Programme of activities

There will be activities at local, national and international level.
Activities at local and national level are supposed to be initiated and coordinated by the National Campaign Committee. Each NCC will decide on its programme of activities according to its possibilities.

The main activities of the campaign will be:

Being a young refugee in Europe today

[inline:1=T-shirt with Asylum Seeker print]Two weeks ago, a special event took place at the EYC in Strasbourg on the topic "Being a young refugee in Europe today".

32 young refugees, asylum seekers, Internally Displaced People and youth workers working on these issues met to share experiences, identify possible ways of improving their situation, and formulate recommendations to decision-makers.

32 young people living in about 27 various European countries, and originally from all over the world... this means 32 life stories and experiences of violence, injustice, travelling and searching for a place to be home.

The attached first draft of recommendations is a great product of this event, which will be followed up in the future, and surely continued.

Council of Europe Award "Young Active Citizens" 2006-2007

For the fifth time the Council of Europe is organising the "Young Active Citizens" Award with a view to promoting active participation of young people in society by rewarding innovative projects in this respect. This time the Award will be given to actions or projects which are contributing to the "All Different - All Equal" Campaign. The competition is open to non-governmental youth organisations and networks, as well as any other structures involved in youth work. Organisations wishing to submit a project are requested to send their applications to the National Campaign Committee of their country.

Deadline for submission is 15th July 2007.
See attachment for further information.

Diversity Youth Forum - Application Deadline 4 September 2006

The symposium aims at deepening and exploring the concepts and issues related to diversity in Europe from the perspective of young people and its relevance for the “all different – all equal” European youth campaign for Diversity, Human Rights and Participation.

The symposium will bring together governmental and non-governmental youth workers and activists involved in the campaign within national campaign committees or other organisations.

The application must be sent together with a letter of support from your national committee or organisation to the Europen Youth Centre Budapest before 4 September:
applications.eycb@coe.int

Attached you will find the description and application form in english and russian.

Outcomes of the Diversity Youth Forum or how to promote Diversity

[inline:1=group sitting on the floor]The first big symposium of the Campaign with 120 participants was on Diversity, its outcomes will be very valuable for the future development of the Campaign and for policy recommendations for Youth Organisations, NCCs, European Institutions and national governments, attached are the following documents:

  • The final declaration in English and in French
  • The problem with Diversity is, it's so diverse..., Keynote speech by Dr Gavan Titley 
  • Current Challenges to Equality and Diversity in Europe, Input by Nils Muiznieks, Member of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance

European Youth Event in St. Petersburg – Application Deadline 10 August 2006

[inline:1=poster of the event] Join the European Youth Event in St. Petersburg, 21.-25 September 2006 and discuss the themes of the Campaign with 400 experts and participants from all over Europe! The themes will be discussed in four panels:

  • Europe without dividing lines and human rights education
  • Promotion of social cohesion and cultural diversity in Europe
  • Youth participation and experiencing democracy
  • Innovation and capacity building of young generation in Europe

The event will be accompanied with a cultural programme and a concert.

Depending on the existence of an NCC in your country, applications should be submitted to:

  1. the National Campaign Committee (NCC) in your country (address list can be found here ) for preliminary selection.
  2. where no NCC exists and for international youth organisations the application form has to be submitted to the Russian National Campaign Committee to youthevent@youthrussia.ru (for non-Russian applications)
  3. and for Russian applicants, to BPBP@youthrussia.ru    or by fax to: + 7 495 624 0018.

Attached you will find the application form and the programme!

Training on "Active Youth Participation"

[inline:2=participation image]At local and regional level, active participation of young people in decision making and actions is essential if we are to build more democratic, inclusive and cohesive societies. However, participation in the democratic life of any community is about more than voting or standing for election, although these are important elements.

Participation and active citizenship is about having the right, the means, the space  and the opportunity and where necessary the support to participate in and influence decision taking and being engaged in actions and activities so as to contribute to building a better society.

Within its priority "participation and active citizenship" the Council of Europe's Directorate of Youth and Sport will organise an international training course on youth participation and the revised European Charter on the participation of young people in local and regional life that will be held at the EYCS from 23 March - 1 April 2007.

The target group are experienced and active youth workers/leaders and governmental representatives dealing with youth.

See attach for more details.

University of Youth & Development

[inline:2=University Logo]The university on youth and development held in Mollina (Spain) offered to close to 350 young people and youth organisations a space for debate where they are able to discuss their realities and draw lessons from the experiment of the others, fostering their role as active stakeholders of the local, regional and international development. This event is organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe in collaboration with other partners such as the Youth Forum and the National Youth Spanish Council.

The theme of the 2006 Edition of the University on Youth and Development was “all
different-all equal: Participation, Human Rights and Diversity”, and the Campaign secretariat contributed to the event with a number of inputs.

The material used during during the university will be available online shortly.

Programme of educational and training activitites for the campaign

[inline:1=young people sitting in a plenary]Attached you will find the Outline of the programme of education and training activities for the campaign. Please take into account that this programme is provisional and should be seen as a blue print for development as the campaign unrolls. The dates of activities might still change.

Public Launch of the Campaign

[inline:3=drummers playing]The campaign has been officially launched in Strasbourg on the 29 June. The public launch with balloons, drummers and music took place on the forecourt of the Palais at 1 pm. In the evening a cultural programme with percussions by Allons Z’Enfants de la Batterie, Country line dancing, Capoeira, Jambe by Afrique Etoiles and music from Les artistes de la table ronde was offered. During the launching event meetings of the European Steering group and the National Campaign Committees took place.

Photo Gallery of the Launching Event

Speeches:

  • Opening address by the Vice-President of the European Youth Forum,
    Bettina Schwarzmayr at the official launching ceremony (file attached)
  • Intervention by Ms Sunduss Al-Hassani,
    member of the European Steering Group of the Campaign,
     at the official public launch of the Campaign (file attached)

Media Coverage

Campaign in Greece is launching...fasten your seat belts!!!

[inline:1=Poster of the Greek Campaign]Great news from the south of Europe.!!

Campaign is finally launching in Greece! Better late, than never as we say here. The National Youth Council who is doing the National Coordination, has the honour to invite all the NGO's and persons that want to get involved in the Campaign for a first meeting to get to know each other.

The first meeting will be help in the headquarters of General's Secretariat for Youth, in Aharnon str. 417. We will present the Campaign, say what we will coordinate and then the floor will be all yours! We are waiting for comments, ideas, projects, best and worst practices, complaints and great motivation. Just bring yourself and lets make this day, the first day of a big chance in our country and in our lives!

So prepare yourself, because the D-day is Saturday the 27 of January (time will be announced shortly).

For the media and the journalists will also be an info day, which is Wednesday 31 of January in the centre of Athens. We will try to impress them so they will present our campaign in the best way, and they will advertise all our activities!!! It will also be the days where the first ambassadors of the Campaign will appear. We are expecting many artists and athletes to be there and say a few words.

The campaign in Greece will last till the end of 2007. The motivation is currently quite high and we will make sure that it will be like that, till the end!!

Stay tuned!!!!