AER Youth: “We want to shape our future!”
AER’s launch of the first Youth Regional Network in Europe

Wiesbaden, Hessen (D), 25th November 2008.

As young Europeans are increasingly affected by regional policies in areas such as education, employment, migration, demography and climate change, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) is offering young people a new voice within Europe’s first “Youth Regional Network”, a regional platform of representatives from youth regional organisations, councils and parliaments across the wider Europe.

Hosted by the Hessen Region in Wiesbaden (D), the two-day founding meeting of the AER Youth Regional Network brought together around 90 participants from 50 European regions. The meeting concluded today with the adoption of the Wiesbaden Resolution (below).

AER Secretary General Klaus Klipp attended the meeting, saying: “Since the European stage had not, until now, given voice to young representatives from the regions, this unique initiative provides young people with a platform to change that. AER strongly believes that young people should have a greater say in shaping Europe's future, and this network will give them the voice they need to achieve that”.

The launch of the AER Youth Regional Network will be followed by a conference in the spring to establish a working structure for the new network.

Further information about the network is available at: www.aer.eu/en/events/committee-3-culture-education-interregional-cooperation/2008/wiesbadenconference.html

Quotes from selected participants:

Peter Curic, Istria region (HR): “We have to convince local authorities all across the European regions to give more space to young activists. Any issue of concern to young people should always be discussed with the youth councils and youth parliament representatives of their regions first. Young people of today need to have an opportunity to participate in the governance of society, to affect what happens around them and shape their future.”

Francesc Xavier Ferri Fayos, Valencia region (E): "I  believe in diversity and plurality as a way to enrich Europe…I think that the Europe of the regions should not be in the second line but become the real motor of not only a united but also a pluralistic Europe."

Agnes Greiciute, Taurage region, (LT): "There are so many young people from all over Europe at this meeting and they all face similar problems in their own regions. Currently the crucial issue and challenge for youth is to reassess values and to shift them to a spiritual foundation. You cannot do a lot if you are alone, but you can do so much if you are all together as one integral unit."

Sophie Chambon, Limousin region (F) "If I could, the first thing I'd change in Europe would be the inequality between regions. I think there are too many differences between, for exemple, the regions of western and eastern Europe… all regions should have the same possibilities in development, communication, culture… The more developed regions should support the others that need help."

The Wiesbaden Resolution: (in English, the other versions will be available tomorrow on our website)

RESOLUTION

AER Youth Regional Network

Noting that young people are directly affected by the decisions made by governments at European, national and regional level;

Recalling that young people have the right to affect what happens around them; 

Understanding that young people are the future of Europe;

We, as members of regional youth councils, parliaments and organisations, and on behalf of all young people living in Europe, hereby establish the AER Youth Regional Network, a initiative of the Assembly of European Regions, which will:

- provide a common European platform of youth organisations acting at regional level;

- exchange practices and experiences of youth organisations in the European regions;

- put into practice the principle of subsidiarity in the field of youth policy;

-bring young citizens closer to Europe while acknowledging their regional identities, and thus give real meaning to the idea of “unity in diversity”.

Therefore, it is hereby resolved that the AER Youth Regional Network is to:

- influence regional policy on jobs, health and education to stop brain drain in Europe and keep young people healthy in an ever-changing society;

- support education to encourage young people to be entrepreneurial, take initiative, and participate in regional policy making;

- manage globalisation by promoting the values and traditions of our individual regions and by exchanging regional knowledge and experience;

- instigate change by educating young people from a regional perspective, and change consumer mindsets by promoting sustainability, the use of renewable energy and technology;

-take action against and overcome prejudices, inequalities, xenophobia and segregation by improving education, and migrant participation, and by facilitating exchange among the cultures and identities of all young Europeans.

Adopted, in recognition of the needs and concerns of young people, during the Youth Regional Network Founding Meeting in Wiesbaden held on 25 November 2008.

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:

Malgorzata Kucinska, Youth and Citizenship Officer, youth.officer@aer.eu, - Tel./ Fax :  +33 3 88 22 74 32
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