EU Youth Conference, Sweden 2023

The 9th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue continues with the aim to contribute to the implementation of the European Union’s Youth Strategy with an emphasis on the European Youth Goals #3 Inclusive Societies & #10 Sustainable and Green Europe.

Within this context, the 3rd EU Youth Conference took place in Växjö, Sweden between 20-22 March 2022. The Conference aimed to involve young people from all over Europe in discussions and consultations with decision-makers on the social dimension of a sustainable Europe for young people.

The main objective of the Conference was to provide young people with the opportunity to engage in working group sessions and plenary discussions, to formulate recommendations for each of the five sub-themes that link Youth Goals #3 and #10. These recommendations will feed into the “Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on the outcomes of the 9th Cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue”. This document will summarize and conclude the 9th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue and carry forward the most prominent messages that emerged into the next cycle.

In addition, the Conference provided the opportunity to reflect on the process of the EU Youth Dialogue and discuss how it could be further developed during an open space format discussion. The purpose of the open space format was to channel the delegates’ experiences and ideas on how the dialogue is organized, its aims and purposes and how it can be developed in the future.

The EU Youth Conference assembled 250 young people, ministry representatives and policymakers from the 27 EU member-states, as well as delegates representing international non-governmental organisations.

Cyprus Youth Council was represented at the Conference by Andreas Kyprianides, Projects and Policy Officer as well as Anastasia Liopetriti and Constantinos Loizou as members of the Youth Ambassadors Team for the EU Youth Dialogue of Cyprus Youth Council.

It is worth mentioning that at the Conference, the European Youth Forum (YFJ) was represented by Christiana Xenofontos, Vice-President of the YFJ, who represents the Cyprus Youth Council and participated in panel discussions. This was the 15th and last EU Youth Conference in which she participates as a representative of the European Youth Forum due to a change of portfolio in her position as Vice-President.

On this occasion, as the Cyprus Youth Council, we would like to thank Christiana for her valuable work and contribution to the process of the European Youth Dialogue at the European level, since at the national level she continues to actively participate as a Youth Expert in the National Working Group for the European Youth Dialogue.