EUROPEAN YOUTH CARD ASSOCIATION
PRESS INFORMATION – April 2004
Europe for
a change – what young Europeans expect from
the EU enlargement
Although the future of Europe lies
in the hands of the young people, their opinion
is hardly heard when it comes to enlargement matters.
Therefore, the European Youth Card Association (EYCA)
has taken the initiative to inform Europe what young
people really do care about for the time after May
1st in the europewide campaign „Europe for
a change“.
„If
Europe was a mountain it would look like the Alps:
fragmented but united“...
This is just one of the many pictures painted by
the 32 young people from 6 EU member states and
the 10 acceeding countries in association with Europe.
In the EYCA project „Europe for a change“,
which is supported by the European Commission, the
young people create not only pictures like this
but also express very concrete and substantial hopes
and expectations for their future in a united Europe.
What the
„new Europeans“ are hoping for:
Inese (19) from Latvia is longing for a common educational
system in Europe, „so that all diplomas count
the same in the different countries“. Neil
(17) from Malta is glad that also „small countries
like Malta can have a say now“.
Especially the young people from the acceeding countries
have very high expectations for the European enlargement.
What they all are looking forward to is the possibility
to travel without borders, to study wherever they
want and to lose the feeling of being a second level
person. For Kypriani (23) from Cyprus, the enlargement
also has an important political aspect. She still
hopes that „the spirit of cooperation will
help to bring together the two communities on the
island.“
What the
„old Europeans“ feel:
The majority of the participants from EU member
states admit that they probably will not experience
that many differences in their daily life. However,
they are very excited about the enlargement, wishing
that „people in all the European countries
will get the opportunities I already have“
(Isabel, 20, Portugal) and eager to discover countries
they have not visited before. Claudio (20) from
Italy even feels „like someone who gets ten
new brothers and sisters in one day“ and Hilde
(23) from Belgium compares the European Union to
a puzzle, „in which each piece has its own
qualities“ – by adding more countries,
also more qualities will be added which leads to
a diverse, rich and colourful picture.
What both groups have in common...
...is the feeling that the enlargement is a chance
for each individual – no matter if it is in
the field of education, travel, social and economic
welfare, cultural diversity or the extension of
his or her personal horizon. Of course they realise
that new problems and difficulties may arise but
they feel confident these can be better solved together.
A campaign
for Europe reaching 10 million young people
Out of all these personal statements, EYCA has created
the pan-European campaign „Europe for a change“
which consists of a short video documentary, print
layouts, audio files of the young people’s
statements and the website http://www.euro26.org/europeforachange
which is attracting visitors with a vote and win
contest.
The goal of this EYCA campaign supported by the
European Commission is to reach at least 10 milliion
young people in Europe with a variety of dissemination
methods: in EURO<26 magazines, websites and newsletters
but also in any other media – no matter if
it is print, TV, radio or web.
Special attention is given to the presentation of
the Europe for a change video at events connected
to the European enlargement, at schools, discussion
groups and other related occasions.
The European
Youth Card Association (EYCA)
EYCA is the umbrella structure for organisations
in more than 35 countries and regions which operate
EURO<26 youth cards. These cards are personal
cards, available to young people under 26 and offering
about 150.000 discounts all over Europe.
The Europe
for a Change project Team
In the Europe for a change project, 8 different
EURO<26 organisations worked together within
the frame of the PRINCE programme of the European
Commission. These are: EURO<26 Austria, CJP Belgium,
Carta Giovani Italy, EURO<26 Poland, Movijovem
Portugal, Young Scot in Scotland, Movit Slovenia
and Canllaw Online in Wales. The campaign will run
until October, 2004.
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