On the occasion of her visit to Strasbourg to address the Parliamentary Assembly, Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenia, visited the European Youth Centre Strasbourg. After visiting the Centre's premises, the President participated in a dynamic discussion focused on the involvement of young people in climate action.

Matjaž Gruden, Director of Democratic Participation, initiated the discussion by presenting the significance of youth participation in the Reykjavik Summit and its impact on Council of Europe's work on the environment. Clément Dolisi from Solidarity Water presented the ##WaterGeneration youth strategy. Eoghan Kelly from the Biodiversity division emphasised the significance of the Bern Convention, while Lana Čop from the youth policy division outlined the active involvement of young people in the collaborative drafting process of the CM recommendation on youth and climate action in the framework of the co-management system of the youth sector.

The President underlined the role that young people play in climate action and emphasised the responsibility of decision-makers to support young people and provide them with opportunities to meaningfully participate in climate discussions and decision-making processes. The President also highlighted the interconnection of climate justice and democracy, as climate justice relies on democratic values.

The Council of Europe's Youth Department, in partnership with the European Parliament, organised several activities within the European Youth Event (EYE) on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 June 2023.

A Living Library with a very diverse collection of new books including Roma women, members of the LGBTI+ community, a journalist, ex-neonazis, a French Muslim politician, a human rights activist from Angola, Policemen, and many more ! More than 300 readers had a unique opportunity to challenge their stereotypes during eye-opening conversations with our human books.

The European Youth Foundation (EYF) organised a panel to promote funding opportunities for youth organisations, the co-management system and the importance of supporting youth civil society, with the participation of Pia Šlogar, Vice-chair of the Programming Committee on Youth and Rareș Voicu, European Youth Forum.

Following the study session, participants are better equipped to raise awareness about AI and its ramifications and contribute to the development and modification of AI policies. The programme empowered participants to initiate conversations and promote digital literacy at a broader scale, fostering a more informed and responsible digital society free of hate.

The revised Charter on youth participation in local and regional life remains, 20 years after its adoption, the main standard for youth participation in the Council of Europe member states. Local youth councils are fundamental structures to secure youth participation in decision-making at local level, strengthening local democracy.

Their importance was also recognised by the participants in the Youth Action Week: Democracy Now! (2022), who started their Call for Action with priorities on short and medium term with: “Independent and youth-led youth councils should be created and supported in every municipality in every Council of Europe member State. Participation in decision-making is a cornerstone of both democracy and human rights.” 

The seminar on the role of local youth councils in strengthening democracy supported learning from different experiences of local youth councils and developed proposals for both local authorities and the youth sector of the Council of Europe to further strengthen local youth participation. The seminar brought together 41 participants from local youth councils and associations of youth councils, local authorities and youth policy decision makers in Strasbourg from 27 to 29 June 2023.

“How is it possible that climate change denial and scepticism related to human influence on climate change remain common opinions when evidence has become so clear? As a youth organisation that defines fair access to nature, climate justice and democratic principles as its core values, this tendency is a clear message - we must help young people to obtain skills and tools on how to fight the hostile environment of public discussion and how to stand against aggressive tone of the climate change deniers.” (quote from the project description)

An EYF-supported annual work plan project, IYNF help young people to recognise destructive speech patterns defined as anti-climate action or anti-environmentalism, to learn techniques of assertiveness on how to counter populist statements, to make young people’s voices heard, and to deepen young people’s knowledge about climate change and trends in environmental protection. Throughout 2023, YINF is organising 4 international youth gatherings to bring change in these topics.

Listen to the podcast of already achieved results about contradictory truths in the climate movement.

Following consultations with youth organisations and beneficiaries of EYF grants on their needs and challenges to implement projects, the Programming Committee on Youth (CPJ) decided on several improvements in the EYF grants at its 49th meeting on 15 – 16 June 2023.

The aim of the EYF grant adjustments is to reinforce the EYF support to international youth co-operation of youth NGOs. The CPJ meeting found it necessary to increase the grant envelopes for International one-off activities, Annual work plans and Structural grants to compensate for the increased cost of goods and services and inflation which are having a severe impact on EYF funded projects and youth NGOs.

“With these timely changes, the EYF can a remain a reliable partner and supporter of youth organisations who strive to bring together young people across Europe and engage them in meaningful projects on supporting democracy, young people’s access to rights, peace and inclusion”, said Gordana Berjan, Head of the European Youth Foundation, at the meeting.