Strasbourg, 12 August 1998

Restricted

CM(98)128

(15 September 1998, B level, item 8.2)

This was the year of normalisation. Staff had come in and were trained for their different jobs, computer facilities and the communication links to Strasbourg were installed, technical and didactical equipment appropriate to the services to be provided by the house were put into place; with the exception of a bank account, which still does not exist, one can say - in 1997 the European Youth Centre Budapest became a truly professional service of the Council of Europe.

Economically the Centre reached its objectives. With the exception of the first three months of the year the house was practically fully occupied all the time. The increasing popularity of the EYCB with activities of the youth field and part of the ordinary programme led to an occupation rate, which did at times practically not leave enough space for self-financed activities, which the Centre is obliged to hold to a certain extent in order to balance its budget.

At the end of 1997 the EYCB had hosted some 200 activities for more than 2000 participants since it opened its doors in October 1995 - it has become, meanwhile, part of the international educational scenery in Budapest.

The Centre hosted 94 activities, 43 part of the ordinary programme of the Youth Directorate, 51 financed by other sources, be it other Directorates and services of the Council of Europe, international organisations and services and NGOs. A global reporting of the items treated gives the following picture:

This list covers all forms of activities from large symposia, conferences, training courses, study sessions, consultative meetings to expert consultations. The European Youth Centre Budapest has organised these activities in co-operation with the Parliamentary Assembly, UNESCO, the Conference of Local and Regional Authorities, the World Bank, agencies working for the European Union, the European Youth Forum and a wide range of other organisations active in international co-operation programmes.

The general programme orientation of the EYCB is right in the middle of the Council of Europe's main concerns: commitment to the rule of law and pluralistic democracy, fight against social exclusion and continuous work towards increased social cohesion, recognition of cultural difference within the universal civilisation. Within the youth field there is additionally a strong emphasis on minority rights and teaching techniques of empowerment of minorities with the aim to reach participation and true citizen status.

The originality of the activities lies most and foremost within the educational method chosen. Group work and information sharing are the dominating elements of educational strategies involving role games, simulation games, intercultural exercises, audio-visual productions, physical games and meditation exercises. To train the complete personality of the young person attending an activity is the aim, not just to tell authorities that a given number of young people were introduced to European subjects.

1998 will be the year when the Committee of Ministers will evaluate the activities and the performance of the European Youth Centre Budapest in order to decide on its confirmation as a permanent feature of the youth field in the Council of Europe. In 1997 the Centre achieved its objective to prove that it is a well functioning and original youth and training centre. Now it is time to think about some more far-reaching objectives, which were also associated to the project from the outset:

• to become a resource and an information centre for Hungarian youth on European matters. This intention can be implemented after the completion of a signatory procedure between the Council of Europe, the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Education and Culture in March 1998;

• to influence the modernisation of the education systems in the region with a view to greater learner autonomy and education for democratic citizenship;

• to function as an advice giving and counselling unit for the development of civil society.

These are ambitious aims and they need time, resources and budgets to be achieved. The European Youth Centre Budapest has taken a realistic and pragmatic step by step approach to achieve its objectives so far and it will continue doing so with regard to its larger Council of Europe agenda.

In times of globalisation and faced with the enlargement procedure of the European Union there is a whole revolution of thinking and attitude change under way. Nationally perceived cultural socialisations are no longer preparing young people for tomorrow's world and the importance of civil society, of intercultural dialogue and of informal education increases steadily. The European Youth Centre Budapest is an important cornerstone in this "building the future" approach. Having finished its second year successfully, the EYCB awaits in confidence its confirmation by the Committee of Ministers in 1998.

I. STUDY SESSIONS

1. European Good Templar Youth Federation (EGTYF)

"Organisation and leadership"

2. World Student Christian Federation (WSCF)

"The loss of values, student Christian movements responding to the post-communist society"

9-16 February

3. International Young Catholic Students and International Movement of Catholic Students (IYCS-IMCS)

"Professionals of the future"

16-23 February

4. European Youth Forum (EYF)

"East-East co-operation - building mutual support between national youth councils in Central and Eastern Europe"

23 February-2 March

5. European Youth Forest Action (EYFA)

"Next time, why not work together?"

6. Youth Action for Peace (YAP)

"Intercultural Learning - fashion or necessity in modern world society"

16-23 March

7. Democrat Youth Community of Europe (DEMYC)

"Peace and Stability in Europe as the Pre-requisite of Young People's Future"

13-20 April

8. World Organisation of Young Esperantists (TEJO)

"Making our voices be heard" - Young people and the media

27 April-4 May

9. International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY)

"Future of Work"

10. Youth Express Network (REJ/YEN)

"Living - youth seminar on drug addiction"

11. International Christian Youth Exchange (ICYE)

"Equal opportunities in Eastern and Western Europe: past, present and future"

12. International Falcon Movement-Socialist Educational International (IFM-SEI)

"Youth - and Child Prostitution and sexual abuses in East-and Central Europe: Analysis of sexual exploitation and prevention"

13. International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY)

"Strategies to decrease the drug problem"

21-28 September

14. European Federation of Youth Service Organisations (EFYSO)

"Responses to manifestations of extremism"

5-12 October

15. European Confederation of Youth Club Organisations (ECYC)

"Geared for girls? - Promoting female participation in youth clubs and society"

12-19 October

16. Double study session: MIJARC-Europe and ECYF 4H Clubs

Preparatory meeting of the round table: "Mobilisation of young people to address the critical situation in Central and Eastern European rural areas"

17. European Federation for Intercultural Learning (EFIL)

"The Role of Youth in the Governance of Non Profit Organisations"

10-16 November

18. European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS)

"Values & Ideals among student movements in Europe 2000"

16-23 November

19. A SEED Europe

"Going for Growing: Transport in Central and Eastern Europe"

17-23 November

20. International Young Nature friends (IYNF)

"Don't let them play with your rights - A European concept for children's work"

23-30 November

21. Mobility International

"Towards independence and Self-determination for Young Deaf-Blind People: the role of young people and their organisations"

22. Young European Federalists (YEF)

"Explaining Europe: Between Information and Propaganda?

II. TRAINING COURSES

1 Evaluation phase of the 1996/1997 long term training course for youth leaders in charge of multinational projects

18-29 April

2. First phase of the Long-term Training Course "Participation and Citizenship" (a training course for young people from minorities in Europe)

28 May-7 June

3. TC III: Training for Trainers

14-25 September

4. Training course on youth information (in co-operation with the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency)

15-20 December

1. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 4. (European Youth Forum)

25-26 January

2. Preparatory meeting for Training course N° 1

3-6 February

3. Preparatory meeting for Training course N° 2

19-23 February

4. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 8 (TEJO)

22-24 February

5. Preparatory meeting for study session International Young Nature Friends (study session held at the EYC Strasbourg)

1-2 March

6. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 10 (REJ/YEN)

1-4 March

7. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 11 (ICYI)

19-20 March

8. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 9 (IUSY)

5-6 April

9. Preparatory meeting for Training course N° 2

9-11 April

10. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 12 (IFM/SEI)

5-7 July

11. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 20 (IJAN)

1-2 August

12. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 22 (JEF)

1-4 August

13. Preparatory meeting for Training course N° 2

4-7 August

14. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 14 (EFYSO)

25-28 August

15. Preparatory meeting for study session N° 16 (MIJARC/4H CLUBS)

4-8 September

16. Preparatory meeting for a study session of the World Organisation of Scouts Movements (foreseen in 1998)

4-7 November

17. Preparatory meeting for a study session of the European Committee of Young Farmers and 4H Clubs (foreseen in 1998)

6-9 December

18. Preparatory meeting for a study session the European Ecumenical Youth Council (foreseen in 1998)

19-21 December

IV. SELF FINANCED AND PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES

1. Hungarian National Commission for UNESCO

"Conference on the Prevention and Development of Cultural life in the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe"

23-25 January

2. World Organisation of the Scout Movement - European Region

"Development of Scouting in Central and Eastern Europe. Projects and Partnership"

3. Mobility Youth Service Hungary

"Youth for Europe Network Training"

13-15 February

4. Martin Luther King Organisation, Hungary

"Launching ceremony of the Hungarian Passport against racism"

20 February

5. Intercultural Centre, Vienna

22-23 February

6. Council of Europe-Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography

"Seminar on anti-personnel landmines and their humanitarian implications"

7-9 March

7. Mobility International Hungary

Preparatory Meeting of the Executive Meeting of Mobility International

8. Youth For Understanding - Hungary

Inter organisational Meeting

28 March

9. Social Research Informatior Centre

"Social Transformation and Youth (Trends of Hungarian Youth Research)"

4-5 April

10. Cook Competition Among Central European EUREST Countries

18-19 April

11. Council for Cultural Co-operation, Federal Ministry for Science, Research and Arts, Austria, Cultural Center Viktorsberg

Project: "Graffiti, Sound and Video" - a youth and social work project on arts, culture and human rights

12. Anne Frank House, Budapest

"Young people in Central and Eastern Europe working for Human Rights"

15-18 May

13. Royal Netherlands Embassy

"European Cultural Policy: Armour or Backbone"

21-22 May

14. Forum Europe

"Identité et Altérité dans les Espaces publics et privés"

22-26 May

15. Mobility International Hungary

Executive Committee meeting of Mobility International

29 May-1 June

16. Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen

"European dimension in social work education"

4-7 June

17. Cyprus Fulbright Commission

By-communal workshop for university students from Cyprus

8-13 June

18. Soros Foundation

"One-day training for high school students"

14 June

19. Council of Europe - Directorate of Legal Affairs

Seminar for young Bosnian political leaders

16-22 June

20. Council of Europe - Directorate of Social and Economic Affairs

"Roma Image and Positive Action"

26-28 June

21. Council of Europe-Directorate of Environment and Local Authorities

"Local Government and Economic Development in Japan"

27-28 June

22. Council of Europe -Directorate of Environment and Local Authorities

"Municipal Creditworthiness and Financial Risks of Local Authorities"

30 June-4 Jully

23. European Youth Forum

Rave the Change - Conference on Youth Policy

3-6 July

24. Council of Europe

Meeting of the study group of the Secretary General on the reforms of the youth sector

7-9 July

25. Minority Rights Group International

"Rights and Advocacy Training Programme"

11-14 July

26. Europe at School

"Cultural unity and diversity in Europe on its way to the 21st century"

15-23 July

27. Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe

"Meeting of leaders of youth movements of political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina"

17-21 July

28. Institute for Applied Research on Communication (IKAB)

"Training Youth for Europe National Agencies", Part 1

24-31 August

29. Council of Europe - Secretary General's Monitoring Unit

"Freedom of expression and restrictions included in the penal code and other legal texts"

1-2 September

30. American Friends Service Committee

"Conference on Women's participation in peacemaking"

4-9 September

31. Council of Europe, European Centre for Modern Languages, Graz

"Workshop on "Introduction to language policy methods of analysis and evaluation, fields of intervention"

9-14 September

32. European Council of Conscripts Organisations

"19th Seminar of ECCO"

10-14 September

33. Institute for Applied Research on Communication (IKAB)

"Training course for new national agencies of the Programme Youth for Europe III", Part 2

28 September-5 October

34. Hungarian Women's World Banking Association

European Regional Meeting

29 September-3 October

35. Ministry of Culture and Education, Hungary

Teachers training Seminar on "Social Conflicts and the Media"

7-12 October

36. Confédération européenne des centres de jeunes

Réunion du Bureau

18-21 October

37. World Organisation of the Scout Movement - European Region

"Fundraising Workshop"

15-19 October

38. Non-governmental Youth Sector of Bosnia-Herzegovina

"1st preparatory meeting of the Balkan Conference"

18-21 October

39. Council of Europe - Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe

"EUROPE 2000: young people and their towns: what participation ?"

23-25 October

40. Council of Europe - Agricultural Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly

Committee meeting Round Table with rural youth organisations "The situation of young people in rural areas of Central and Eastern Europe"

30-31 October

41. Council of Europe - Directorate of Legal Affairs

"3rd and 4th seminars for young Bosnian political leaders"

3-9 November

42. Council of Europe-Cultural Policy and Action Division

"Internationalisation of cultural projects and cultural co-operation in Europe"

13-16 November

43. Youth Express Network

Bureau meeting

22-23 November

44. Soros Foundation

Prizegiving ceremony

26 November

45. Foundation for Human Rights and Peace and Education

"Symposium on Human Rights"

7 December

46. Council of Europe- Directorate of Education, Culture and Sports

"Conflict resolution in Eastern Slavonia"

14-20 December

1. Bureau of the Governing Board of the EYCs and the EYF

24-25 December

26-27 September

6-8 November

10-13 September

APPENDIX II

PARTICIPANTS IN ACTIVITIES OF THE EYC BUDAPEST

(YOUTH DIRECTORATE PROGRAMME - EYCs BUDGET)