More than 10.000 participants, 400 volunteers involved, and hundreds of workshops for young people from 16 to 30 years old. These are just some numbers of the European Youth Event 2023, held in Strasbourg, France, on 9 and 10 June 2023. The Eurodesk community didn’t miss the appointment and participated in the event with a group of 28 people representing 11 European countries.
The activities of the European Youth Event took place inside the building of the European Parliament and in the EYE village, where dozens of organisations delivering activities had their stands. During the event, youngsters could exchange views with politicians, activists and experts about various topics that matter to young people.
During the event, Eurodesk spread information about the numerous opportunities for young people to actively contribute to shaping Europe's future while fully leveraging their citizenship rights to learn, volunteer, and work abroad. Engaging interactions with the participants sparked thought-provoking discussions and exchanges of ideas. Eurodesk members distributed goodies to young participants within the EYE Village and Parliament, further fostering connections. This dynamic approach allowed for an exchange of views with participants on the various opportunities for mobility abroad, while inviting them to learn more about Eurodesk.
While the opening ceremony in the EYE Village saw the participation of Jeanne Barseghian, mayor of Strasbourg, and Fabienne Keller, former mayor of Strasbourg and member of the European Parliament, the official launch of the event took place in the Hemicycle with the participation of the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola. The President opened the event with a speech addressed to youngsters.
“The European Youth Event is the European Parliament flagship event. This is a house that is yours today: I want you to make use of it, and I want you to be able to say what you think and what you want from us. We cannot be afraid of change, and for that Europe needs you. Europe stands as the beacon of hope, vision, understanding, tolerance, and protection. That is what Europe continues to stand for today, and that is what we need to fight for every day.” These were some of the words of the President, who then visited the EYE village where she shared thoughts with youngsters and journalists.
With less than a year before the European Elections take place, spreading the importance of voting, especially among young people, has never been so crucial. Therefore it’s not by chance that, before leaving the EYE village, Roberta Metsola launched a powerful message on the European Elections 2024, which will occur from 6 to 9 June 2024; “Voting is a fundamental civic duty, but mostly a right. Then take it! Don’t let others choose for you!”
This message perfectly echoes the Eurodesk EU Elections campaign to be launched in September 2023! Make sure to follow us on our platforms if you don’t want to miss the upcoming launch of Eurodesk EU Elections 2024 campaign and check our official hashtags #EUelections2024 & #YourVoiceMatters!
