The European Youth Forum held its Council of Members (YFJ Comem) on 21-22 April in Brussels, where Alexandra Singpiel (AFS Germany) and Charlotte Klinting (AFS Denmark) attended on behalf of EFIL
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The evening before the COMEM, the Youth Forum and the Committee of Regions hosted the #YouthUp Gala, the biggest gathering of European young leaders, where city representatives called on city leaders across Europe to foster local youth participation. Many delegates to the Comem and other representatives of youth organisations attended the event, where the The-Youth-Vision-for-the-Future-of-Europe was presented by the Youth Forum’s president Luis Alvaro Martinez.
The Comem had several important items on the agenda, including the elections for the Advisory Council on Youth to the Council of Europe. We are happy to have our current delegate, Charlotte, elected for a second term, receiving great support.
The Youth Forum continued to grow and gained PROM (the Polish national youth council) as a full member, while NIT (National youth council of Hungary) became an observer member. This brings the total of Member Organisations to 104!
EFIL as usual closely cooperated with other exchange organisations whom we share values with. Together with Obessu and EEE-YFU we took the opportunity to present the #recognisestudyabroad campaign as well as the Open Badges project together with YEU; this was an opportunity to hear the thoughts of Member Organisations on these initiatives.
Additionally, two documents were brought forward and passed:
- a resolution regarding the restrictive measures taken on the freedom of expression, assembly and association towards LGBTQI persons and organisations in Turkey
- an urgent motion on the arbitrary detention of gay and bisexual people in Chechnya were brought forward and passed.
Anna Widegren was appointed new Secretary General of the YFJ and will take over from Allan Päll from June onwards. Anna has worked for OBESSU and is now Head of the Secretariat at the European Students Union-ESU. She has been volunteering for a long time for CISV International.
As Alexandra’s term as official delegate is coming to an end, the next statutory meetings will be attended by Alexandra Ruivo Cordeiro – Xana (AFS Portugal); the upcoming one will be in Cascais on 24-25 November!
Text and photos by Alexandra Singpiel (AFS Germany)
For more information: elisa.briga@afs.org