AR 20 06 ANNUAL REPORT EUROPEAN YOUTH FORUM 2006 RESPONSIBLE EDITOR: DIOGO PINTO EDITORIAL TEAM Luiza Bara Diogo Pinto Patricia Sanchez Renaldas Vaisbrodas CREATIVITY, LAYOUT AND CONCEPT Marta Gomez Patricia Sanchez Copies of this annual report are available in English and French from the European Youth Forum Secretariat: rue Joseph II, 120, B - 1000 Brussels, Belgium; TRANSLATION AND PROOFREADING Tel. +32 2 230 64 90, Anne Debrabandere Fax +32 2 230 21 23, Mark Perera email: [email protected]. This publication has been produced with the fi nancial support of the European Union. Texts represent the opinions of the European Youth Forum and do not necessarily refl ect the views of the EU. Editorial The European Youth Forum (YFJ) is its abolition of visa regimes within Europe. On Editorial MEMBERS! This statement was particularly these cross-cutting topics, the YFJ voiced important for the leadership of the Forum the concerns, expectations and views of as a new strategic path was drawn up for young people and youth organisations. The the organisation. This effort required a solid Forum’s political impact can be appreciated and extensive understanding and proactive by recognising the shift in institution’s engagement from everyone in our structure. policies, and by assessing the established While marking its 10th anniversary the YFJ pre-condition for the involvement of young redefi ned its vision, mission and core values, people in the discussion on issues that affect and laid down objectives for the years to their daily lives. Structured dialogue with come. The YFJ has subsequently adopted young people would not have been possible a strategy that will shape the work of the without the concerted efforts of YFJ Member organisation and that places it in the driving Organisations. This dialogue brings us even seat to deliver the change that is expected closer to the realisation of a long standing by many young people on this continent. ambition to represent youth organisations Renaldas Vaisbrodas, President of the at the highest decision making levels, not Maintaining a clear policy focus, the Forum European Youth Forum only in the Council of Europe, but also in the championed a number of policy fi elds over the European Union and beyond. past year - non-formal education, mobility, employment, participation, human rights, “All different - All equal” was the slogan and intercultural for the youth dialogue. Through movement a wide-ranging in 2006. series of activities, Discouraged the YFJ further and enriched its policy disillusioned base, debating and young people approving common in Europe policy documents require more on Social Inclusion, action while Diversity and the necessary Renaldas Vaisbrodas speech at the 10th Anniversary Equality, Violence, means celebration, September, Brussels Sustainable for their Development, greater civic and Tobacco. The organisation agreed upon participation are created, and this a future vision for youth policy development participation encouraged; while combating in general, and within the EU in particular, all forms of discrimination; and while and joint positions were established on the ensuring the necessary respect for the promotion of a culture of peace in the Middle diversity that young people represent. East and on the development of global youth Through co-ordinated effort, YFJ Member co-operation. Through a focus on policy Organisations were at the forefront of development, the European Youth Forum the Council of Europe youth campaign ‘All contributed to a number of institutional different – All Equal’, and were building a processes: shadow reports were drafted great case for change on the local, national on the basis of EU-wide consultation with as well as European levels. youth organisations on the successes and A Europe without borders is a vision worth failures of the open method of co-ordination striving for. Members of the YFJ articulated in the fi eld of youth policy. The YFJ further the unspoken truth of discrimination on the lobbied for the implementation of the basis of nationality and the intolerable cases European Youth Pact; the recognition of of misconduct by visa-issuing authorities. competences acquired through non-formal A joint campaign has gathered momentum education; the acknowledgment of the and through further actions in 2007, should need to promote healthy lifestyles; and the 3 Editorial achieve measurable results in reducing and political support. obstacles for youth mobility in Europe. The European Youth Forum is a recognised Challenges remain, as one of the greatest leader of global youth co-operation, defeats for the youth sector in 2006 was and continues to promote greater the reduction of the budget for the EU interdependence and solidarity among Youth in Action programme for 2007-2013. continents and young people. The YFJ has While the fi gures might thus been promoting models be misleading, the of democratic participation expected expansion outside Europe and debating of the programme will the ways and means to urge youth structures achieve the Millennium to achieve more Development Goals and for less and be the address common challenges sector that will again through common action. “over-achieve”, but In the report below you will will remain “under- Renaldas Vaisbrodas with the fi nd an extensive description appreciated”. President of Lithuania at the YFJ of the work that was carried General Assembly The democratic youth out by the YFJ in 2006. It is movement received a important to acknowledge all serious blow in Belarus, where the National those that have contributed to this common Youth Council “RADA” was dissolved following success: the Member Organisations, their a politically-motivated decision by the representatives in different YFJ commissions Supreme Court. The suppression, prosecution and working groups, trainers, youth leaders, and termination of youth organisations is a youth workers, and volunteers. Special daily reality and those organisations that recognition should also be given to the choose to stay functional should ‘choose’ members of the Bureau and Secretariat who to stay loyal to the government. Against have consistently given their all to make the backdrop of condemnation of the this organisation what it is today. The work government of Belarus by the European of the European Youth Forum will never be Union, the Council of Europe, and the completed, therefore 2006 represents just Organisation for Security and Co-operation one step on the long road ahead, as the in Europe, RADA remains outlawed, but the Forum continues to represent and advocate democratic youth movement will continue for the needs and interests of all young to function and to this end, the YFJ and its people in Europe, through their positive and Members are allocating substantial resources active participation. Renaldas Vaisbrodas with Bettina Schwarzmayr and James Doorley, Vice presidents of the YFJ 4 Contents Contents Editorial 3-4 European Union 7-10 Council of Europe 11-12 European Commission and Council of Europe 13 United Nations 14 Youth Policy in Europe 15-17 Education 18-19 Training policy 20-21 Mobility 22 Employment and Social Inclusion 23 Equality and Human Rights 24 Health 25 Sustainable Development 26 Youth Work Development 27-29 Global Youth Work Development 30-31 Membership Development 32 Press and Communication 33-34 Finances 35 The Bureau 36 The Secretariat 37 55 EUROPEAN YOUTH FORUM What is the European Youth Forum? Independently established by youth organisations, the European Youth Forum is made up of more than 90 National Youth Councils and International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations, which are federations of youth organisations in themselves. It brings together tens of millions of young people from all over Europe, organised in order to represent their common interests. Representation, internal democracy, independence, openness and inclusion are among the main principles for the functioning of the European Youth Forum and its Member Organisations. Our mission The European Youth Forum works to empower young people to participate actively in the shaping of Europe and the societies in which they live, and in improving the living conditions of young people as European citizens in today’s world. Our aims • Increase the participation of young people and youth organisations in society, as well as in decision-making processes; • Positively influence policy issues affecting young people and youth organisations, by being a recognised partner for international institutions, namely the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations; • Promote the concept of youth policy as an integrated and cross-sectoral element of overall policy development; • Facilitate the participation of young people through the development of sustainable and independent youth organisations at the national and international level; • Foster the exchange of ideas and experience, mutual understanding, and equal rights and opportunities among young people in Europe; • Uphold intercultural understanding, democracy, respect, active citizenship and solidarity; • As the biggest regional youth platform in the world, we work to deepen European integration while at the same time contributing to the development of youth work in other regions of the world. Our work • The European Youth Forum performs functions that are complementary to those of its Member Organisations and its main focus is on articulating and voicing the concerns of its membership into the political agenda