euRoPeAn Youth PARLIAMent
AnnuAL RePoRt 2013
“I rest convinced that initiatives like the European Youth Parliament are essential to bridge the gaps between our nations and to foster a new generation of true Europeans.� Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner for Environment
Annual Report 2013
Contents GENERAL
YEAR 2013
NATIONAL Activities
3 Contents 4 Greetings from the Chairman 5 Aims and Objectives 6 Executive Director’s Greetings 7 International EYP 12 Who is EYP? 13 Long-Term Strategy 17 EYP Sessions 46 People and Bodies 47 Our Partners
8 355 Times EYP 10 Our Year in Numbers 15 My EYP Year 2013 18 International Sessions 24 Young Energy for Europe 26 European Youth Polls 27 Training Activities 28 EYP Think Tank 29 A Visit to Ghana 30 Inclusive EYP 32 EYP Reach
34 National Committees
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“None of the success of the EYP could be achieved without the hundreds of young volunteers working actively for the European Youth Parliament in 41 countries.” André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf
Focus on diversity ANDré Schmitz-Schwarzkopf CHAIRMAN of the schwarzkopf Foundation takes a look at the EYP year 2013 2012
Another successful and exciting year for the European Youth Parliament has been concluded. In 2013, the work of the EYP network continued to expand; our activities became more professional; and young people from all over Europe were offered even more possibilities for participation.
our young participants experience at our sessions, is unique and valuable. I am convinced that we need active citizens, like the young participants at the European Youth Parliament, to actively shape the future of their continent, also in light of the elections of the European Parliament in 2014.
One of the most important aims of the European Youth Parliament and the Schwarzkopf Foundation is to offer young people from all parts of Europe a possibility to learn and experience what it means to be European. I am very proud of the fact that we are not only present in almost all EU countries, but also many more European countries. In 2013, the EYP network further expanded to Luxembourg, Slovenia, Denmark and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is currently present in 41 European countries.
This year, we also welcomed a new Executive Director for the EYP, when Krista Simberg took over from Ville Vasaramäki. I want to thank Ville for his time and dedication to improve the EYP programme and push it further; and welcome Krista to the team. Krista is a great asset for this organisation with a pristine record both in EYP itself and other professional work, and I am more than happy that she is willing to lift our activities to the next level.
During 2013, three International Sessions were organised – in Munich, Germany; Zurich, Switzerland; and in Tbilisi, Georgia – Tbilisi being the most Eastern International Session we have had so far. I am proud that our work continuously strives to help young people to understand Europe’s diversity and to appreciate it as part of our common cultural and political heritage. The experience of intercultural cooperation and dialogue, which
I also want to thank the hundreds of volunteers working actively for the European Youth Parliament. None of the success of the EYP could be achieved without you. We rely on your initiative and motivation to push EYP further. Both the amount and the quality of the work you do is unbelievable. Lastly, I want to sincerely thank all our partners for their encouragement and financial support in the past year, which has made our work possible.
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THE AIMS OF the EYP Raising awareness of European issues
Contributing to personal development
Fostering intercultural dialogue
The European Youth Parliament aims to raise awareness of European issues and to motivate young people to become active citizens engaged in European politics. The EYP enables students to experience directly the different perspectives of young people in Europe and allows them to explore the European and global dimension of several contemporary political issues. For young people involved in the EYP, Europe and its diversity are no theoretical concepts, but tangible in their everyday lives.
By offering a challenging international learning experience, the EYP contributes essentially to its participants personal development. Thanks to its activities the EYP allows the young participants to acquire competences such as communication and participation skills, teamwork, multitasking, foreign language skills and being at ease in a multicultural environment. With the help of the EYP, young people can take the next step, go beyond their local surroundings and learn to work in a truly international space.
The EYP promotes international understanding and the diversity of ideas and cultural expression. The participants experience true intercultural dialogue and learn to appreciate diversity rather than being afraid of it.
Promoting active European citizenship The EYP involves young people in a democratic decision making process with all its challenges and rewarding experiences. Young people acquire knowledge on a topic, clarify their own opinions, discuss with their peers and finally debate and reach an agreement. This process contributes to the development of an active democratic citizenship. Our evaluations show that young people involved in EYP are very motivated to get involved in their communities.
All EYP events welcome young participants with different cultural and religious background. Respectful discussions and cultural exchange is at the core of all our events.
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Annual Report 2013
a year of growth by the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Krista Simberg
In 2013, the European Youth Parliament laid the ground to reach new frontiers. We set new goals in our first Long Term Strategy, and we strengthened the governance of our network. Following years of immense growth of our organisation, we feel assured that these changes will be the foundation for great things to come.
developing and improving the work the EYP does all over Europe. EYP is still developing more rapidly than ever before, and over 27 000 young participants participated in our 350 events. The core of the success of our organization has always been our alumni, and without our 1 700 young volunteers, there would be no EYP. It is extremely important to recognise the crucial role they play and thus I wish to thank all who are today active in EYP and pushing our organisation forward. Besides our volunteers, we of course rely on our partners and supporters to be able to offer the EYP experience again and again to new young people. I’m grateful to all our supporters for believing in the mission and the work we do.
Our first long term strategy was published in spring 2013, setting strategic directions and aims for the network as a whole. The three main directions are to improve our inclusivity, to increase academic professionalism and to develop the EYP network further. As an organisation constantly moving forward, EYP also reformed its governance structures, to better meet the demands of our larger and evergrowing network. 2014 will be a year of further progress in strengthening our strategy Based on these newly set strate- and structures, but also of celebragic priorities, EYP has also seen a tion: ten years ago, the Schwarzdiversification of its activities. We kopf Foundation became the inare able to offer an increasingly ternational umbrella organisation wide range of activities and events of EYP. The period since 2004 has to young people all over Europe, brought our organisation an untailoring our activities better to dif- precedented growth. This summer, ferent target groups and interests. it will be time to look back and raise As a new Executive Director, I am our glasses to the extraordinary also personally looking forward to success story that is EYP.
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International eyp The eyp was established in 1987 in fontainebleau. france.
In 2004 the National Committees gave the Schwarzkopf Foundation the mandate for the international management of the European Youth Parliament. Since then the International Office of the EYP is located in Berlin and coordinated by the Executive Director. The EYP has developed into the Schwarzkopf Foundation’s largest programme. The foundation has the aim to encourage young people to engage in the process of European integration. Apart from the EYP, the foundation also carries out discussion events, seminars and conferences mostly in Berlin, Germany. See www.schwarzkopf-stiftung.de for more information.
Today the European Youth Parliament has more than 3500 volunteers and reaches more than 27 000 pupils and hence forms one of the largest platforms for political debate, intercultural encounters, political education and the exchange of ideas within the whole of Europe. Participating countries range from Portugal to Russia and from Ireland to Cyprus. In 2013, Denmark, Luxembourg, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina joined the network as new members. In 2013 the EYP network spans 41 European countries. The EYP is a non-partisan and nongovernmental organisation.
Dijon, France 2nd Regional Session Burgundy Cork, Ireland Munsters Regional Session of EYP Ireland Novi Sad, Serbia 17th Regional Session of EYP Serbia Ghent, Belgium 2nd International Forum of EYP Belgium Buthiers, France CAT and head-organisers training
Geneva, Switzerland 2nd Regional Session Yerevan, Armenia 2nd National Selection Conference Hamburg, Germany Regional Selection Conference Tirana, Albania 3rd International Forum of EYP Albania Belgrade, Serbia 16th Regional Session of EYP Serbia
355 times eyp in 2013 the entire eyp network organised more than 350 events in 41 countries Marco de Canaveses, Portugal EYP@School Session Marco de Canaveses Dijon, France 10th European Forum of EYP-France
Istanbul, Turkey 8th Istanbul Youth Forum Belgrade, Serbia NC Management and Development Training Turku, Finland Chairs’ Training of EYP Finland Zeist, The Netherlands Preliminary Round of EYP the Netherlands Lepzig, Germany Regional Selection Conference Leipzig
Aachen, Germany EYP in School Constanta, Romania Tomis Forum II / NSC of EYP Romania Malnava, Latvia 11th National Conference of EYP Latvia Baku, Azerbaijan 2nd National Selection of the EYP AZ Graz, Austria European Youth Forum of EYP Austria Cardiff, UK Eurvoice Cardiff Oulu, Finland Regional Session of EYP Finland
Manosque, France 8th Regional Session PACA Znojmo, Czech Republic X Czech forum of EYP Czech Republic Linz, Austria Austrian Youth Summit – Linz 2013 Lviv, Ukraine Leopolis International Forum Bern, Switzerland 2nd Regional Session
Liverpool, United Kingdom Summer National Session 3 - 7 July 2013 Lignano, Italy 6th Regional Session of EYP Italy Torun, Poland 30th Weekend of EYP Poland in Torun Reims, France Regional Session Champagne Ardenne Kurzeme, Latvia Regional Session of EYP Latvia Tallinn, Estonia Tallinn City Council Simulation Dublin, Ireland Regional Session of EYP Ireland Chalons en Champagne, France One day session in Champagne Ardenne
Amsterdam, The Netherlands 13th National Selection Conference Berlin, Germany Fundraising Summit 2013
Turku, Finland Regional Session of EYP Finland
Zurich, Switzerland 73rd International Session 19 - 28 July 2013 Stockholm, Sweden In School Session at Nacka Gymnasium Yerevan, Armenia 1st National Selection Conference
Matosinhos, portugal 29th Portuguese Selection Conference 16 - 20 October 2013
Porto, Portugal 4th University Forum of EYP Portugal Viseu, Portugal 28th National Selection Conference Borås , Sweden 3rd Western Regional Session Lens, France 3nd Regional Session Nord Pas de Calais Brussels, Belgium Europolis 2013 Bristol, UK EYPUK South West Regional Forum Berlin, Germany 2013 Think Tank of the EYP
Istanbul, Turkey National Selection Conference of EYP Turkey Liverpool, UK EYPUK Autumn National Session 2013 Thessaly, Greece 4th International Forum of EYP Greece Kazan, Russia 1st Regional Session in Tatarstan Kyiv, Ukraine 2nd Francophone EYP Weekend Budapest, Hungary EU Lesson Kyiv, Ukraine 6th Kyiv Regional Session of EYP – Ukraine
Riga, Latvia Riga Regional Session 2013 of EYP Latvia Romanshorn, Switzerland 17th National Selection Conference InterRail, Ukraine 4th InterRail Tour of EYP Ukraine Telavi, Georgia 1st Telavi Regional Session Aschaffenburg, Germany Regional Selection Conference Tours, France 3nd Regional Session Stockholm, Sweden Euro-Mediterranen Youth Forum Bialystok, Poland EYP@School of EYP Poland Milano, Italy 8th Regional Session of EYP Italy Larnaka, Cyprus 7th National Session of EYP Cyprus Limoges, France 34th National Session of EYP-France Volterra, Italy 30th National Selection Conference
Prague, Czech Republic Preliminary rounds Graz, Austria EYP Day Graz 2013 St Gallen, Switzerland 2nd Regional Session Tartu, Estonia 14th Estonian National Selection Forum Cambridge, UK EYPUK East Anglia Regional Forum Vilnus, Lithuania 1st Vilnus Regional Session Lignano, Italy 31st National Selection Conference
Kuopio, Finland Regional Session of EYP Finland Essen, Germany International Forum of EYP Germany Brussels, Belgium 19th National Selection Conference Malmö, Sweden 3rd Southern Regional Session Moscow, Russia Second National Session of EYP Russia Istanbul, Turkey 14th National Selection Conference Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine 7th National Selection Conference Pisa, Italy V Training Weekend of EYP Italy
Lillehammer, Norway 11th National Conference of EYP Norway 18 - 22 September 2013 Stockholm, Sweden 3rd Eastern Regional Session Liverpool, UK EYPUK Summer National Session 2013 Grenoble, France 7th Regional Session Rhône-Alpes
Kiel, Germany 23rd National Selection Conference Rakovnik, Czech Republic 15th National Selection Conference
Vilnius, Lithuania
1st National Session of EYP Lithuania 17 - 22 September 2013
Lucca, Italy 7th Regional Session of EYP Italy Jõgeva, Estonia XXVII Regional Session of MTÜ TEN Belgrade, Serbia 6th National Conference of EYP Serbia
Munich, Germany 72nd International Session 5 - 14 April 2013 Salzburg, Austria EYP Day Salzburg 2013 Reims, France Artistic Event of EYP-France
Ankara, Turkey 1st Ankara Youth Forum 20 - 25 February 2013 Liverpool, UK EYPUK North West Regional Forum Sillé le Guillaume, France 3nd Regional Session Pays de la Loire Bilbao, Spain 8th National Selection Conference Baku, Azerbaijan 1st School Session of the EYP AZ Kragujevac, Serbia 18th Regional Session of EYP Serbia Östersund, Sweden 2nd Northern Regional Session Brussels, Belgium Europolis II 2013
Villach, Austria EYP Day Villach 2013
Girona, Spain General Assembly Days - Girona Liverpool, UK Eurvoice Liverpool Cherkasy, Ukraine 5th EYP-UA Weekend in Cherkasy Grenoble, France CAT and journalists-editors training Grenoble, France 35th National Session of EYP-France Tampere, Finland Regional Session of EYP Finland Matosinhos, Portugal EYP@School Session Zarco Dublin, Ireland Leinster Regional Session of EYP Ireland Dijon, France One day session Trondheim, Norway 1st Regional Session of EYP Norway Latgale, Latvia Latgale Vidzeme Regional Session Helsinki, Finland 3rd Alumni Weekend of EYP Finland Paris, France 10th Alumni Training Week-End Wroclaw, Poland International Youth Forum of EYP Poland Redon, France 5th Regional Session Bretagne Brussels, Belgium Training on EU funding for EYP 2014-2020 Tampere, Finland Journalists’ Training of EYP Finland
Cracow, Poland 10th National Selection Conference of EYP Poland 4 - 8 September 2013 Busteni, Romania Transylvania Regional Selection Session Stockholm, Sweden 9th National Session of EYP Sweden Belgrade, Serbia EYP Day Belgrade 2013
Hague, The Netherlands 2nd International Forum Lille, France 7th Summer university of EYP-France
Tbilisi, GEorgia 74th International Session 4 - 13 October 2013
Joensuu, Finland 19th National Session of EYP Finland Vannes, France 4th Regional Session Bretagne
Schirmeck, France Regional Session of EYP-France - Alsace Vilnus, Lithuania National Selection Session of EYP Belarus Athens, Greece 27th National Selection Conference Thessaloniki, Greece 28th National Selection Conference
Larnaka, CYPRUS National Selection Conference of EYP Cyprus 28 August - 1 September 2013 Glasgow, UK EYPUK West of Scotland Regional Forum Tbilisi, Georgia 7th National Selection Confernce Lignano, Italy 1st National Youth Forum of EYP Italy
Edinburgh, UK EYPUK East of Scotland Regional Forum Tirana, Albania 6th National Selection Conference ... and many many more!
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Annual Report 2013
2013: OUR year in numbers
27 000 young people involved
41 countries
1 600 resolutions drafted
More than 350 events
1 350 schools involved
52 training events
1 new Executive Director
Over 1 500 hours of General Assembly
3 European Commissioners
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1 Summer Party
8 385 European Youth Poll participants
5 new National Committees
3 International Sessions
4Â 381 human knots
34Â 000 Facebook likes
6 Members of the Governing Body
971 days of EYP events
1 Europe
Who is EYP? Who is EYP? All EYP events are organised and run by young volunteers – mostly former participants of the EYP sessions. Hence, the EYP is an extraordinary place for young people to take the initiative and to practise European citizenship.
The National Committees
mittees. The Governing Body is elected by the National Committees The National EYP Committees ex- and EYP alumni. ist to promote the objectives of the EYP in their country. This is often The International Office achieved by organising various European events. An important part The Executive Director of EYP, apof their work is to select the delpointed by the Schwarzkopf Founegations that will represent their dation, coordinates the activities of country abroad. To this end, many the European Youth Parliament on National Committees organise a the international level. Besides the selection process, often including Executive Director, the International regional and national conferences. Office of the EYP in Berlin includes Project Managers and Interns, who The Board of National take care of the daily running of the international EYP and its activities. Committees (BNC) On the international level the National Committees are represented through the Board of National Committees (BNC), where the representatives gather to discuss issues related to the management and development of the entire EYP and take decisions such as recognising EYP committees in new countries.
The Schwarzkopf Foundation
On the international level, EYP is a programme of the Schwarzkopf Foundation. The Schwarzkopf Foundation is thus the legal entity of the international EYP and EYP is one of its programmes. The Schwarzkopf Foundation was established in 1971 and its aim is to support the develThe Governing Body (GB) opment of young people into politiThe Governing Body is the inter- cally aware and responsible citizens national board of the EYP. It sets by focussing on the strengthening of general rules and overall aims in the European Idea and pan-Europecooperation with the National Com- an understanding.
2013: Reforms to the EYP governance structures As an organisation constantly developing and moving forward, 2013 also saw a bigger reform in the governance structures of EYP. Most importantly, the Board of National Committees, representing all the national EYP organisations, got equal decision-making rights, alongside
the Governing Body, the board of the EYP. Now these two bodies decide together on developments and policies of the European Youth Parliament. Secondly, the role of the Governing Body was changed into a more
strategic direction, and is now concerned with supervision and visionary work for the entire network. Many operational tasks and responsibilities previously dealt with by the Governing Body were moved to the staff of the International Office of the EYP.
Long-term Strategy The European Youth Parliament has been a success story for the past 26 years, growing immensely in numbers of young people reached and being able to reach out to all European countries today. Moving forward after our 25th anniversary in 2012, EYP as an organization started to define longer term strategic priorities for the network as a whole. Creating the first Long Term Strategy
for EYP was a one year long inclusive process, including consultations of all stakeholders of EYP. Finally the strategy was approved in May 2013.
success indicators were defined. For the first time, EYP has also agreed on a mission statement to focus and explain its main aims and activities.
The Long Term Strategy is built around three main focus areas: improving inclusivity, increasing academic professionalism and developing the EYP network. For each of these areas, specific means and
“The mission of the EYP 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.”
Towards a more inclusive A culture of academic pro- Realising the EYP EYP fessionalism work’s full potential We want EYP to be an open and inclusive youth organisation, involving all young people who wish to participate, regardless of their background. EYP will first evaluate the current state of inclusivity within the organisation; and then develop inclusivity methods and outreach programmes to target the needs of the network.
We want to maintain and further develop EYP’s academic quality in all our activities, and believe that a volunteer-based organisation can go hand in hand with a strong culture of academic professionalism. We will increasingly try to find synergies and seek solutions and support from outside our network, and to develop the academic quality of our sessions, to offer all participants the best educational experience possible.
Net-
While EYP already involves thousands of young people every year, there is still a lot of potential for the further development of the network, in terms of both quantity and quality. The Long Term Strategy aims at strengthening the basic activities of the National Committees, by improving e.g. best practice sharing, training and the recognition of the work EYP does. Support and coordination between the different National Committees will be improved, and a strategic culture throughout the network will be developed.
“The European Youth Parliament is the largest European programme for nonformal political education of young people.� Krista Simberg, Executive Director of the European Parliament
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“In EYP, I developed skills you cannot acquire in a classroom.” Mighel Mohlenkamp, the Netherlands
MY EYP year 2013 “…the deadline is in a few days, so I really encourage you to apply!” – said one of the EYP alumni back in 2008, at a meeting of exchange students in Kyiv. So we applied. Over six years passed since that moment, and they were six years that changed my life. Back when I had just turned 18, I enjoyed EYP because it gave me a sense of freedom and excitement to think that there are many other young people in other countries who share my thoughts and values. With every step I took, I realised how much more EYP had to offer. Over six years, EYP has made me the way I am today: open, unprejudiced, civically active, aware of the social and political issues in Europe and beyond it, an inspired pilgrim. Today every European country for me is a bunch of faces, faces who I met during my EYP years.
What started as a “debating contest” turned out to be so much more than that. When I first heard about EYP, at the end of 2012, I was a bit reserved. I was not really into debating and certainly was not willing to give up my free weekend for it. A friend of mine who already knew EYP did his very best to convince me. He succeeded, and I decided to give it a try. The further I progressed, the more I actually started to like expressing my opinion, tackling issues I had never paid attention to before. I developed skills you cannot acquire in a classroom. In 2013 alone, EYP has taken me to Belgium, Romania, France, Serbia and Georgia. Not to mention all the events I have attended within my own country, the Netherlands. What drove me and surprised me at the same time, is the strong bond you can form with others within a few days. I have good friends all over Europe now.
The highlights of 2013 for me were a number of events – visiting a newly established National Committee in Lithuania and chairing at an International Session in Georgia. And yet I know this is not the limit as EYP still has something to offer.
I had absolutely no idea all of this was in store for me.
Kristina Chelmakhina (EYP Ukraine)
Mighel Mohlenkamp (EYP the Netherlands)
“I have noted with interest the work of the European Youth Parliament to promote dialogue and sharpen democratic awareness among young Europeans.“ José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission
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EYP sessions the EYP organises over 350 events all over europe every year
The European Youth Parliament’s main activities are Sessions. Sessions can be very different, ranging from 40 to 300 participants, from one to ten days in duration, and from just a few to 41 countries involved. They can involve a specific school or region, and they can have a wide international scope. Three times a year we invite 300 youngsters from all member committees of the EYP to a different European city. For ten days a simulation of the European Parliament is held - the International Session. Before this, the participants have gone through national competitions which qualify them to take part in the event. The International Sessions, like all sessions, are organised by a team of volunteers in the host country, often spending more than a year preparing the event.
Programme The programme of each Session is unique but there are some substantial common elements. Upon
arrival, the participants, all aged between 16 and 20, are split into international committees and spend up to two days with teambuilding to create a real team. The different indoor and outdoor activities allow them to create the spirit and atmosphere for fair and objective political discussion in the upcoming days. The Teambuilding is followed by Committee Work. Here the young delegates discuss current European issues within the committees. In the course of their work, they also interview experts who can be political decision-makers, policy experts or scientists. The product of their intensive work is a motion for a resolution. Finally, the resolutions are debated in the General Assembly in English and French, following parliamentary procedure.
Cultural Programme The Sessions are accompanied by a rich cultural programme which includes the presentation of culinary specialities from the participating countries and a “Euroconcert”. The participants are able to experience what they have in common and what unites them despite differences. They learn to appreciate, rather than be apprehensive of Europe’s cultural diversity.
Main Events in 2013 The International Sessions of 2013 are described on the following pages. They took place in Munich in spring, in Zurich in summer and, for the first time, in Tbilisi in autumn 2013.
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”The event proved that one of the greatest and most precious resources Europe has is its youth.” Delegate, 17, Italy
MUNICH 2013 The 72nd international session was organised in munich, germany, from 5th april to 14th april 2013
Down to Earth, Resourcing Europe
voice their opinions in front of such a large audience. The GA was broadcasted via an online live stream and reached more than a thousand viewThe 72nd International Session of the ers. At the opening of the GA the EYP in Munich gathered 278 young participants were greeted by several people from 36 European countries distinguished guests. These included for a ten-day event. Under the theme László Andor, the European Comof ‘Down to earth, resourcing Europe’, missioner for Employment, Social the event was particularly focused on Affairs and Inclusion, André Schmitzthe concept of resources. This was Schwarzkopf, the Chairman of the highlighted during the “ResourceVilSchwarzkopf Foundation and Roland lage” where the delegates had the Schmautz, Vice President of the Savchance to meet and discuss with a ings Banks Association of Bavaria. high number of experts from politics, economics and civil society. This provided for a unique setup to debate Delegates’ Perception about resources in general, and to discuss their importance for all European citizens within small discusNo sion groups. The information fair that 5% followed presented the participants with additional expert input for their committee work. In their 15 committees, the delegates were to come up with solution concepts for current Yes European developments, taking into 95% account social, environmental and economic factors as well as global perspectives.
General Assembly The General Assembly (GA) was held on 12th and 13th April at BMW World. For many of the participants, this was the first opportunity to
“My participation in this session helped me to have a better understanding of current political developments in Europe.”
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“resourcing europe” Cultural programme
The Media
The International Session in Munich was underpinned by a special cultural programme. On April 6th Eurovillage took place where traditional food and drinks of each participating country were presented in a market- place atmosphere. On 7th April, Sunday night, the Bavarian Night gave the participants the opportunity to discover local games and specialities. On Thursday night, Euroconcert - an event dedicated to showcasing the skills and talents of session participants, was held in the Carl-Orff hall of Munich’s famous concert hall - the Gasteig.
The media paid remarkable attention to the event. Amongst others, Bayrischer Rundfunk, die Bayrische Staatskanzlei and the online portal e-politik published articles and video reports on the 72nd International Session of the EYP.
Horst Seehofer, and the Mayor of München, Christian Ude.
The session received generous support provided by the Youth in Action programme of the European Commission. Further session partners were the BMW Group, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, Bayerische Staatskanzlei, Deutscher Sparkassenund The Session Partners Giroverband, the European Savings The 72nd International Session Banks Group, BMW Stiftung Herbert took place under the patronages Quandt, Sapinda, the Council of of the European Commissioner Europe, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the Dräger for Environment, Janez Potočnik, GlaxoSmithKline, the Bavarian Minister-President, Foundation, Stiftung Mercator and the Hertie Foundation.
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ZURICH 2013 The 73rd international session was organised in Zurich, Switzerland, from 19th july to 28th July 2013
Global Europe – Working General Assembly towards Sustainable EconThe General Assembly (GA) was held omies on 26th and 27th July at the headThe 73rd International Session of the EYP in Zurich gathered 246 young people from 35 European countries and aimed at encouraging young Europeans to actively participate in shaping a future Europe. There was a special focus on sustainability, both content-wise and organisationally, throughout the project, which was highlighted in the session theme: ‘Global Europe – Working towards Sustainable Economies’. The organisers set the goal of keeping their ecological footprint as small as possible, by for example banning all plastic cups and providing the participants with a free “SIGG bottle”. The young delegates were further encouraged to discuss sustainability-related topics on the European agenda at the very moment, spanning from the set-up of the Eurozone to emission trading and carbon tax. The task to arrive at a common resolution which was supported by the entire committee challenged each student and led to an improvement of teamwork, language and negotiation skills as well as greater knowledge of European politics.
quarters of Helsana. The young participants had a unique opportunity to debate with a large audience on a wide variety of topics. Georg Fahrenschon, President of the Deutscher Sparkasse- und Giroverband and André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf, the Chairman of the Schwarzkopf Foundation greeted the participants at the opening of the GA.
Delegates’ perception:
No 5%
Yes 95%
“My participation in this session helped me to improve my ability to work in an international team”.
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“Global Europe” Cultural Programme
The Media
This International Session was underpinned by a special cultural programme. The general aim of the diverse activities was to give the students the possibility to be creative and share cultural traditions. On 20th July Eurovillage took place where traditional food and drinks of each participating country were presented in a market-place atmosphere. On 23rd July, the Swiss Night gave the participants the opportunity to discover local games and specialties. On Thursday night, Euroconcert - an event dedicated to showcasing the skills and talents of session participants, was held in the St. Peter Church.
The media paid remarkable attention to the event. Amongst others, Neue Züricher Zeitung, Radio SRF, and the online portal Swiss-Banking published articles and reports on the 73rd International Session of the EYP.
“Rediscovering Europe as a whole and the European in me”. Delegate, 19, Belgium
The Session Partners The 73rd International Session of the EYP in Zurich took place under the patronages of the Mayor of Zurich Corine Mauch and Government Councillor Regine Aeppli.
The session received generous support provided by the Youth in Action programme of the European Commission. The session partners were Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband, the European Savings Banks Group, Sapinda, Council of Europe, Education First, Helsana, Swiss Airlines, Swiss Banking, Stadt Zürich Präsidialdepartment, Eidgenössisches Department des Innern, Eidgenössisches Department für Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung, Syngenta, Flughafen Zürich, the Dräger Foundation, Stiftung Mercator and the Hertie Foundation.
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“One of the most influential experiences I have ever had.” Delegate, 18, Finland
TBILISI 2013 The 74th international session was organised in Tbilisi, Georgia from 4th october 13th october 2013
Europe on its Frontiers – Deepening Cooperation
During the opening of the General Assembly, Werner Haug, Regional Director of the UN Population Fund addressed the young delegates, as Since 2008, Georgia has been a very well as André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf, active National Committee, organiz- Chairman of the Schwarzkopf Founing national events and sending dele- dation. gates to all over Europe. This year, for the very first time, we took our main Following the procedures of the Euevent to the Caucasus and organised ropean Parliament, each committee an International Session in Tbilisi. proposed their resolution to the Assembly during the two days. Attack From 4th until 13th October, the event and defence speeches were followed provided 257 young participants from by lively and intense open debates 31 European countries with a unique and, ultimately, voting. European experience. With a special focus on Europe’s borders and the EU external policy, the 15 commit- Delegates’ perception: tees had the chance to discuss delicate topics on the European agenda at the moment, under the session’s No theme of “Europe on its Frontiers – 1% No opinion Deepening Cooperation”. Highlight1% ing the cultural assets of Georgia and the Caucasus, our young delegates also discovered the many different aspects and traditions that are part of both the region and Europe.
General Assembly The General Assembly (GA) was held on 11th and 12th October at Tbilisi State University. It allowed the participants to experience public speaking and debate.
Yes 98%
“My participation helped me to improve my knowledge and understanding of different cultures”
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“deepening cooperation” Cultural Programme
The Session Partners
On 5th October the Eurovillage took place where traditional food and The media paid remarkable attention drinks of each participating country to the event. Amongst others, Georwere presented in a market-place gian News TV, Imedi TV, Geolib TV, atmosphere. On 9th October the Media Mall, Info 9, Business Press Georgian Night gave the participants News, and News.ge published artithe opportunity to discover local cles and reports on the 74th Internagames, music and specialities. tional Session of the EYP.
The session partners were the Open Society Foundations, the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, Tbilisi City Hall, United Nations Population Fund, Deutscher Sparkassen-und Giroverband, the European Savings Banks Group, Sapinda, Youth in Action, Council of Europe, Education First, Georgian National Tourism Agency, Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, Tbilisi State University, Alliance Group Holding, Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia, as well as the Dräger Foundation, Stiftung Mercator and the Hertie Foundation.
On 10th October all participants went on a field trip to the old capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, where they got The cultural programme of the 74th International Session was worthy of the chance to get to know Georgian the exceptional location of the ses- history and culture. On Thurs-day sion. The general aim of the diverse night, the Euroconcert - an event activities was to give the students the dedicated to showcasing the skills possibility to become creative and to and talents of session participants, share cultural traditions of each of was held at the Rustaveli Theatre. the participants and, in particular, of the host country.
The Media
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Annual Report 2013
Young energy Three International forums were organised on the topic of energy in turkey, the netherlands and germany
In 2013, the European Youth Parliament had a chance to cooperate with the RWE Stiftung on a trilogy of international forums under the umbrella theme ‘Young Energy for Europe’. Three forums were organised which had the same ten committee topics linked to energy policy. EYP Turkey took on this opportunity in May with an International Forum in Istanbul, followed by EYP Netherlands with an International Forum in The Hague in November. The project was concluded with a final International Forum in Essen, organised by
EYP Germany . The resolutions from Istanbul and The Hague were used extensively as input for the final set of resolutions in Essen in December and representatives from the first two forums were sent to the final forum in Germany. This linked trilogy of international forums was the first for the EYP Network. In the end, the three EYP International Forums involved in this project came up with new ideas on Europe’s energy policy, some of which were debated with experts at a special event in Berlin.
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for europe Istanbul, 7th-12th May 2013 The International Forum in Istanbul was held between 7th and 13th May 2013. 100 delegates from all over Europe came together at the Koรง High School in Istanbul to experience EYP and take part in an intense seven-day programme. As the international forum invited delegates and officials from 16 countries, the cultural interaction and international dialogue was developed extensively. The programme contained key EYP session elements such as Teambuilding, Committee Work and General Assembly as well as the presence of committee topics experts, providing expert knowledge and very useful input for the work of the youngsters.
Essen, 3rd-8th December 2013 The last International Forum was held in the city of Essen, which is famous for its industrial relevance in the coal and mining industry in the Ruhr-area. Until today, Essen is a major hotspot for large industrial companies and the German economy. The International Forum in Essen gathered over 150 participants from all over Europe. The programme included a special Energy Nexus, an advanced discussion format giving The Hague, 3rd-8th November space to both renowned experts and the delegates from the twin sessions 2013 in Istanbul and The Hague who Over 180 participants from over 15 already worked on the session topics countries gathered in The Hague, before. seat of the Dutch government, for a six-day event. Various ideas from different cultures along with the open discussion environment allowed the participants to view and resolve the issues from all different perspectives, and they were able to produce effective solutions for these conflicts. Through a rich cultural programme with events such as EuroVillage and tours around the beautiful city of The Hague, the participants did not only develop their interest in politics, but could also get acquainted with various European cultures and of course the host city.
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Annual Report 2013
All three European Youth Polls had a combined number of 8 385 participants.
youth polls 2013 was the third year of eyp’s opinion surveys, the european youth polls
Young people’s opinions do not make it into the public debate very often. This often leads to the assertion that they do not have one at all, and are not interested in the big political debates of the day.
Military Interventions
Mass Surveillance
The first European Youth Poll in 2013 dealt with the issue of military interventions. At the time, France had started a military intervention in Mali, and debates about European involvement in Syria were rising high. While a narrow majority of 52% at the time thought the intervention in Mali was justified, 65% stated they do not think military interventions are suitable to achieve peace. Furthermore, 72% agreed that any military intervention should be authorised by the United Nations Security Council.
The final European Youth Poll of the year came in the wake of Edward Snowden’s revelations about largescale surveillance programmes of US and UK intellegence agencies. Almost two thirds of all respondents felt that the surveillance programmes crossed a line, and 59% stated they feel they have to restrain their communication over the Internet, because it is being watched. The same number of respondents also thought that the exchange of data with the United States should be suspended as a consequence.
In the EYP, we know this is not true. The European Youth Polls, established in co-operation with the Stiftung Mercator foundation in 2011, Gender Equality are a project designed to help change this notion. Regularly, we ask young The second Poll of 2013 asked quespeople all across Europe for their tions on Gender Equality. A total of views on pressing European issues. 4 112 young people from 45 European countries replied and gave interThe surveys are spread through so- esting insights into differing percepcial media, the results compiled at tions on Gender Equality in Europe: the EYP International Office and pro- Two thirds of all respondents stated vided to the media and political deci- that traditional views on gender roles are widespread in their counsion makers. tries - with big differences between countries (Turkey: 92%; the NetherPolls on diverse issues lands: 16%). At the same time, these views proved to be unpopular, with This year, we held three Polls on only 26% thinking that working in the very diverse issues on the European household and raising children is agenda: mainly the responsibility of women, and 97% favouring equal pay.
Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, commented on the results, saying that “the NSA scandal is a wake-up call”, and explaining that “the European Parliament has called for the suspension of the TFTP Agreeemt. “
“The European Youth Polls are a great source of information on the thoughts and interests of young Europeans.” Hans-Gert Poettering, former President of the European Parliament
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training activities to develop its activities even further, eyp is putting more focus on training
As an organisation run by young people for young people, the EYP places a significant focus on training our volunteers. We believe in striving for more professionalism in our work and in constantly developing our concepts further. In 2013, we consequently held over 30 training events across our network. Their content ranged from introductions to the EYP to new members to advanced international training for our experienced volunteers.
Training Council On the international level, the Governing Body of the EYP has established a permanent working group, the Training and Alumni Development Council. Its aim is to drive EYP’s transformation into a training-based organisation, as well as to give assistance and support to training programmes organised on a multitude of issues. The Training Council is run by experienced EYP Alumni who have been educated as trainers, have plenty of training
experience themselves and are pas- Through this partnership, a numsionate about the issue of developing ber of international training events capacities for EYP. were made possible in 2013: Training on Media and Communication; Fundraising Training; and Training Support from for Session Head-Organisers were Mercator Foundation held in Berlin, while Training on National Committee Management and Through the framework of our part- Development was held in Sokobanja, nership with the Mercator Founda- Serbia in May 2013. Special Training tion, the EYP has been able to organ- on the new Erasmus+ programme of ise a number of international training the European Commission was held events in 2013 to address special in Brussels in November. Internapriority areas in developing the EYP: tional training for the members of project management, reaching out the Board of National Committees of to new target groups and developing the EYP was held in Berlin in June. effective communication.
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Annual Report 2013
In 2013 the EYP Think Tank worked on the issue of the future of Europe.
EYP THINK TANK 21 EYP alumni from 12 countries debated new ideas for European integration
In 2006, the EYP decided to create its own Think Tank to offer an opportunity for active engagement to its senior alumni, often outstanding students or successful young professionals in politics, business or academia. In 2013, a group of 21 alumni from 12 different countries came together to draft a policy paper on a new institutional setup for Europe.
First Meeting in Berlin The Think Tank consisted of two meetings. The first event enabled our alumni to share and discuss their ideas for a new institutional setup for Europe and formulate these into a concrete policy recommendation. an international group of senior EYP alumni gathered in Berlin between 16th May and 19th May. During this meeting, they created a new institutional setup for Europe in the form of a Policy Paper. Their discussions in Berlin were preceded by a month of online knowledge sharing, in order to carefully prepare all participants.
During the event, the participants had the opportunity to discuss their topic with an expert in the field of politicisation and political institutions, Dr. Christian Rauch, from the Social Science Research Centre Berlin (WZB).
Discussion with Decision Makers in Brussels The Policy Paper was then passed on to the Cabinet of Viviane Reding, Vice-president of the European Commission for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. In order to make a real dialogue between the participants and European decision-makers possible, a second event took place in Brussels on 10th July. Four members of the Think Tank presented their ideas to a Member of Cabinet of Ms. Reding, Ms. Christine Mai, and to Prof. Gerhard Pr채torius, Head of Coordination CSR and Sustainability at Volkswagen Group, followed by an open discussion. To bring in some additional perspectives and open up the discussion, three additional EYP alumni, young decision-makers themselves, working in Brussels, were invited to join the event.
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A visit to ghana to prepare for the trip. On August 4th, the delegation flew to Accra, where a new partnership for they arrived one day later. The first two days were filled with getting THE eyp - including to know the staff members of the a visit to africa Youthbridge Foundation and making plans for the days ahead. We While focussing on Europe, we at also visited the Ghanaian Minister of the EYP enjoy reaching out to other Youth and Sports, Elvis Afriye Ankrah, parts of the world. In 2013, we sent in the Ministry. our first delegation to Africa. Before this, in April 2013, four staff mem- The EYP delegation participated in bers of the Youthbridge Foundation the 5th African Youth and Governfrom Ghana’s capital Accra visited ance Conference, held in Accra’s the 72nd International Session of the Kofi Annan International PeaceEuropean Youth Parliament in Mu- keeping Training Center (KAIPTC) nich, marking the first activity of our from 7th to 9th August 2013. While partnership. 2013 marked the start of
The second step in the process of our two organisations getting to know each other was the return visit: Thus, ten EYP Alumni went to Ghana to participate in the 5th African Youth and Governance Conference. The goal of the trip was to participate in the Conference both as delegates and facilitators in specific parts of the Conference.
The African Youth and Governance Conference From August 2nd to 4th 2013, the delegation came together in Berlin
the main goal of their visit was to get to know the Youthbridge Foundation and their formats, they did not participate as mere spectators. Delegation members prepared with YBF staff beforehand and took an active role in several areas during the Conference.
Common plans for the future The visit of the EYP Delegation to the AYGC was not the end of our common experience - a joint Euro African Youth Parliament will be held in 2014.
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Annual Report 2013
Inclusive EYP ble to all young people. Like all our events, they offer a platform and a framework for young people to deyoung people in all parts bate current political questions with of europe a European dimension. Specifically, outreach programmes in 2013 were We strongly believe that our educa- in place in France, Poland, Luxemtional programme is of great value bourg, Germany, Italy, Azerbaijan, to young people across Europe. Estonia, Hungary, Georgia and the However, we know that not every- United Kingdom. body finds their way to the European Youth Parliament by themselves. Another approach to inclusivity is We want the EYP to be an open and the Understanding Europe proinclusive youth organisation, in- gramme, a special educational provolving all young people who wish gramme developed to give young to participate, regardless of their people a first insight into European politics. These courses were develbackground. oped for a European-wide approach Inclusivity is one of three focus ar- in 2013 and will take place in many eas of our Long-Term Strategy countries in 2014. passed in 2013, and we are currently working on and trying out meth- While Outreach Events and the Unods to reach out beyond our usual derstanding Europe programme are examples on how we get even target groups. more young people involved in our Many National Committees of the work, for many young people fundEuropean Youth Parliament have ing the travel costs for participattaken up EYP Outreach Events. ing in events remains the main These are short events using the difficulty, especially on an internaEYP format, ranging from a few tional level. In 2011, we therefore hours to three days – usually or- introduced a new tool to lower the ganised directly in a school which financial threshold of participation has not taken part in EYP activities in our events. The EYP Diversity before. Often, these events are held Fund, run in co-operation with the in the country’s native language, to Mercator Foundation, has supportfurther make them more accessi- ed dozens of young people since 2011 and thereby enabled them to the eyp aims to reach out to
participate in EYP sessions. While the support is currently only available for German citizens, the EYP is currently taking steps to set up a fund available for all young Europeans. One such attempt is a special scholarship fund set up in 2013 in cooperation with EF – Education First. This fund will benefit members of our newer National Committees which often lack the structures and funds to attend international events. With this partnership, we aim to strengthen our outreach into even more countries.
“The EYP is for all European youth – it is the perfect project for the borderless Europe we can enjoy today.” André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf Chairman of the Schwarzkopf Foundation
Cumulated number of likes on our facebook page
40000
After reaching 20 000 followers last year, we achieved a new record of 30 000 in 2013. our posts reached around 3 500 people every day on facebook.
30000
20000
10000 1.7.11
1.1.12
1.7.12
1.1.13
1.7.13
1.1.14
Daily facebook followers
35 30
We also increased our average number of new daily followers.
25 20 15 10 5 0 2011
2012
2013
number of users on the Alumni Platform
10000
our Alumni Platform keeps growing and gained another 1 600 users in 2013, bringing us close to 10 000. All registered users receive our newsletter.
8000 6000 4000 2000 0 2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
AnnuAL RePoRt 2013
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eYP ReACh eYP also received a lot of interest in recognition from political decision ACtIVItIes of the eYP In makers. three members of the european Commission visited events of InCReAsInG nuMBeRs the eYP in 2013 - Laszlo Andor spoke to the delegates at the International the media paid remarkable atten- session in Munich, karel de Gucht tion to the activities of the european visited an International forum in Youth Parliament in 2013. While the Ghent, and Androulla Vassiliou was International sessions were the fo- present at the opening Ceremony of cal point of attention, many other the International session in zurich. eYP events received a lot of media coverage, making eYP present in Members of the european Parliamedia all over europe. ment provided very positive feedback to our work and the resolutions of stories about eYP ran in major media the International sessions. Many of outlets in france (sud-ouest, ouest them furthermore commented on france, L’humanité...), sweden (sVt, the results of our european Youth hD, Ltz...), kosovo, Poland, Albania, Armenia, Latvia, Cyprus (sigma, Ant1), ukraine (kyiv Post), spain (ABC), estonia (Postimees), Germany (zDf, Bayerischer Rundfunk), switzerland (neue zürcher zeitung, sf tagesschau), Portugal, Greece, the netherlands, Belgium and many more. MeDIA Is CoVeRInG DIffeRent
We also increased our reach on social media. In november our facebook page reached 30 000 followers, with an average of 105 daily new followers in the last two months of 2013. our alumni platform grew by almost 50%, jumping from 6 500 to 9 000 users, who receive our newsletter.
Polls - including several comments by eP President Martin schulz. hundreds of politicians on a regional and national level came to our events to discuss directly with young people, most prominently the President of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaite.
“Who else but the European Youth Parliament could create new ideas - unabashed and unjaded.” Neue Zürcher Zeitung, July 22nd, 2013
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Annual Report 2013
Annual Report 2013
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The European Youth Parliament is officially established in 41 European countries.
National Committees the eyp is officially present in 41 countries in europe
The National Committees (NCs) are at the heart of the EYP as they organise the bulk of all events and select all participants to sessions. An important part of their work is to select the delegations that will represent their country at the autumn and spring International EYP Sessions. To this end, most National Committees organise a selection process, often including regional and national conferences, a resolution/essay-
writing competition, and an interview process, all judged by an independent jury. The exact method used varies from country to country. Apart from the national selections, several committees also organise other activities within the EYP framework, often including short one day EYP events, with the aim of reaching out to the widest possible range of students and teachers. All those involved in the running of the National Committees do so voluntarily, with EYP alumni, teachers, and other interested people working without recompense to give a new generation the chance to discover
what the European Youth Parliament is all about. To become fully recognised National Committees, EYP national organisation first have to form an Initiative before being recognised as “Candidate NCs� by the Governing Body. They have then one year to implement a series of measures and deliver a report in order to be fully recognised as National Committees. There is currently one EYP Initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina and four Candidates in Azerbaijan, Denmark, Luxembourg and Slovenia. All NCs are presented in the following pages.
Annual Report 2013
Albania
www.eyp.al, info.eypal@gmail.com
In 2013 EYP Albania held two major events: the 6th National Selection Conference in March and the 3rd International Forum in November. Both events were successful and reached more than 220 young people. Furthermore, our alumni were more active on an international level, and we were represented not only by
Armenia
delegations but also by officials at all three International Sessions and several International Forums. A new Board was elected in September and we are looking forward to next year’s challenges with even more events such as School Sessions and Regional Sessions to reach young people from the whole country.
www.eyparmenia.com, info@eyparmenia.com In 2013, EYP Armenia set out to realise all ambitious plans approved at the end of 2012, when Armenia was fully recognised as a National Committee. During one year of productive work EYP Armenia has managed to implement around 12 projects, engage 1 300 young people, host 65 foreign students and
Austria
35
45 volunteers. We have already launched a brand new web-page: www.eyparmenia.org. EYP Armenia has successfully and outstandingly participated in three International EYP Sessions, and in 2014 will be organising an International EYP Forum that aims to gather around 200 participants.
www.eypaustria.org, info@eypaustria.org
In 2013 EYP Austria extended its range of events and regions reached once again. With its National Selection Conference Linz 2013 EYP Austria managed to include a whole new group of students outside of Vienna. Additionally, EYP Austria increased the number of sessions and other events, including EYP Days, Jour
Azerbaijan
Fixes, an Alumni Training Weekend and an unforgettable international summer forum in Graz. These events welcomed not only new EYPers from all over the country but also international participants. Apart from that, EYP Austria had its first ever Regional Session, another successful event motivating everyone to stay involved.
www.eyp.az, eypazerbaijan@yahoo.com 2013 brought EYP Azerbaijan success and luck. We were recognised as Candidate NC by the Board of National Committees at the Spring meeting in Berlin. We organised our first School Session and our second National Selection Conference in September. We also sent delegations to various international and local
events of the EYP in other European countries. We initiated to organise the first International Youth Forum of EYP Azerbaijan and we are concentrating our efforts to carry it out in 2014. The Forum will be held under the motto “Create Innovative Future, Reshape the World!”. *EYP Azerbaijan is a Candidate NC.
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Annual Report 2013
www.eypby.org, eypbelarus@gmail.com The National Committee of the EYP in Belarus is the executive body running the national branch of the European Youth Parliament. Since it was founded its main task is to promote active citizenship, democracy as well as the European idea in challenging conditions. Our main goal is to give as many young people from Belarus the op-
portunity to take part in EYP, which we strongly believe is a life-changing experience. We seek to empower youth, to question the world around them and come up with innovative solutions to global problems, while emphasizing the concepts of cooperation and respect. We organised our National Session in Vilnius in January.
www.eyp-europolis.be, info@eyp-europolis.be 2013 was a productive year for EYPEuropolis Belgium. On top of the annual activities we organised the International Forum Ghent2013. About 200 people gathered and were addressed by prestigious speakers, such as European Commissioner Karel De Gucht. Our 19th NSC was held in the European Parliament in
Belgium
Brussels and for the first time happened over 4 days. As every year, two Europolis sessions were organised, an independent project analogue to an EYP session held in Dutch and French. Additionally, multiple training events and alumni activities were organised and our Facebook page reached the milestone of 1000 likes.
www.eyp.ba, info@eyp.ba
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina has been given an initiative status in the European Youth Parliament Network on November 6th 2013. In addition to fulfilling the requirements, specific job descriptions and measure of success points were created, we contacted several international and domestic organisations (gained sup-
port by some of them), recruited new members of the Initiative and developed a timeline of activities. In 2014, we are looking forward to obtaining candidate status and starting preparations for our first National Selection Conference and be able to send delegations to International Sessions.
*EYP Bosnia and Herzegovina is an Initiative.
www.eyp.hr, info@eyp.hr EYP Croatia is the official representation of the European Youth Parliament in Croatia, the newest member country of the European Union, which it joined in 2013. After the International Session in Zagreb in 2011, EYP Croatia concentrated on its internal organisation and development in the following years, although members
Belarus
of EYP Croatia continued to attend international events of the European Youth Parliament in different roles all over Europe. 2014 will be an important year for EYP Croatia, as we are planning to expand our activities and attend all international activities of the European Youth Parliament.
Croatia
Annual Report 2013
Cyprus
us.com, info@eypcyprus.com www.eypcyprus.com, info@eypcyprus.com In 2013, EYP Cyprus organised two Pre-Selection events, one Organisers Training weekend, its 4-day long annual National Session and for the first time, Chairs’ Training. Together, these events gathered more than 300 new participants from across Cyprus. EYP Cyprus also continued for the second year its initiative called ‘EYP
Czech Republic
Denmark
Project in Schools’ which aims to introduce more young people to EYP. More specifically, EYP Cyprus works with teachers to organise EYP-based events in their individual schools thus allowing students from all ages to benefit from the merits and educational opportunities that EYP has to offer.
www.eyp.cz, eyp@eyp.cz
In 2013, EYP Czech Republic developed really well. The National Committee managed to reach over 1 000 people via the organised events. The major highlights of the year were the 15th National Selection Conference in Rakovník in March and the X Czech Forum in Znojmo in November. Apart from those, EYP CZ organised 16
EYP Days, one-day events for high schools. With 7 training events held in 2013, the National Committee was also successful in fulfilling its goal to incorporate training for alumni into its portfolio. EYP CZ also celebrated its 15 years anniversary by hosting a celebratory dinner for its alumni, teachers and partners in November.
www.eypdenmark.org, info@eypdenmark.org
2013 was the first year for EYP Denmark - we became an EYP Initiative in March and a Candidate National Committee in November. We started gathering members and began planning our first National Selection Conference, to be held in Odense in 2014. Furthermore, EYP Denmark sent participants abroad to a variety
Estonia
37
of events, in the roles of delegate, international organiser, trainee and editor. Participating in events abroad helped us build a good understanding of how to run EYP activities and gave our members the needed experience to now plan events also in Denmark. *EYP Denmark is a Candidate NC.
www.ten.ee, info@ten.ee 2013 was an innovative and busy year for EYP Estonia. With secured funding from the government we had the chance to reach out to more target groups. The umbrella organisation for EYP Estonia, TEN, organised its first session for university students, which turned out to be one of the highlights of the year. Many partici-
pants have stayed actively involved in EYP ever since. TEN also took the EYP format to schools by organising mini-sessions all over Estonia. TEN and EYP Estonia also saw an increase in projects conducted in co-operation with other NGOs and thus 2013 was a year of expanding, innovating and recreating ourselves.
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Annual Report 2013
Finland
www.eypfinland.org, info@eypfinland.org The year started off with our National Session in Joensuu. EYP Finland selected 52 delegates to sessions all over Europe. In March we organised our third Alumni weekend with great success. In April we held our Annual Spring Meeting. We held international training: for journalists in May and for chairs in August. We held four Re-
gional Sessions, for the first time one in Northern Finland. The Board was proven extremely dynamic and efficient. EYP Finland took a great step towards a more established organisation and gained a good momentum for 2014. We now have an office and are planning on hiring a secretary for autumn.
www.pejfrance.org, info@pejfrance.org In 2013, EYP France aimed to inwww.pejfrance.org, info@pejcrease the numbers of Regional and One-Day Sessions, our quality and our outreach, which we achieved with 12 Regional Sessions that involved a lot more people from various backgrounds. Furthermore, we decided to reflect on our long-term strategy, which will lead to a reform of our of-
ficial statute towards a more federafrance.org tive organisation, giving more power to the regional committees. We also aimed at developing our training programme, to build a programme for the European elections. Finally, we started focusing our efforts towards the World Youth Forum that will happen in Caen in 2014.
www.eyp.org.ge, info@eyp.org.ge The National Selection Conference of EYP Georgia performed well in 2013. Having organised an International Session in October the members of the NC managed to increase the visibility of the organisation and popularise its activities. We have significantly increased our representation at the international level. Our mem-
France
Georgia
bers have participated as delegates, journalists, chairpersons, organisers at several EYP events outside Georgia. At the national level, we have reached huge success as well. We have gained financial aid for a couple of events in the future. We are planning event to celebrate Europe Day, informational meetings and training.
www.eyp.de, info@eyp.de 2013 was a challenging but successful year for EYP Germany. For the first time, we organised three Regional Sessions, including even more students from all over Germany. Shortly after, we had the honour of hosting the 72nd International Session in Munich which was a demonstration of the organisation’s growth. We had
Germany
the chance to establish and develop regional structures and involve more members in the work of the organisation. Our work was rewarded with an invitation by the Federal President, appearances in different television and radio programmes, as well as invitations for speeches, workshops and presentations at different occasions.
Annual Report 2013
Greece
us.com, info@eypcyprus.co www.eypgreece.org, eypgreece@gmail.com
2013 was a successful year for the European Youth Parliament Greece, starting with our 27th National Selection Conference, which took place in Athens in April, gathering 120 delegates from the region of Attica. The 28th NSC took place in Thessaloniki, gathering 138 delegates from the regions of Thrace, Macedonia, Ipeiros
Hungary
and Thessaly. Also, during August of 2013 in the region of Thessaly, the 4th International Forum of EYP Greece took place successfully, with 130 participants from 24 different countries. Finally, 12 Members’ Assemblies, one Alumni Weekend and 2 EYP Raising Awareness Days at schools were held.
www.eyp.pillar-europe.eu, eyp@eyp.pillar-europe.eu In 2013 EYP Hungary focused on small events, outreach and finding long-term strategic partners. We held five EU lessons (One day EYP sessions) in cooperation with the Pillar Foundation and participated in university events and summer festivals, promoting EYP and reaching 1800 youngsters. We sent delegates
Ireland
abroad to Regional and International Sessions. EYP Hungary had the chance to participate in the camp of Hungary’s largest national debate competition “Szóval?!” as a professional partner. We found long-term partners to support us in reaching even more schools. EYP Hungary is more active than ever before.
www.eyp.ie, info@eyp.ie
The foundation that we have laid as an organisation over the past few years has allowed for us to undertake considerable expansion in 2013. We held our EGM in January where it was decided that EYP Ireland would hold its first International Forum in Cork in 2014. Due to the success of our regional sessions we will increase the
Italy
39
number from three to four. We held our Dublin regional session in February and this was followed by the National session held in the University College Dublin. Three regional sessions were held after the summer in Cork, Dublin and Galway. These were attended by Members of the Irish Parliament and MEP Brian Crowley.
www.eypitaly.org, peg@eypitaly.org
In 2013 EYP Italy organised six events for students and two for alumni. We managed to pass the 500-participant barrier. The number of schools participating in our pre-selection process reached a record 52. The quality of these events was outstanding. Moreover, a new concept was introduced this year: the National Youth
Forum, a three-day event dedicated to first and second-year high-school students who are still not eligible for the pre-selection process; this outreach project was a success. All events were supported by public and private institutions. The goal for 2014 is to lay the foundations for an event dedicated to university students.
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Annual Report 2013
Kosovo
www.eyp-ks.org, saranda.h@eypkosova.com Looking back at 2013 of EYP in Kosovo, there are many success stories to celebrate and take pride in. Our achievements have been eclectic, ranging from organising successfully the 1st Balkans Summit to ensuring long-term partnerships with government institutions. 50 delegates from the region and 15 officials from all
over Europe contributed to this important step for EYP Kosovo. Though, 2014 promises to be a keystone year for EYP in Kosovo. We are building on our successful engagement with the youth of Kosovo – with the new elected board and new outreach strategy – and developing new ways to partner with Kosovo’s youth.
www.tellus.lv, info@tellus.lv 2013 was an outstanding yearinfo@pejfor EYP www.pejfrance.org, Latvia. With three preliminary selection sessions and a National Selection Conference, we involved more than 200 first-time EYPers from all regions of Latvia. The 7-day National Conference under the motto “Create a base for diverse space” was one of the most successful events of our NC
up until now and for the france.org first time included an innovative addition to the session’s programme – the “Voluntary Work Day”. Moreover, EYP Latvia continued its preparations to host the 75th International session in Riga, which is going to mark the 10th anniversary of our National Committee in 2014.
www.eyp.lt, info@eyp.lt The first year for our National Committee was pretty challenging, but we managed to organise two Regional Sessions and a National Session along with training for our NC members. We included over 250 people and participated in other National Committees’ events. Our goals and aims stayed the same - offering high
Lithuania
quality and academic events while including more delegates. Another aim is to work on alumni development and inclusion of delegates. We were fortunate to get attention from the national government members, MEPs and the President of Republic of Lithuania, who attended the first National Session of EYP Lithuania.
www.eyp.lu, eypluxembourg@outlook.com We build up the board of EYP Luxembourg and worked on sending delegates to EYP events abroad. Furthermore, we started planning our National Selection Conference for 2014. We were successful in contacting former alumni and gained important patrons such as Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the Commission.
Latvia
Luxembourg We are moving in the right direction, making valuable experiences for the future through both failure and success in our work. Learning from mistakes and growing personally is one core argument as to why one should join EYP. We live through that experience every day in EYP Luxembourg. * EYP Luxembourg is a Candidate NC.
Annual Report 2013
Macedonia
eyp.macedonia@gmail.com
2013 was a remarkable year for EYP Macedonia. Not only did attend EYP members from Macedonia many international EYP events, the National Committee of EYP Macedonia also managed to develop further and strengthen its structures. EYP Macedonia is today the official representation of the European Youth Parlia-
Moldova
ment in the country and an important platform for youth work in Macedonia. The project, which started as an initiative of a group of young people, has developed well and we are looking forward to make great progress in 2014, with the goal of involving even more people from our country in European affairs.
www.eyp.md After taking its first steps as a member of the EYP network in 2012, EYP Moldova used the year 2013 to insert itself and its members in the international structures of EYP. EYP members from Moldova took part in many international events, including the International Sessions of 2013, and we were delighted to see them
The Netherlands 2013 was a very successful year for EYP the Netherlands. A growing organisation, we have capitalised on our experience of the International Session in Amsterdam in 2012 by organising the energetic The Hague 2013 session. Involving ever more students we continue to increase our reach among the Dutch youth and in-
Norway
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taking great strides forward. EYP Moldova has become a platform for young people in Moldova contributing to raising awareness of European issues, encouraging active citizenship and non-formal education. In 2014, EYP Moldova is set to take the next step and participate fully in all activities of the EYP.
www.eyp.nl, info@eyp.nl
volved more schools in 2013, as well as organising three regional sessions, one national session and two alumni weekends. As we celebrated our 15th anniversary in December we can conclude that we have more active members than ever before and we expect our achievements to form a solid base for further expansion.
www.eyp.no, nc@eyp.no 2013 was a good year for EYP Norway. We organised the first Regional Session of EYP Norway in Trondheim. The session was followed by our second alumni training weekend. We focused on how to organise events to encourage further involvement in EYP. Beside many first-year alumni, we also had representatives from our
buddy NC, Denmark. We organised a summer party before the 11th National Session in Lillehammer. Many of our officials went to sessions all over Europe. This year has proven that we have many talented young Norwegian alumni and teachers that will be valuable assets to the national and international EYP community.
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Annual Report 2013
www.eyppoland.com, info@eyppoland.com 2013 was focused on expanding the range of projects and opportunities for our members and potential participants. With that in mind, we organised seven projects, including two in cooperation with external organisations. Our National Selection Conference yet again reached even more students than previously, hosting 21
Poland
schools in KrakĂłw. The new initiative of EYP@School was also a great success - over two weeks our team introduced EYP to 300 young people! Apart from this, we also introduced a new practice of training events, organised an International Forum, two weekend events and a summer camp for younger participants.
www.pejportugal.com, geral@pejportugal.com
Portugal
For EYP Portugal, 2013 represented our sessions and info@pejfrance.org had an increase in www.pejfrance.org, the chance for innovation and im- the number of international officials provement, starting with the im- attending our events this year. The plementation of umbrella themes most eventful year we have memory at our National Selection Confer- of was also the one during which the ences. Moreover, so as to make first steps for a Long Term Strategy these events truly multicultural ex- at a national level were given, enperiences, we started having inter- suring a continuous change for the national delegations participating in better.
www.eypromania.eu, office@eypromania.eu In 2013, EYP Romania has managed to organise six Regional Selection Sessions, one National Selection Session, one International Forum and a Training Session, which was held in the beautiful ski resort of Bansko, Bulgaria. Apart from this, our NC was represented by two well-prepared delegations of 10 and
9 people to the spring and autumn International Sessions respectively, as well as a 14-people delegation to the summer International Session in Zurich. Board elections have taken place at the end of the year, and the new board is ready to start fresh and looking forward to keeping up the work during the new mandate!
www.eyp-russia.org, eyp.russia@gmail.com 2013 was truly fruitful. Two major events happened which are milestones in the EYP Russia history. Firstly, the National Selection Conference was a completely new experience for our committee as international alumni took part in the officials’ team. Secondly, our regional development was very inspiring. Having active and
enthusiastic alumni all over the country is our fantastic achievement. We hope that partnerships with schools and universities, which were achieved this year, will help us to develop our regional involvement further. We hope that the experience gained this year will help us to embrace more and more cities across Russia.
Romania
Russia
Annual Report 2013
Serbia
www.eyp.rs, eypsrbija@gmail.com
2013 saw a continuance of high quality sessions organised by EYP Serbia. We had five regional sessions taking place in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis and Kragujevac. For the first time EYP Serbia introduced the concept of EYP Days in Belgrade. The National Selection Conference was held in Belgrade, gathering around 120 people.
Slovakia
Later on, we held the second Danube Youth Forum in Novi Sad. In the Spring, Soko Banja hosted training on communication and development, which was the first international training event in Serbia. Also the city of Kragujevac drastically increased its activity and has become one of the four “EYP cities” in Serbia.
www.eyp.sk, info@eyp.sk 2013 was a year of reorganisation for our National Committee. Delegations from Slovakia attended all three International Sessions of the European Youth Parliament in 2013, and many more young people were present at International Forums. EYP Slovakia, which joined the EYP network only a few years ago, is rap-
Slovenia
idly developing into one of the most important platforms for intercultural encounter among young people and the organisation of debates on European issues in Slovakia. We are set to develop our activities further in 2014 and contribute to the great international network of the European Youth Parliament.
www.eypslovenia.org, info@eypslovenia.org
2013 was big for EYP Slovenia. Starting in March, we have worked our way from the idea of establishing EYP in Slovenia, to becoming a Candidate NC. We have been recognised as a working NGO in Slovenia, met with the Slovene MEP’s, launched our website, organised our first sessions and sent our first delegation abroad.
Spain
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The list could go on and on, but in the light of our success we are most grateful of our members and our friends for taking that chance, helping us from the idea of establishing EYP in Slovenia to the reality of today, connecting students and giving them the chance to participate in EYP. * EYP Slovenia is a Candidate NC.
www.eype.es, eype.board@gmail.com
In 2013, the EYPE had two main working areas. On an academic level, EYPE continued with its geographical expansion across Spain, organising 11 GA Days. These sessions were used to select the delegates for the 8th NSC that took place in Bilbao, in the Basque Country. The NC introduced for the first time the role of
Teacher Coordinator with the aim of asking teacher for insight on issues concerning the organisation. Moreover, the first EYPE Training event was organised in Madrid. On the other hand, to encourage both further involvement of the alumni and a greater cohesion of the NC, the 5th EYPE Weekend was organised in Zaragoza.
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Annual Report 2013
www.eup.se, info@eup.se 2013 has been a year of expansion and development for EYP Sweden. More than 70 days of EYP were organised, over 1 000 participants took part in our exciting events. Adding to the National Session in February, the 2nd EuroMediterranean Youth Parliament in June and the Regional Sessions in November, many successful event
concepts took form. Once again, EYP Sweden received governmental support, which enabled the organisation to further grow regionally. The five regional committees have done a brilliant job involving more people than ever. We look forward to developing new methods and involve more members and target groups in 2014.
www.eyp.ch, info@eyp.ch 2013 was an intense and busyinfo@pejyear for www.pejfrance.org, EYP Switzerland. After a second round of annual one-day Regional Sessions, the National Committee saw the work of the last three years come to fruition during the summer as the host country of the 73rd International Session in Zurich. A particular highlight was welcoming European Commissioner An-
Switzerland
droulla Vassiliou to the Opening Cerfrance.org emony. Later that summer, another 150 participants attended the National Selection Conference in Romanshorn, including two international delegations. EYP Switzerland continues to grow and introduced a new national structure for members to take on board support positions.
www.eypturkey.org, info@eypturkey.org 2013 has been an important year for EYP Turkey. We organised two National Selection Conferences, each becoming a big success and the 7th International Istanbul Youth Forum that lived up to the reputation of previous years. We also organised the 1st International Ankara Youth Forum, which was our first EYP Turkey activ-
Turkey
ity taking place in Ankara, extending our borders. EYP Turkey finally said goodbye to 2013 with the annual New Year’s Dinner and Alumni Gathering and celebrated the end of a fruitful year. In May 2013, EYP Turkey was also happy to be selected to host the 78th International Session in spring 2015.
eyp-ua.org, info@eyp-ua.org 2013 has been a truly productive year for EYP Ukraine. We succeeded in organising a number of events to start regional extension and to initiate own projects. More than 1 400 people took part in our events. Representatives of our organisation took part in a number of events significant for the Ukrainian society, e.g. the launch of the “Strong-
Sweden
Ukraine
er Together” campaign and meeting with US Senators. Furthermore, EYP Ukraine promoted a volunteering culture among its members within events initiated by the International Organisation for Migration, the EU Delegation to Ukraine, the eco-project “Let’s do it Ukraine”, Food Bank and Open Hearts of Ukraine foundations.
Annual Report 2013
United Kingdom
This year has been another hugely successful one for EYPUK with more participants in our selection process than ever before and two outstanding National Sessions. Our Eurvoice outreach system has further expanded to engage young people from across the country. Our alumni have been hugely active on the interna-
www.eypuk.co.uk, info@eypuk.co.uk
tional stage and we have continued to invite the best alumni from around the continent. In November 2013 we were also delighted to host the entire EYP network in London for the meeting of the Board of National Committees. At the same time we celebrated our 20th anniversary and are looking forward to the next 20 years in EYP!
The team of the International Office of the European Youth Parliament and the Schwarzkopf Foundation would like to thank all National Committees and alumni for a successful year!
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Annual Report 2013
46
people and bodies Permanent PATRON
GOVERNING BODY
INTERNATIONAL OFFICE
Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Current Formation:
Krista Simberg, FI, Executive Director since July 2013
COMITÉ D’HONNEUR Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the European Commission
Mark Brakel, NL Dmytro Honcharenko, UA Schima Labitsch, AT Anar Kučera, CZ
Ville Vasaramäki, FI, Executive Director until June 2013 Jacob Düringer, DE, Project Manager
Hilpi Luukkonen, FI
Stefan Vandenhende, BE, Project Manager
Andris Šuvajevs, LV
Maria Manolescu, RO, HR Manager
André Schmitz-Schwarzkopf, DE
Heiko Seiser, DE, Assistant
Members until August 2013:
Interns in 2013:
Alan Flowers, UK Joanna Kulpa, PL Robert Torvelainen, FI
Petya Koleva, BG, Elise Lévy, FR, Anya Suprunenko, UA, Karolina Kolenska, DE, Mathilde Pascal, FR
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AnnuAL RePoRt 2013
AnnuAL RePoRt 2013
47
ouR PARtneRs Without the support of our partners, the european Youth Parliament would not be able to realise its aims. We thank them all and express our gratitude for their support.
The European Youth Parliament receives support from the European Commission’s Youth in Action for its continuous activities.
“The European Youth Parliament has been a forum for discussion and reflection for European youth on European policies for more than 20 years. In this way they contribute to building tomorrow’s Europe. I wish them all continued success.” Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council