Europe day and European Youth Week 2011

Happy Europe Day!

Today, the 9^th of May, is the official Europe Day and all around Europe lots of activities and festivities are planned to bring Europe closer to its citizens and peoples of the Union closer to one another.

The 9th of May has become a European symbol since 1950 when Robert Schuman presented his proposal on the creation of an organised Europe; what he proposed was the creation of a supranational European Institution, charged with the management of the coal and steel industry, the very sector which was, at that time, the basis of all military power. The countries which he called upon had almost destroyed each other in a dreadful conflict which had left after it a sense of material and moral desolation.

Everything, therefore, began that day…

Also soon it will be a very important time for young Europeans: European Youth Week.

The fifth European Youth Week will take place between 15-21 May all over Europe to celebrate the continent’s premier youth arena. This dedicated week is organised in cooperation with the EU Committee of the Regions and the European Youth Forum, where 33 countries are involved to host hundreds of events, from art and sports to debates and workshops.

The European Youth Week 2011 will focus on the youth dimension of the Europe 2020 Strategy, the Youth on the Move flagship initiative, which aims to promote student exchanges through programmes such as Erasmus, implementation of the EU Youth Strategy, and the ‘structured dialogue’ between the Commission and young people.

As well as all that, EYW profiles the overall EU Youth in Action programme – encouraging diversity, understanding, non-formal learning and involvement in the Union’s future – and, with this fifth EYW also falling within the European Year of Volunteering , outstanding volunteer projects from around Europe will be honoured during awards ceremony in Antwerp by President Barroso.

Debates, exhibitions, culture and competitions: Lots of Events – big and small, in capital cities and regional towns – will take place during EYW all over the 27 EU member states, as well as Turkey, Croatia, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland (which became the latest country to join the Youth in Action programme in January).

Is your NSO/NSA planning to take part? Have a look on the website and check what is planned to happen: http://www.youthweek.eu/

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