11th International Youth Conference “European Values for the Future of SEE Countries”
Today, mobility, living and learning in a united Europe have become a given for many young people. However, for most of them, Europe as a political entity remains an abstract concept. The younger generation particularly from countries engaged in the accession process to the European Union, are currently experiencing Europe through the lens of the crisis, with more than one quarter exposed to unemployment and marginalization. This imbalance cannot be addressed without the participation and commitment of young people.
Youth Alliance from Krusevo with support of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe sponsored by Germany and in partnership with Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Office Skopje has promoted European Values for 10 years, particularly by supporting the mobility of young people, their encouragement to be leaders and creators of the future as well as civil society and youth leaders cooperation across Europe and South East Europe. Youth work and youth policy are more crucial than ever for South East Europe and Europe. We, the young people, need European solutions that are translated into practice at the national level.
The International Youth Conference “European Values for the Future of SEE Countries” is response to the challenge. Some 60 participants from South East Europe and Europe will come to Krusevo for the eleventh time to discuss current issues and explore new approaches in youth policy and youth work across South East Europe and Europe in general.
We strongly believe that the involvement of those who are the subjects of the policies to be developed is essential if unintended consequences are to be effectively addressed. Policymaking should be seen as a process which works with young people rather than for young people, if it wants to be successful in delivering solutions which support young people and are also responsive to their long term needs.
Policymaking with young people, engaging with their realities and developing structured approaches to exclusion issues, creates a laboratory where each aspect of one’s identity as a citizen, of a region, a country or the European Union may be fully analyzed and explored.
The 11th International Youth Conference “European Values for the Future of SEE Countries” seeks to create new perspectives for SEE’s and Europe’s young people and in turn, to contribute towards creating a Europe of citizens and European perspective of SEE through deep understanding of the European Values among young people.
The continuous sharing of visions through the development of the Traditional Youth Conference has naturally brought establishment of a synergy with the identification of common goals and resources to devote to the main aim of the regional cooperation between young people from Southeastern Europe: Promotion of European Values among young people from the SEE countries. By pursuing the vision “European Values for the Future of the Southeast European Countries” we strive towards from Vision to Change, to encourage young people to be facilitators of broad policy dialog and to be multipliers of the European values in their societies. Young People, as representatives of the potential for the future of SEE and Europe in general, are the key forces in the process of strengthening the efforts of the countries of South Eastern Europe in fostering peace, democracy, respect for human rights and economic prosperity. The IYC during the past ten years provided a framework to stimulate regional co-operation among young people and their contribution in the process of regional integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures.
This Conference is the response of young people to the challenge. As every year and this year, fifty-five (55) active young people from 15 countries (Macedonia (host country), Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Germany, Kosovo, Monte Negro, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey) will come to Krusevo, in September, to discuss current issues and explore new approaches in youth policy and youth work across SEE.
The Conference seeks to create new perspectives for young people and in turn, to contribute towards the promotion of European Values among young people from Southeastern Europe.
