Spring Academy in Lanzarote, Canary Islands

10/03/2023 – YDE attended the event in cooperation with IED

On March 10th 2023, in cooperation with the Institute of European Democrats (IED), Young Democrats for Europe (YDE) organized a gathering of young Europeans. The Academy took place at Lanzarote, a magnificent island in the Canary Islands. Lanzarote welcomed 24 young people from all over Europe including President and Secretary General of European Liberal Youth (LYMEC).

The Academy started with an opening speech of Mikel Burzako, Director of Institute of European Democrats followed with the speech of YDE spokesperson Sergio Soares (JFW) who shortly introduced our attendees to YDE, its history, mission and vision.
Participants held a minute of silence for the victims of a tragic shooting in Hamburg that happened a night before the Academy.

The first presentation on the topic Erasmus and Youth Mobility was held by Iñigo Arbiol from Department of International Relations and Humanities of the University of Deusto. He presented the advantages and disadvantages of the Erasmus program and how the program could be improved.

Presentation was followed by a workshop on implementing local policies in the agenda of European Union. Participants were divided into five working groups with the task to discuss local projects they think could be useful to implement on the EU level. Afterwards, each group had to present and shortly explain their conclusions to the rest of the participants.

Second presentation on the topic Gender Equality and Social Cohesion within the EU was held by David Gutzeit, Chairperson of the Freie Wähler Youth. Presentation was followed by a short and productive workshop on the topic. Each of the five groups discussed a different aspect of gender equality such as gender pay gap, gender equality and career, gender equality and climate change and gender equality and education.

To conclude our Academy, Gabi Schmidt, Deputy Federal Chairwoman of the Freie Wähler Party and Vice president of IED made closing remarks encouraging young people to be involved and take action because they are the future of European Union.

After the long but productive day, participants enjoyed the EDP sponsored dinner where they could exchange information about their different countries and cultures while strengthen bonds between each other and at the end realizing what it really means to be European.

Many thanks to all the participants for attending, see you next time!

4th Summit of Young Elected Local and Regional Leaders

Following on from the success of the previous Summits of Young Elected Local and Regional Leaders that took place in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Renew Europe CoR group have yet again teamed up with European Liberal Youth (LYMEC) and Young Democrats for Europe (YDE) to organise a fourth in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the event will take place online.

When?

25 September 2020

Where?

Online

Why?

To provide an opportunity for young liberal democrat local and regional elected leaders to meet and share ideas and best practice amongst themselves.

Who?

You are encouraged to apply if: 1) you are between 18 and 35; 2) you hold an elected mandate at local or regional level; and 3) you hold a position of responsibility either in government or in opposition.

How?

Apply by filling an online form.

3rd Summit of Young Elected Local and Regional Leaders

Last year, twenty young elected local democrat and liberal leaders from twelve different countries debated how to address the issue of climate change at local and regional level and also how can leadership be shown to achieve climate action. You can see the highlights from the 2nd summit which took place in 2018 here.

Therefore following on from the success of its Liberal Mayors Summits, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Committee of the Regions (ALDE-CoR) together with LYMEC and YDE yet again teamed up to organise a 3rd Summit of Young Elected Local and Regional Leaders in 2019: in Brussels on the 20th of September.

 

When?

20 September 2019

Where?

Brussels, European Committee of the Regions

Why?

To provide an opportunity for young democrat and liberal local and regional politicians to meet and share ideas and best practice amongst themselves, and afterwards to meet with experienced local and regional politicians in a joint meeting with ALDE-CoR.

Who?

Young (18-35) local and regional politicians with an elected mandate and having a responsibility either in government or in opposition are encouraged to apply.

How?

Apply by filling an online form. When applying please indicate your elected mandate, your current position of responsibility in government or opposition, the dates these began, and your policy interests under comments. Places are limited and selection will be carried out by ALDE-CoR based on experience, and with a view to ensuring geographical, policy and gender balance. The full agenda and confirmations will be sent in August.
Deadline for applications is 19 July.
Travel arrangements and accommodation will be organized by ALDE-CoR.

Europe must engage in the food revolution!

We do not feed ourselves today as we used to eat in prior stages. We can appreciate it in the evolution of consumer practices; our food model has entered a double revolution. On this World Food Day and taking into account that the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy begins, we are calling for Europe to remain in it.

The first revolution is the link with proximity. We therefore advocate for an ambitious European policy that strengthens the link of urban populations, in ever-increasing numbers, with the agricultural activity, which is close to home. For a long time, this relationship has been denigrated by Europe in the name of the single market, which was supposed to bring down the borders and bring out a European identity. This lead to forget the transnational nature of the European agricultural lands, which existed even before the European Union was born. Alpine cheeses or the production of flax in Normandy and the Netherlands is a proof of the existence of common identities, consequence of geography and history.

We must cherish them nowadays because agricultural traditions most often correspond to a reasoned and adapted management of resources. In addition, local consumption also allows citizens to reconnect with natural laws and thus, promote product quality and seasonality.

Lastly, it makes it possible to avoid the ever-widening disparities between urban and rural areas, by raising awareness of the interdependence between them and their respective inhabitants.
To guarantee the preservation of the terroirs of Europe, we must mobilize European funds to develop short circuits, especially in cross-border areas with common culinary practices. We must also relax the European competition rules to allow collectivities and collective restaurants to buy preferably from local farmers on which they are located.

The second revolution to which Europe will have to respond is the growing demand of citizens for transparency on the composition and origin of food. Advances in medical research are leading to new discoveries every day on preferred culinary practices or products to be avoided by consumers. In this regard, we can no longer live in the reign of suspicion that sometimes discredits the profession of farmers, which we should instead value. In this sense, we should assume the ambition to build a new European Food Safety Agency that can independently carry out studies on the harmfulness of the hundreds of products currently in dispute. No one understands why the opinions given by the health authorities are based on studies conducted and paid for by large agro-food firms.

The many food scandals that have rocked the continent have also convinced citizens that want to go further in the traceability of the food they consume. Therefore, we should implement technologies such as blockchain, in order to create by 2030, the world’s first food information network. While consumers address that they are not aware of what the dishes they can purchase contain, it would ensure perfect traceability and meet the expectations for a strong food revolution that would transcend borders.

Signatures: 

Pierre Baty (Président JDem), Loris Mastromatteo (SG YDE), Mathilde Karceles (VP JDem et YDE), Begoña Garteizaurrekoa (YDE President)

and the following French MPs

Avy-Elimas Nathalie, Val-d’Oise,
Bannier Géraldine, Mayenne
Berta Philippe, Gard
Deprez-Audebert Marguerite, Pas-de-Calais
El Haïry Sarah, Loire-Atlantique, MoDem Spokeswoman
Essayan Nadia, Cher
Garcia Laurent, Meurthe-et-Moselle
Griesbeck Nathalie, MEP for Greater East (France)
Jacquier-Laforge Élodie, Isère
Lagleize Jean-Luc, Haute-Garonne
Latombe Philippe, Vendée
Luquet Aude, Seine-et-Marne
Matteï Jean-Paul, Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Michel-Kleisbauer Philippe, Var
Millienne Bruno, Yvelines
Poueyto Josy, Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Richard Ramos, Loiret
Turquois Nicolas, Vienne
Waserman Sylvain, Bas-Rhin,
Wehrling Yann, Secretary-General of MoDem

YDE Congress 2018: New Board elected!

Young Democrats for Europe have elected a new board of ten members for a two year mandate, during their Congress held in Brussels on the 30th of June 2018, led by:  Begoña Garteizaurrekoa as President, Loris Mastromatteo as Secretary General, Anita Velic as Spokesperson, and Peter Schueppenhauer as Treasurer.

Coming from more than 12 European countries, delegates and guests discussed the need of fostering democratic values within the EU, among other topics.

Begoña Garteizaurrekoa, newly elected president, pointed out that: “The Youth is not only the future of the EU, but also its present. The development of Youth’s vital projects depends on their human and social development, being crucial to build active and committed players within the society”.

During the congress, two resolutions were approved by the Young Democrats for Europe: On one hand, one on democracy and a second one on Identity, Culture and Education.

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The Young Democrats for Europe is the youth wing of the European Democratic Party and one of the youth wings of the ALDE Group. The European Democratic Party is one of the European political party officially recognised by the European Parliament.

Founded in 2007, The Young Democrats for Europe primarily seek the establishment of a stronger and more integrated Europe and embrace the core values of the European Union: democracy, freedom, equality, participation, sustainability and solidarity. Their mission is also to foster greater political involvement of the European youth and raise awareness on the many problems it faces, such as access to higher education, mobility and unemployment.

 

Young Democrats for Europe (YDE)
Jeunes Democrates Europeens (JDE)
YDE is the youth wing of the European Party.We embrace the key role of democratic principles, underlined in the Lisbon Treaty and shrined in our political belief: democracy, freedom, equality, participation, sustainability and solidarity.

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