Turku 2015 Welcome Booklet

Welcome Booklet – Turku 2015 21st National Session of EYP Finland Turku 2015 | 16–19 January

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Turku 2015 – the 21st National Session of EYP Finland will take place between January 16th and 19th. The session will gather around 160 delegates all over Europe as well as host an international team of officials. The National Session acts as a gateway for Finnish EYP alumni to events of the European Youth Parliament arranged abroad.

School delegations and a couple of individual delegates will be selected to represent EYP Finland at International Sessions held in Izmir and Leipzig in 2015.

Contact Details European Youth Parliament Finland

In case of any questions regarding the participation in the session, please direct your

EYP-Finland ry

questions to our delegate support contact persons: turku2015@eypfinland.org

Uudenmaankatu 15 A 5 00120 Helsinki

Questions regarding the organisational aspects of the session or the officials’ team are asked to be sent to the head organisers:

http://www.eypfinland.org

Henriikka Hakala henriikka.hakala@eypfinland.org

info@eypfinland.org

Ayda Jodayri Hashemizadeh ayda.jodayri@eypfinland.org

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Content Welcoming words – 4 Session Elements – 6 Session Programme – 8 Registration Process – 10 Packing list – 11 Travel Guide – 12 Committee topics – 14 Position Papers – 16 Session Partners – 17

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Words of Welcome Dear Delegates, Congratulations on being selected to Turku 2015 – 21st National Session of EYP Finland! The Regional Sessions of EYP Finland in autumn 2014 were of high quality and we are excited to see you talented young people working and having fun together again in Turku. The session will gather together over 120 delegates from Finland, Switzerland, Austria and Germany as well as nearly forty officials from 14 different European countries.

In order to help you prepare for the session, the Session President Valentina Mina (CY) and the Chairs’ team have made a Preparation Kit for you. You, dear Delegates, will also write Position Papers before the session. By doing this, you will be ready to tackle the interesting and often complex topics at the session!

President of EYP Finland –

After the session, several delegations as well as some individual delegates will be

Marja Pentikäinen

chosen to EYP sessions abroad. The crown jewels are the ten-day International Sessions of the European Youth Parliament to be held in Izmir, Turkey, in spring 2015 and Leipzig, Germany, in autumn 2015. In addition to the International Sessions, many of you will be chosen to represent Finland in various other EYP sessions around Europe.

Turku 2015 – 21st National Session of EYP Finland is a perfect opportunity for you to dive deeper into the European Youth Parliament and discover new sides of it. Challenge yourself, support others, get to know new people from Finland and abroad – take the most out of the session!

See you soon in Turku!

Marja Pentikäinen President of EYP Finland 4

Dear everyone, On behalf of the organising team, it is our pleasure to welcome you, the participants, to the 21st National Session of EYP Finland to be held in Turku, Finland. We’ve been waiting for you!

The session will gather delegates from Finland and abroad as well as host a highly experienced team of officials. It is an honour to be in charge of this project together with the president of the session, Valentina Mina, and the Board of EYP Finland.

We are convinced that Turku 2015 will be yet another academically high-quality session, such as Finnish National Sessions tend to be. The preparation kit the chairs’ team has been preparing for the delegates will provide all the necessary information the participants need in order to conduct the research of their own before attending the session. There will also be experts from the Academy of Finland taking part in the discussions during the committee work and thus providing valuable points of view to

Ayda Hashemizadeh – Head Organiser

take into consideration when formatting the motion for resolutions.

On a final note, we would like to express our appreciation for and thank all the partners who have made the session possible with their generous support. Furthermore, we are proud to announce that Jyrki Katainen, the European Commission Vice-President and former Prime Minister of Finland, will be the patron of the session.

We are very much looking forward to meeting all the participants in Turku within a couple of weeks’ time. The session you are about to attend will certainly be an unforgettable experience in a city worth a visit.

Yours sincerely, Henriikka Hakala and Ayda Jodayri Hashemizadeh The Head Organisers of the session

Henriikka Hakala – Head Organiser 5

Session Elements Programme

Opening Ceremony

The National Session includes a

As the Regional Sessions the National Session will start off with the Opening Cere-

day of teambuilding, two days of

mony in which all participants of the Session will gather together to kick-off the Ses-

committee work and a one day

sion with speeches from the sessions partners and people who have been working

General Assembly.

to make the evevnt happen. It serves as a formal welcome to you, delegates, and an encouraging start to Turku 2015.

The working language of the session is English.

Teambuilding

Contact

On the first day of the session, the participants will be split up into ten committees, each of them consisting of around 15 delegates. The Teambuilding session will take

On all issues related to the

place on Friday evening. Its aim is to ensure that the delegates get to know each

National Session, please contact

other and form a team which will successfully contribute to the committee work.

turku2015@eypfinland.org

Before the Teambuilding in the committees starts, the President of the session will conduct the general Teambuilding session where the different teams - the chairs

In case of any emergencies:

team, media team and organisers - will be introduced to participants.

Henriikka Hakala – henriikka.

Committee Work

hakala@eypfinland.org During the two days of Committee Work, the delegates will come up with a motion Ayda Hashemizadeh – ayda.

for a resolution to the topics given. The chairpersons will facilitate the work of their

hashemizadeh@eypfinland.org

committees a well as provide with guidance and expertise in order to ensure that the resolution comprehensively tackles the issue. Furthermore, there will be experts

or EYP Finland’s Board Member

visiting the committees on Saturday to present their ideas and answer the questions

for Events Coordination Laura

regarding different perspectives of the topics.

Uusitalo at laura.uusitalo@ eypfinland.org or +358 506 0994.

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Committee Dinner

Dresscodes

On Saturday evening, the delegates will have a dinner in a restaurant in Turku city

Opening ceremony – formal

centre. Throughout the evening they have a chance to socialize and look back at the first day of Committee Work.

Farewell Party After working for two days and debating on some of the most pressing matters of our time, the delegates have a chance to relax for a while before starting to prepare for the General Assembly. While the delegates head to the farewell party venue, the chairpersons attend the resolution typing where they finalise the phrasing of the

Teambuilding – casual Committee Work – smart-casual Committee Dinner – smart casual Farewell Party – according to the theme

motions for resolutions as well as check the formatting.

General Assembly – formal General Assembly Closing Ceremony – formal The General Assembly, also known as the GA, takes place on the last day of the session. At the GA, every committee presents their motion for a resolution, defends it and finally addresses the issues brought up during the rounds of open debate. Other committees can either attack the resolutions by giving an attack speech or make proposals on how to make the resolution even more viable solution to the problem occurring. After the rounds of open debate, there is a voting procedure the outcome of which defines whether the resolution passes or not.

Closing Ceremony The Closing Ceremony, on Monday evening, marks the end of the GA and at the same time - the whole session comes to an end.

www.eypfinland.org EYP Finland on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eypfinland Turku 2015 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turku2015

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Session Programme EYP’s Mission Statement

Friday 16th January

“Our mission is to support the development of young people into politically aware and responsible citizens by involving them in European political thinking and promoting intercultural understanding.”

15.00–16.30 Registration at Klassillinen high school 17.00–17.45 Opening Ceremony at Klassillinen high school 17.45–18.30 Dinner 18.30–21.45 Teambuilding 21.45–22.30 Transfer to Luostarivuori high school 22.30–23.00 Evening snack Saturday 17th January 6.30 Wake-up call 7.10–7.45 Transfer to the committee work venue (Klassillinen high school) 7.45–8.30 Breakfast

EYP is full of activities also in

8.30–10.30 Teambuilding / Committee Work

Finland. The Regional Com-

10.30-11.00 Coffee break (in shifts)

mittees of EYP Finland – EYP

11.00-12.45 Teambuilding

Helsinki, EYP Tampere, EYP

12.45–13.30 Lunch

Turku, EYP Eastern Finland (EYP

13.30–16.00 Committee Work

Itä-Suomi) and EYP Northern

16.00-16.30 Coffee break (in shifts)

Finland (EYP Pohjois-Suomi)

16.30-18.00 Committee work

– will organise fun and useful

18.00 Committee Dinner (at one’s own expense)

events and trainings after the

22.00–23.00 Evening programme

National Session in Turku and

23.00–23.30 Evening snack

throughout the year. Take your friends with you and go to the

Sunday 18th January

Regional Committees’ events and meetings to find out what they can offer you!

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7.15 Wake-up call

7.55–8.30 Transfer to the Committee Work venue 8.30–9.15 Breakfast 9.15–11.15 Committee work 11.15-11.45 Coffee break (in shifts) 11.45-13.15 Committee work 13.15–14.00 Lunch 14.00–16.30 Committee work 16.30-17.00 Coffee break (in shifts) 17.00-19.00 Committee work 19.00–19.45 Dinner 19.45–20.30 Transfer to Luostarivuori high school 21.15–23.45 Farewell party 23.00–23.45 Evening snack Monday 19th January 6.15 Wake-up call 7.00–7.45 Transfer to the GA venue (breakfast will be served on the go) 8.00–8.30 Opening of GA 8.30–10.45 Resolutions 1-3 10.45-11.15 Coffee break 11.15–12.45 Resolutions 4-5 12.45–13.30 Lunch 13.30–15.45 Resolutions 6-8 15.45–16.15 Coffee break

We are honored to have Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, as the Patron of Turku 2015. Before his election as Commissioner, mr Katainen was the Prime Minister of Finland as well as Chairman of the National Coalition Party.

16.15-17.45 Resolutions 9-10 17.45–18.15 Closing Ceremony 18.15 Departures 9

Registration process Registration Process The welcome email that EYP Finland has sent to all the participants includes a registration code you will need in order to successfully complete your registration to the session. The participants are kindly asked to register to the session via Alumni Platform no later than December 19th. The link to the event can be found here: http:// alumni.eypej.org/events/turku-2015-21st-national-session-of-eyp-finland Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact turku2015@eypfinland. org The contact person of each delegation is asked to make sure that everyone in the respective delegation has registered before the deadline.

Please also keep in mind that while registering to the event, you are asked to fill in the information regarding the special dietary needs and allergies. We would ask you to fill in the possible allergies with care so that the organising team can take them into account when planning the meals.

Participation Fee The participation fee is 50 euros. It will cover all the meals, materials and accomwww.eypfinland.org

modation during the session. The invoice will be sent in beforehand to participants.

EYP Finland on Facebook:

After January 6th the participant is obliged to pay the participation fee, regardless

https://www.facebook.com/eypfinland Turku 2015 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turku2015 10

Please be reminded that the registration becomes binding 10 days before the session. of possible cancellation. The fee will only be paid back in case of medical prove of illness.

Packing list •

formal outfit for the Opening Ceremony and the General Assembly (dress code: formal)

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outfit for Committee Work (dress code: smart casual)

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outfit for Teambuilding (dress code: casual)

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warm clothes

•

sleeping bag

•

mattress

•

towel

•

own mug

•

toiletries and other necessities

•

medication if needed

•

some cash for the committee dinner on Saturday evening

•

research material

•

equipment for taking notes

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Travel Guide Airports:

Turku is easily reached either by bus or train. In case you arrive at the Bus Station or the Railway Station, there will be an organiser who guides you to the session venue.

Helsinki – http://www.finavia.fi/ en/helsinki-airport/ Turku – https://www.finavia.fi/ en/turku/ Tampere – http://www.finavia.fi/ en/tampere-pirkkala/

The question remaining is how to get to the session from…

Turku Airport The easiest option is to take the bus number 1 towards the city centre (3 euros). The journey takes approximately 20 minutes. The timetable can be found from here: http://www.foli.fi/sites/foli.prod-cms.tiera.fi/files/L001TA_0.pdf

Train: You can always opt for a taxi too, however, please keep in mind that taking a taxi is https://www.vr.fi/cs/vr/en/frontpage

rather costly in Finland compared to most European countries.

Helsinki Airport

Busses Within Turku – http://www.foli. fi/en Onnibus – http://www.onnibus. com/en/index.htm Onniexpress – http://www. onniexpress.fi/en Matkahuolto busses – http:// www.matkahuolto.fi/en/

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There is a direct bus connection from the airport to Turku bus station. The stops are located outside the terminals and are number 13 (Terminal 2) and 5 (Terminal 1). The average cost of the journey is 30 euros and the estimated duration is 2 h 30 min. The timetable can be found from here: http://www.matkahuolto.fi/en/ If you wish to spend some time in the capital city before your arrival at the session, you can get to the city centre by the Finnair City Bus. All the necessary information can be accessed through: http://www.finnair.com/FI/GB/information-services/at-theairport/transportation

Helsinki city centre Taking a train is the most convenient and fastest way to get to Turku. The trains leave once in an hour from the Central Railway Station. Timetables and fares: https://www. vr.fi/cs/vr/en/frontpage It is recommendable to book the tickets in advance due to a fact that the prices tend to rise the closer the departure date comes. Furthermore, please keep in mind that the student discount only applies for students with a Finnish student ID card.

There is also Onnibus operating between Turku and Helsinki. The bus stop is located in front of the museum Kiasma in the city centre. The tickets cost approximately 5-10 euros and are to be booked online: http://www.onnibus.com/en/index.htm Once you arrive in Turku, take either the bus number 50, 51, 53 or 54 all of which leave opposite to the Onnibus stop. The journey to the city centre costs 3 euros.

Timetable: http://www.foli.fi/sites/foli.prod-cms.tiera.fi/files/L050TA_0.pdf

www.eypfinland.org EYP Finland on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eypfinland Turku 2015 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turku2015 13

Committee Topics Chairpersons and their email addresses:

AFCO – chaired by Rebecca Kiiski and Alexander Proctor The ‘right’ opinion: the result of the elections of the European Parliament in May 2014 reflected yet again the growing popularity of the extreme right and euro-scepticism

Rebecca Kiiski (FI) – rebecca. kiiski@eypfinland.org Alexander Proctor (FI) – alexander.proctor@eypfinland.org Maximilian Richer (SE) – richter@college.harvard.edu Manfredi Danielis (IT) – manfri93@hotmail.com

within the EU, how should the EU react to the loss of citizens trust in its legitimacy and future?

AFET – chaired by Maximilian Richer The hottest region in the world: with the melting of Arctic ice exposing unprecedented economic opportunities, how should the EU position itself in the global race to control the Arctic region?

CULT – chaired by Manfredi Danielis Education comes first: with the Pisa Report 2012 revealing a worrying disparity bet-

Yiannos Vakis (CY) – yiannos_@ hotmail.com

ween educational performance across Europe: How can the EU support its Member

Yannick Weber (CH) – yannick. weber@bluewin.ch Noura Berrouba (SE) – noura. berrouba@gmail.com

ECON – chaired by Yiannos Vakis

David Soler (ES) – david4soler@ gmail.com

States in providing the highest possible standard of school education?

The end of austerity: in the light of growing concerns about the effects of austerity policies on economic growth, how should European governments balance their growth with social stability?

EMPL I – chaired by Yannick Weber and Noura Berrouba The start-up economy: with high youth unemployment and stagnant economies, how should European governments promote entrepreneurship in order to create a generation of young entrepreneurs?

EMPL II – chaired by David Soler Internships – opportunity or exploitation: how can the EU effectively support its youth in making a smooth transition from education to employment?

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ENVI – chaired by Kate ~ Žedlová Competitive sustainable growth: increasing consumer consumption and an ever de-

Chairpersons and their email addresses:

veloping economy is currently a threat to the environment, what measures should the EU take in order to ensure sustainable development without endangering its economic growth and competitiveness?

FEMM – chaired by Ia Tserodze ‘Glass ceiling’ effect vs. low public pan-European support for gender quotas: lear-

Kate Žedlová (CZ) – kate.zejdlova@gmail.com Ia Tserodze (GE) – ikuna21@ yahoo.com

ning from the early lessons of the Commission’s strategy for equality between men and women 2010-2015 and the Council of Europe’s (CoE) Gender Equality Programme of 2012, how should European stakeholders seek to achieve gender parity across the continent?

ITRE – chaired by Anna Pusa

Anna Pusa (FI) – pusa.anna@ gmail.com Adela Iacobov (RO) – just_aai@ yahoo.com

The gas crisis of 2009 and Russia’s energy dominance: with the recent events in Ukraine highlighting the dangers of over-dependence on imported energy, what steps can the EU take to limit its reliance on external energy sources and to protect consumers from price shocks?

REGI – chaired by Adela Iacabov Building the periphery: mechanisms such as the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund have played an important role in developing the peripheral areas of Europe, but they are also costly. Keeping in mind that metropolitan areas are the primary motors of growth, how should the EU best support its peripheral areas to suit the needs of their population?

The Welcome Booklet will be shortly followed by the Preparation Kit with more information on all the topics and instructions for research.

This booklet witholds instructions to writing position papers.

Follow the instructions and send your position paper on your topic to your chairs’ e-mail by Monday, January 12th, 2015.

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Position Papers Follow the instructions and send your position paper on your topic to your chairs’ e-mail by Monday, January 12th, 2015.

As soon as you have got a clear picture of the core points related to your Committee Topic and have formed your personal opinion on it, you can start writing your Position Paper. You will be receiving further information via email.

The purpose of the Position Paper is to generate support on an issue. It describes a personal position on a topic and the rationale behind it. The Position Paper is based on facts that provide a solid foundation for your argument and should be adequately presented by: •

Examining the strengths and weaknesses of your position.

•

Evaluating possible solutions and suggesting courses of action.

A good Position Paper is usually from half to one page long, and can be structured as follows: Introduction It should clearly identify the issue and state the author’s position. It should be written in a way that catches the reader’s attention.

Body It may contain several paragraphs; each of them presenting an idea or main concept that clarifies a portion of the position statement and is supported by evidence or facts. Evidence should lead, through inductive reasoning, to the main concept or idea presented in the paragraph. The body may begin with some background information and should incorporate a discussion on both sides of the issue.

Conclusion It should summarise the main concepts and ideas and reinforce, without repeating, the introduction or body of the paper. It could include suggested courses of action and possible solutions.

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Session Partners

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Welcome!

European Youth Parliament Finland – EYP-Finland ry Uudenmaankatu 15 A 5, 00120 Helsinki http://www.eypfinland.org info@eypfinland.org 18