Second meeting of AER's Youth Regional Network:
A new structure and a president to start working for the future

Krzyżowa (PL), 22 May 2009. 

The second meeting of Assembly of European Regions' (AER) Youth Regional Network (YRN) held in Krzyżowa, Lower Silesia region (PL) concluded today for the more than 50 youngsters coming from 27 European regions and 18 European countries. Aiming at “Shaping the future of Europe – on the eve of the parliamentary elections”, young members of the network elected Charlotte Kudé, from Ile-de-France region (F), as the network's first president and adopted a strategic plan for 2009/2010. 

While addressing the participants, Marek Lapinski, Marshal of Lower Silesia, "The YRN is a unique initiative, it unites young people and young societies of Europe. Thanks to this initiative the voice of young people, once marginalised, now is heard by older people. The challenges that Europe has to face in the future demand cooperation, the future of Europe depends on this". This point was also stressed by Jacek Pilawa, representative of Dolnoslaskie Regional Assembly, who said that "there is a particular need in Europe of cooperation between young people and interregional connections. Young people from regions should exchange their best practices, and take advantage of this exchange to improve youth policies in their regions".

Tomasz Bratek, European Commission Youth in Action programme, stressed that “the EU is the only institution in the world who devolves a great amount of its budget for youth policies. Young people should seize the opportunity and take advantage of this. Young organisations such as the Youth Regional Network have the important role to transfer new ideas to young people back in their regions and at the European level ”.

In adopting the strategic plan for 2009/2010 the YRN established a new structure: the Youth Assembly constituted five  working commissions whose presidents, together with the Youth President, form the Youth Presidium. The Youth President is elected every year by the Youth Assembly. The five working commissions focus and will realise projects on: Sustainable Development, Professional Life and Youth Entrepreneurship, Culture and Education, Healthcare, Media and Communication. 

During the meeting, a special focus was also put on a crucial topic: “Should the EU  contribute to young entrepreneurs projects?”. Participants  discussed and prepared a common position that will be submitted to the European institutions. The main ideas of the position are: the EU should support young entrepreneurs, but this help should be given under particular conditions evaluated by an ah hoc committee composed by EU representatives, business people, networks involved in the field, and representatives of the regions. The market is free but everybody needs to be treated equally, and receive not only financial support but also information. 

As Stanislaw Longawa, Vice-President of Dolnoslaskie Regional Assembly, underlined during his speech, “one of the most important function of the EU is the subsidiary function. Young people need to be engaged in politics on the European and regional level”.

More information about the 2nd meeting of YRN as well as the adopted strategic plan for 2009/2010 will be available from Monday at: http://www.aer.eu/events/committee-3-culture-education-interregional-cooperation/2009/youthregionalnetwork.html

Charlotte Kudé, first president of the YRN – a brief presentation

Charlotte Kudé is 18 years old and she comes from Ile-de-France region (F), one of the most dynamic and strategic regions in Europe. She has French, German, Hungarian, Slovenian and Spanish origins therefore she considers Europe as an important part of her identity. She' s the leader of a national youth organization fighting for better education and also a member of Ile-de-France Youth Regional Council. 

After being elected she said: “As the new president of the AER Youth Regional Network, I would like to share my motivation with all European young people and give our network the brilliant future we deserve through the definition of interesting projects that lead us to successful results.”

The Youth Regional Network (YRN) is a platform of regional-level youth organisations, councils and parliaments from across wider Europe created by the Assembly of European Regions (AER). The YRN was established on 25th November 2008 in Wiesbaden (Hessen region-D), where was held a founding meeting of ninety young people representing 55 European regions. 

More information about the AER Youth Regional Network is available at: http://www.aer.eu/en/main-issues/youth/aer-youth-regional-network.html

The Assembly of European Regions (AER) is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together more than 270 regions from 33 countries and 16 interregional organisations, AER is the political voice of its members and a forum for interregional co-operation.

AER Contacts: 

Justyna Hejman, Youth and Citizenship Officer, j.hejman@aer.eu, Tel./ Fax :  +33 3 88 22 74 42
Richard Medic, Spokesperson / Director of Press and Communications, r.medic@aer.eu - Tel (mob) +33 678 695 235
Valentina Guerra, Press and Communications Assistant, v.guerra@aer.eu - Tel./ Fax :  +33 3 88 22 74 33