New ASEF newsletter

The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) promotes understanding, strengthens relationships and facilitates cooperation among the people and institutions of Asia and Europe. ASEF enhances dialogue, enables exchanges and encourages collaboration across the thematic areas of governance, economy, sustainable development, public health, culture, and education. Founded in 1997, ASEF is a not-for-profit, intergovernmental organisation located in Singapore. It is the only permanently established institution of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). Together with about 700 partner organisations ASEF has run more than 600 projects, mainly conferences, seminars and workshops. Over 17,000 Asians and Europeans have actively participated in its activities and it has reached much wider audiences through its networks, web-portals, publications, exhibitions and lectures. For more information, please visit www.asef.org   HERE http://www.asef.org/index.php/pubs/asef-enewsletters/2995-asef-enewsletter–july-2013

Watch the opening of the EU Youth Conference in Cyprus live

Teaser :

You can follow the official opening and closing sessions of the EU Youth Conference on the 11th and 13th of September in Nicosia LIVE on the European Youth Portal.

News :

The thematic focus of the conference hosted by the Cyprus EU Presidency is on Youth Participation and Social Inclusion. The Conference forms an integral part of the Structured Dialogue between policy makers and young people, who will adopt joint recommendations on the participation and social inclusion of young people, including those with migrant background. Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou will address the official opening of the conference. To watch the web-streaming please go to the European Youth Portal: http://europa.eu/youth on 11 September at 11:30 CET and on 13 September at 9:30 CET. For more information, please see : http://ec.europa.eu/youth/news/20120907-webstreaming_en.htm

Cypriot Presidency puts forward its Priorities for Education and Youth

On the 10th of July 2012 George Demosthenous, the Cypriot Education and Culture minister presented, among others, the Cypriot Presideny’s priorities for education and youth before the European parliament. The Cypriot team aims to put citizens at the heart of European Union policies by focusing on a social dimension and inclusive welfare. With this, the Presidency sees education as an ideal investment in times of crisis. Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilangualism and Youth Androulla Vassiliiou, a Cypriot herself, reacts positively to the priorities set out and looks forward to the cooperation in her domain.

In its presentation, the Cypriot Presidency outlined its fight against illiteracy as a way to ensure basic skills among young people all across Europe to prevent unemployment and social exclusion. Moreover, the Presidency recognises the importance of non-formal and informal education and plans to strive towards its further validation. In the field of youth, the Presidency set out three main points. Firstly, a call towards increased participation and social inclusion of young people from migrant backgrounds. Secondly, to assess the progress made during first three years of the ‘Strategy for Youth (2010-2018)’. Finally, to create an overview of the 18-month cycle of structured dialogue, which will come to a conclusion during the Presidency, in order to pave the way tor the next presidency trio cycle.

The European Youth Forum welcomes the priorities set by the Cypriot Presidency and looks forward to continued cooperation in the framework of the structured dialogue, already in view of the upcoming EU Youth Conference taking place in Nicosia on 11-13 September 2012 on the thematic priority of participation and social inclusion of young people.

Useful links:

Programme and Priorities, Cypriot Presidency, July 2012

Press Release, Citizens at the heart of EU policies, Cypriot Presidency, 10th July 2012

G. Demosthenous, The Priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union for Education, Youth, Culture, Audiovisual and Sport, Cypriot Presidency, 10th July 2012

A. Vassiliou, Cyprus Presidency: Androulla Vassiliou, The Parliament.com, 10th July 2012

EU Council vision for youth in Europe: the highlights!

EU Council vision for youth in Europe: the highlights! Under the tensions of the Eurocrisis and mounting youth unemployment, last week’s timely European Summit concluded on Friday with what many are calling tangible results, thanks to the clear moves towards a common EU fiscal union.

But is this enough when it comes to measures that will really impact the lives of young people? First on the agenda were the discussion of growth and jobs and the setting of priorities for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) that determines the allocation of the EU’s budget from 2014-2020. Earlier in the week, the Youth Forum’s sent an appeal urging the EU Council and its President Herman Van Rompuy to invest in youth.

Among the measures decided on for the economic growth of the continent, the Council determined to mobilise nearly 120 billion euro to boost economy, including the reallocation of 55 billion euro of EU structural funds to measures for small and medium-sized enterprises and youth unemployment, with the objective of improving young people’s first experience and their participation in the job market.

EU Member States have set the basis for clear investment in growth and jobs, and the discussions on the MFF will keep on going until the end of the year.

Read more about the Conclusions of the EU Council here (with highlights on the most relevant references to youth)!

www.youthforum.org

Structured Dialogue on Youth: Cyprus will take over from Denmark on 1st July 2012

Cyprus will take over from Denmark on 1st July 2012, assuming the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Speaking at a recent meeting between the government of Cyprus and the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, the President of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, stated that young people must be made a priority and the European Union must play a part in helping young people to escape unemployment and social exclusion. Within EU Youth policy, this priority is reflected in the focus of the Structured Dialogue on Youth: the inclusion of young people with migrant backgrounds and the importance of the participation of all young people and youth organisations, especially in decision-making processes, in creating sustainable, democratic and thriving societies. This discussion will continue the work already started during the Polish And Danish Presidency on the overall theme of Young people’s participation in democratic life.

During the Presidency, Cyprus will promote the adoption of a Council Resolution, which will provide an overview of this whole cycle of Structured Dialogue. The conclusion of the Cyprus Presidency at the end of 2012 will also signify the end of the first three-year cycle of the EU Youth Strategy. The European Commission has already begun to compile evidence from Member States on the progress made on youth policy, and drafted a EU Youth Report. This report will be adopted by the Council during the Presidency, and will show the results of EU youth policy in the last three years. The European Youth Forum looks forward to working with the Cyprus Presidency on both processes and will continue to strive for even greater participation of young people in the process.

Useful links: Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2012 “Structured Dialogue”, European Youth Portal “The Structured Dialogue with Young People”, European youth Forum “Guiding questions for the third phase of national consultations of the second cycle of the structured dialogue”, European Youth Forum

towards Rio+20

Dear volunteers and organizations,

We are less than two months away from the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June.

UNV invites you to make your volunteer action count at Rio+20 by sharing what you are doing for the future of our planet on the Volunteer Action Counts website (www.volunteeractioncounts.org) and by tweeting your thoughts about volunteering and civic engagement using hashtag #actioncounts.

We will showcase these stories of volunteers worldwide in a multimedia presentation to the over 50,000 people participating at the summit.

Rio+20 is expected to be the largest event in the history of the United Nations and it is an unprecedented opportunity to build the future we want.

UNV wants to make volunteerism, citizen participation and civil society engagement a central part in conference deliberations and declarations.

Join the Volunteer Action Counts campaign and help UNV demonstrate the importance of voluntary action for sustainable development at Rio+20:

Submit a short description of your volunteer action through www.volunteeractioncounts.org and promote the campaign through your networks by spreading the word on your social media channels and re-tweeting the campaign’s main messages.

Show the world that volunteer action is essential for sustainable development – make your actions count at Rio+20!
Best wishes,
The Online Volunteering service team

Focus on CTR

The Romanian National Youth Council (CTR) is the largest youth umbrella in the country, gathering national, internationally affiliated and regional youth organisations to discuss youth issues. First established in 1998, the Council underwent a structural reform in 2005-2006. Youth NGOs now receive full membership and political party youth organisations and trade unions receive observer status. CTR is recognised as the main non-governmental partner in the youth field by the public authorities, cooperating with them and participating at local, national and international level discussions. Cooperation however, could be much stronger particularly regarding youth strategies and laws which have not been updated or are not in force. In the past three years, CTR has developed closer cooperation with national youth councils (NYCs) in the Black Sea region, such as CNTM Moldova. Currently CTR is involved in an ongoing project with the NYCs of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Russia. The Council is developing co-partnerships with Southern European Youth Councils in Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Cyprus etc. Moreover, CTR has shown interest in closely working with the newly established NYCs such as those in Serbia and Bulgaria and has recently been invited by Hungarian NGOs to aid in the discussion of establishing a Hungarian NYC. The Council is currently involved in the Quality Internship Charter Initiative and the Youth Employment Action Project.

Being recognised as a candidate member of the European Youth Forum has given CTR greater recognition from public authorities at the national level. Participation in meetings such as the Committee of Members and the General Assembly has facilitated cooperation with other NYCs from the European space, particularly concerning recognition of non-formal education and youth work. It has also given CTR the opportunity meet other international umbrellas active in Romania, to gain a better picture of youth organisations in Romania.

Useful links: Consiliul Tineretului din România

Androulla Vassiliou efectuează o vizită oficială în România

Comisarul european pentru educație, cultură, multilingvism și tineret Androulla Vassiliou efectuează o vizită oficială în România în vederea participării la lucrările reuniunii bianuale a miniștrilor din domeniul educaţiei, reuniune ce are loc în cadrul procesului de la Bologna. Reuniunea se desfăşoară la Bucureşti, în perioada 26-27 aprilie 2012. Comunicatul de presă pe acest subiect se găseşte în pagina: http://ec.europa.eu/romania/news/25042012_reformarea_invatamantului_superior_ro.htm

Informaţii despre procesul de laBologna şi despre reuniunea bianuală a miniștrilor din domeniul educaţiei de la București sunt disponibile în pagina: http://www.bologna-bucharest2012.ehea.info/

Agenda reuniunii de la Bucureşti poate fi consultată aici: http://www.bologna-bucharest2012.ehea.info/event-agenda.html

Reuniunea va putea fi urmărită online, în pagina dedicată.

The conclusions of the Danish EU Youth Conference

 

By EU-CoE youth partnership y

Teaser : The second phase of the Structured Dialogue cycle on “Youth Participation in Democratic Life in Europe” was concluded at the EU Youth Conference hosted by the Danish Presidency in Sorø on 18-21 March. News : Following an extensive consultation of young people and youth organisation in all 27 Member States, more than 200 young delegates and representatives of Youth Ministries from across Europe engaged in debates which also focused on the priority set by the Danish Presidency on how to foster the creativity, innovative skills and talent of young people. The Sorø EU Youth Conference concluded with the adoption of fourteen Joint Recommendations [152 KB] from young delegates and ministry representatives. The Conference also saw the launch of a new round of consultations of young people linked to theme of “social inclusion”.

The outcomes of these consultations will serve as ba sis for discussions for the third phase of the Structured Dialogue, which will be concluded at the next EU Youth Conference to be hosted by the incoming Cypriot Presidency in Nicosia on 11-13 September 2012. Watch the workshop videos on the European Youth Portal.

http://europa.eu/youth/index.cfm?l_id=EN

Raportul de țară al României privind dialogul structurat în cadrul Președinției Daneze a UE

Autoritatea Naţională pentru Sport şi Tineret (ANST), prin intermediul Direcţiei Relaţii Internaţionale, împreună cu organizaţiile neguvernamentale membre ale Grupului Naţional de Lucru, vă prezintă rezultatele consultărilor desfăşurate în România la care au luat parte aproximativ 1 100 de tineri.

Ultima etapă a dialogului structurat cu tinerii a avut loc în perioada noiembrie 2011 – februarie 2012 şi s-a desfăşurat sub auspiciile Preşedinţiei Daneze a Consiliului Uniunii Europene.

Raport de citit

Dunare.EDU- parte a Grupului Naţional de Lucru