Under the theme, The Future is Europe, the international youth conference of the European Youth Parliament brought together around 200 young participants from 30 countries. The event was proudly hosted and facilitated by the College of Europe in Natolin.
Between 3 and 11 July 2021, physically in Warsaw and digitally all-around Europe, the conference provided a non-formal learning experience aimed at promoting European citizenship, active participation, democratic procedures and values, and intercultural dialogue. Within the project, young people were encouraged to actively participate in discussions about topics currently on the European Union's political agenda, and learned new skills through working in international, multicultural teams.
With The Future is Europe as the event’s motto, all of its participants reflected and thought about what is to come, and how the young generation can influence it. They thought about their day-to-day actions because it is the consequences of these actions that will ultimately shape the future. Finally, they reflected on how this generation can make the future brighter and safer for all.
The European Youth Parliament (EYP) is a unique educational program that brings together young people from all over Europe to discuss current topics in a parliamentary setting. As a network of independent associations, the EYP is present in 40 European countries and organizes more than 500 events every year, involving a total of around 30,000 participants. Thousands of young people are actively involved as volunteers all over Europe, making the EYP a genuinely youth-driven program – run by young people, for young people.
The European Youth Parliament’s mission is to inspire and empower young Europeans to become open-minded, tolerant, and active citizens. The EYP encourages independent thinking and initiative in young people and facilitates the learning of crucial social and professional skills. Since it was conceived in 1987, hundreds of thousands of young people have taken part in regional, national, and international sessions formed friendships and made international contacts across and beyond borders. The EYP has thus made a vital contribution towards European unity and bridging gaps between cultures.
The EYP is a non-partisan and independent program. Its methods are based on non-formal education and peer-to-peer learning. Thereby the program facilitates the learning of crucial social and professional skills and encourages independent thinking and socio-political initiative. The EYP is a pan-European organization that does not limit itself to the current political borders of the European Union. As a network of independent associations, EYP is currently present in 40 European countries, enabling contacts across borders. The EYP thus offers a platform for intercultural meetings, fosters mutual understanding, and makes a vital contribution towards a united Europe.
The full program of the 93rd International Session of the European Youth Parliament can be found here.