European Youth Forum`s council meets in Brussels

Keith Psaila, president of the Kunsill Nazzjonali taz-Zghazagh (KNZ, National Youth Council) and myself attended the European Youth Forum`s Council of Members Meeting (COMEM) in Brussels between April 26 and 27.

A COMEM meeting stretches over two full days, and involves participation by representatives of European national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations. KNZ, as a full member of the Youth Forum, is entitled to send its representatives to every COMEM meeting, which serves primarily as a platform for discussion on current affairs.

At this particular COMEM, the European Commission`s White Paper on Youth, the United Nations` Youth Employment Initiative and the European Youth Convention, were amply discussed both in plenary sessions and in smaller working groups.

Once an issue is amply discussed, policy documents which truly reflect the views of European youth are produced. The lobbying power which these policy documents have with the European Commission and other European institutions lies in the fact that they are the product of hours of discussion between youths coming from diverse backgrounds and embracing conflicting views.

As the official delegate representing Malta`s National Youth Council, I was given the opportunity to contribute to the formation of position papers which are the crystallization of ideas common to European youth. It was a great honour to voice the opinion of Malta`s youth at European level, and I hope that many more Maltese youths will be given the opportunity to meet their European peers and with them forge a common future.

During this two-day meeting, I attended a workshop on the debate on the Future of Europe, chaired by a member of the Youth Forum Bureau. Together we discussed a resolution on "Bringing Europe closer to its Young Citizens", which was later approved by a good majority in plenary session.

The primary aim of the Convention on the Future of Europe is to be a platform for discussion among EU member states and pre-accession countries (including Malta) on possible amendments to the Treaties of the European Union so as to bring Europe closer to its citizens. The President of the European Convention on the Future of Europe, Valery Giscard d`Estaing, ignited an important initiative by calling for a European Youth Convention to be held this July.

The European Youth Forum responded immediately to this new opportunity for the voices of Europe`s youth to be heard, and offered to help organise this Youth Convention. The Youth Forum encouraged national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations (INGYOs) to contact the respective country`s delegates to the European Convention so as to contribute to the selection of participants to the European Youth Convention, which, Mr Giscard d`Estaing clearly stated, should mirror the Convention on the Future of Europe.

Malta will also be present at the Youth Convention, to bring forth, yet again, the viewpoint of Maltese youth.

KNZ has already established a contact with the Maltese members of the Convention (Rev. Professor Peter Serracino Inglott, Dr Alfred Sant and Dr Michael Frendo) who have made themselves available and listened to what KNZ had to say about the composition of the youth delegation.

We strongly believe, in line with a European Youth Forum long-standing icon, that youth should choose their own youth representatives, and we will work closely with the members of the Convention so that a well-balanced and well-informed youth delegation is chosen.