Walk the Talk

„Access of Rural Youth to Cultural Heritage:

European Youth Card’s role in promoting Cultural Routes”

23-25/26 September 2024

Visegrád, Hungary

with the possibility of attending

the 13th Annual Advisory Forum Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe

Seminar of the Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility

through the Youth Card

and the European Youth Card Association (EYCA)

CONCEPT AND DRAFT PROGRAMME

Introduction

The seminar is organised in the framework of the programme of activities 2024 of the Council of Europe’s Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card. It will offer its participants an innovative interactive format ‘Walk the Talk’, where guests will be walking a cultural route accompanied by an expert and simultaneously learning and exchanging about youth mobility, youth card, cultural heritage and how to put all this together! The seminar will also place special attention on young people in rural areas and try to address the challenges they face in accessing cultural or mobility programmes. The event draws on the conclusions and recommendations of several events and processes [1]which took place both at the level of Council of Europe and EYCA over the past year.

The event is organised by the Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card together with the European Youth Card Association (EYCA) in co-operation with the Youth Department of the
Ministry of Culture and Innovation of Hungary and the Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.

The main objectives of the seminar:

·         Promote the European Youth Card as a tool for connecting young people, in particular those from rural areas, with the cultural offers of the Council of Europe member States, and notably Hungary;

·         Open EYCA members to the cultural heritage possibilities for young people, in particular those from rural areas, including the European Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, and encourage them to develop partnerships with cultural heritage actors for the benefit of young people;

·         Provide networking opportunities between the civil servants of the Partial Agreements’ member States, the European Youth Card organisations and youth organisations representing rural youth. For those who will stay on to take part in the Annual Advisory Forum on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, there will be opportunity to network with the Cultural Routes counterparts.

Profile of expected participants:

·         Representatives of member States of the Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the youth card;

·         Representatives of EYCA member organisations, including EYCA Board and EYCA Youth Panel;

·         Representatives of youth NGOs active in cultural heritage, youth mobility, rural youth issues; special attention will be offered to this target group, as working with/for rural youth is a priority of all organising institutions;

·         Young people/card-holders from rural areas, including local participants;

·         A number of representatives of cultural institutions, tourism developers and youth NGOs in relevant fields from various member states of the Council of Europe.

About the organisers and partners

The Enlarged Partial Agreement on Youth Mobility through the Youth Card exists since 1991 and is a programme of the Council of Europe[2] aimed at developing the youth card scheme, particularly at European level, in the best interests of young people with a view to facilitating their mobility as well as access to the various goods and services necessary for their personal and cultural development.

The European Youth Card Association (EYCA) groups 38 youth card organisations all over Europe and is the Partial Agreement’s statutory partner. EYCA’s vision is a Europe where all young people are mobile and active (socially, culturally, educationally and economically). EYCA’s mission consists in delivering quality youth card services and in contributing to a better policy on youth mobility and active citizenship. Today, over eight million youth cardholders benefit from youth card opportunities.

Participants will have a unique opportunity to join the 13th Annual Advisory Forum of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe. Attending the Forum is not mandatory, but participants need to decide at the moment of the application and express their interest to attend.

DRAFT PROGRAMME

Interested participants are invited to fill in the annexed application form and apply by sending it to youthmobility@coe.int  before 25^th of August 2024.

Practical information

Selected participants will be offered the possibility to join the Forum on Cultural Routes and will be provided with a separate link to register for the event.

All participants are expected to arrive before the dinner on 23^rd September. For departure, participants:

·         Who do not choose to attend the Forum on Cultural Routes, are expected to depart on 25^th September;

·         Who plan to attend the Forum on Cultural Routes, are expected to depart on 27^th September.

A detailed info-pack will be sent to all accepted participants.

Accommodation and meals

The organisers will cover accommodation and meals for all participants in Visegrád, Hungary, for the entire duration of the event, including the Forum on Cultural Routes, starting with the night of 23^rd September.

Transport

Participants are expected to plan their trip to Hungary using the most convenient and cost-effective means. Organizers may ensure private shuttles from Budapest Airport to Visegrad on 23 September.

The organisers cover up to 350 Euros/participant for international travel and fully reimburse the domestic travel (within Hungary), especially for young people.

Visa

Should a selected participant need a visa to attend the event, please mention so in the application form and then contact youthmobility@coe.int. You will be provided with a specific form to fill in your details and a nominative invitation letter will be issued by the Council of Europe.

Contact

For all practical information, please contact corina.pirvulescu@eyca.org

APPENDIX I

Expression of interest form

Personal detaIls
First name
Last name
Date of birth (dd/mm/yyyy)		Nationality			Gender
Permanent address
	Postal code
	Town			Country
Telephone (with a country and city codes!)
Mobile
Email
Emergency contact details
Place of work
Address of the employer
Professional telephone
Professional Email
Your role and tasks in your organisation

Do you have any special needs or requirements that the hosting organisation should know about? (E.g. mobility, medical needs, allergies, dietary restrictions)

Do you need a visa to attend the event?

Do you intend to join the Forum on Cultural Routes, if you are selected?

DEADLINE –  SUNDAY 25 AUGUST 2024 MIDNIGHT CET All expressions of interest should be sent to  youthmobility@coe.int