Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI)
Meating the needs: With animal agriculture being the largest contributor of human-caused greenhouse gases, accounting for 12-17% of the EU’s annual emissions, what actions should the EU take in order to reduce the environmental impact of animal agriculture?
Committee on Environment, Public Health and Safety I (ENVI I)
Cry me a river: As water reservoirs are drying up across the world and water consumption rates have pushed nearly two-thirds of global freshwater supplies beyond their sustainability tipping points, what role should the EU play in tackling the freshwater crisis?
Committee on Environment, Public Health and Safety II (ENVI II)
To the ends of the Earth: With the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s warning that the world has 12 years to limit climate change consequences, how can the EU ensure the efficient implementation of the Paris Agreement and show strong leadership in the global fight against climate change?
Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)
An Economy that works for All: With movements like Economy for the Common Good promoting a new economic model, how should the EU approach calls for a more ethical European market?
Committee on Fisheries (PECH)
Nemo not found: With 87% of Mediterranean fish stocks being fished unsustainably and the 2020 goals for overfishing being practically unachievable, what stance should the EU take to finally avoid the overexploitation of stocks?
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
Committee on Human Rights (DROI)
Sticks and stones: With debates on the internet shifting towards more offensive statements, mostly targeting minorities or disadvantaged groups of people, and in some cases even resulting in acts of violence, how can the EU prevent the escalation of hatred and discrimination within the society while safeguarding the freedom of expression of its citizens?
Committee on Development (DEVE)
In cooperation, there’s strength: While 413 million people are still living in extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, the European Development Fund’s investment structure in the region has received criticism of having limited impact on the poor. How should the EU redirect its development investments in sub-Saharan Africa in order to make sure the goals of poverty reduction are reached in line with the Agenda 2030?
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM)
Invisible women: With little to no data on female homelessness in Member States and no mention of reproductive rights in any of the few national strategies on homelessness, how can the EU safeguard the aforementioned rights and provide suitable healthcare to homeless women?
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
PROGRAMME THURSDAY until 11:00 Officials’ Arrival 12:00–13:00 General TB 13:00–19:00 Officials’ Training 19:30–21:00 Officials’ Dinner 21:00–23:00 Officials’ Evening
FRIDAY until 12:00 Delegates’ Arrival 13:00–14:00 General TB 14:00–18:00 Committee TB 19:00–20:30 Opening Ceremony 20:30–22:00 Eurovillage
SATURDAY 9:00–12:00 Committee Work 12:00–13:00 Lunch 13:00–17:50 Committee Work 18:00–19:30 Panel Debate
SUNDAY
19:45–20:15 Dinner
8:20-12:30 General Assembly
21:00–23:59 Farewell Party
12:30-13:20 Lunch 13:20-17:00 General Assembly
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17:00-18:00 Closing Ceremony from 18:00 Departures
REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
DRESS CODES EXPLANATION CASUAL
Teambuilding clothes. Arrive in anything that offers the most comfort, makes you feel good and you can move around and maybe run in a bit! Something you would wear on a regular day, so jeans or dark trousers and a shirt or T-shirt.
SMART CASUAL
The perfect choice for Committee Work—smart casual clothing should make you look sharp yet still be comfortable enough so that you feel comfortable wearing it for extended periods of time. Trousers and a shirt or sweater are recommended for men, trousers/skirt and a blouse are recommended for women. Please avoid too casual clothes like sneakers or baggy jeans.
FORMAL
Clothes that make you feel professional and elegant. Adequate for ceremonies and the GA. Men are advised to wear a suit with a (bow)tie while women are advised to wear suits, dresses or skirts (appropriate in length).
PARTY OUTFIT
This year’s theme is Halloween! Dress as spooky as possible—that means costumes, witches, zombies and masks as crazy as you can imagine. But keep in mind that whole face masks can get very hot.
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
HOSTING SCHOOL Střední průmyslová škola strojní a stavební Tábor is a well-known high school in its region, founded in 1952. This venue will be hosting the session. Address: Komenského 1670, 390 41 Tábor
PACKING LIST •
Clothes according to the aforementioned dress code
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Toothbrush, shower gel, a towel and everything else that is required to keep you clean
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Pens, pencils and a notebook
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Mobile phone and/or a laptop (and chargers!) are recommended
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Filled in Code of Conduct
• ID card •
Money for Officials’ evening and Farewell party
• Enthusiasm and excitement for the session!
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
TRAVEL INFO Whether travelling by plane, train or bus, we kindly ask you to arrive in Tábor on Thursday, 31 October by 11:00 CET.
ARRIVING IN PRAGUE BY PLANE AND/OR AT TÁBOR BY BUS
The public bus line no. 100 departs every 15 minutes (depending on the day) from the airport and goes to the metro station Zličín. At Zličín, you enter the metro station, located on the yellow B line. Travel to the station called Florenc, where the Florenc Central Bus Station (Autobusové nádraží Praha Florenc) is also located. Before leaving the airport, do not forget to buy a ticket for Prague public transport at one of the ticket machines, which you can find either directly at the bus stop and around the arrival hall. The ticket costs 32 CZK (little over 1€). It will take you about 45 minutes to get to the Florenc metro station from the airport. At the Florenc Central Bus Station we recommend you to use FlixBus to travel to Tábor. They are the most frequent and the cheapest, pricing from 79 CZK (3€). The journey takes approx. 1 hour 30 minutes. Visit https://www.flixbus.cz/ (available in ENG version too) for all the connections, their prices and their online purchase. It is necessary and recommended to buy a bus ticket to Tábor in advance.
ARRIVING IN PRAGUE BY PLANE AND/OR AT TÁBOR BY TRAIN
The easiest way to get to the Prague Main Train Station (Hlavní nádraží) from the Václav Havel Airport Prague (Letiště Václava Havla) is by the Airport Express (AE) bus. The AE stops at the entrance of Terminal 1 and leaves every 30 minutes. The ride takes approx. 25 minutes and the ticket costs 60 CZK (a little bit over 2€). Click here for more info: https://www.prg.aero/en/train. Trains to Tábor usually depart twice every hour, most often from the train company Czech railways
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
(ČD). It takes approx. 1 hour 30 minutes from Prague to Tábor. The one way train ticket prices range from 120 to 155 CZK (5-6€). Please visit these websites for more necessary and specific information about train departures; there you can also buy all of the train tickets online: https://www.cd.cz/en/eshop/ , https://idos.idnes.cz/ en/ (both available in ENG as well). Tickets are also sold at the station’s cash desk. There is a VLAK + Prague Airport ticket which combines both the AE and the train ticket, it is at a discounted price (25% off return fare) but available only at the ticket counter. We highly recommend you to buy all of the transportation tickets beforehand.
TRAVELLING TO TÁBOR FROM OTHER LOCATIONS
If you are not travelling from Prague, but from a different European/Czech city, the best option for you is to travel with FlixBus. Go to https://www.flixbus.cz/ to check all of the ticket prices, times of departure and arrival. There are direct connections from Vienna, Krakow, Berlin, Warsaw and other European cities.
USEFUL TIPS WHEN TRAVELLING
Travelling by bus, train or any other mode of transport, it is crucial to check all of the connections in advance, https://idos.idnes.cz/en/ or https://www.seznam.cz/jizdnirady/ are great websites where you can check all departures and their prices within the Czech Republic. When travelling to the Czech Republic it is way more practical to exchange your currency to our local currency, Czech crowns (CZK). 1€ is around 26 CZK. Do not forget to have some cash by yourself too. Please keep in mind that many times bus drivers do not speak English, therefore we recommend you to book your journey in advance, in order to avoid misunderstandings and ensure a smooth journey. Do not forget to take advantage of discounted prices for students (when you are under 18 years old— Junior prices—or when you possess an ISIC card).
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REGIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE OF EYP CZ 2019 TÁBOR
ANY QUESTIONS? If you stumble upon any problems or questions while planning or during your journey to Tábor, please do not hesitate to contact the Travel Support—Quynh Anh (Vanessa) Nguyen or Officials’ Support—Martin Šustr, they will gladly help you.
RULES All participants are expected to take part in every portion of the session programme. No participant is allowed to leave the official session programme without the permission of an Organiser. Concerning alcohol and drugs —all participants under the age of 18 are, by the laws of the Czech Republic, prohibited from consuming any alcoholic beverages. All adult participants are allowed to consume alcoholic beverages that do not contain more than 15% of alcohol and only during the Eurovillage and the Farewell party. The Organising Team reserves the right to confiscate any alcoholic beverages which do not comply with the session rules. There is also a very strict drug-free policy that has to be followed throughout the whole duration of the session, this policy will apply to all of the drugs that are considered to be illegal in the Czech Republic. Additionally, all participants are expected to have travel insurance and proof of it in the form of a printed card. Liability insurance is also strongly recommended.
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CONTACTS Adam Palivec Head Organiser +420 737 843 874 palivec@eyp.cz
Martin Šustr Officials’ Support +420 774 061 401 Martin.sustr02@gmail.com
David Čapek Head Organiser +420 775 952 809 capek@eyp.cz
Vanessa Nguyen Travel Support +420 776 070 786 nguyenv@eyp.cz