Therefore it has organised a discussion on this topic. The discussion will be held on Friday 8 October at 16.30hrs in the City Hall of Bergen op Zoom, in the province of Brabant. Fifty young people from the Netherlands, Turkey, Poland, Sweden, Belgium and Ireland will discuss the EU accession of Turkey. They will do this with the Turkish professor on International Politics Korel Göymen, Sophie in ’t Veld, Dutch Member of the European Parliament for the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party and Frank Karsten from a foundation against the ‘islamification’ of the EU.
Turkey is a hot topic for European politicians. Today the European Commission will give an official advice on the EU accession of Turkey. And in December the Dutch Prime Minister and his European colleagues will decide upon the opening of negotiations about the Turkish accession. However the opinion of young people is not taken into account. During the discussion they can give their point of view.
The discussion is part of the seminar ‘Young People in Europe’ organised by the Dutch National Youth Council. The seminar will take place in the youth hostel Stayokay of Bergen op Zoom from 8 until 10 October. There will be attention for the role of young people in Europe during the Dutch EU presidency. And young people will learn more about the European Youth Programme and the opportunities it offers to them. Young people from different European countries who have set up international projects will give a presentation and help Dutch participants with setting up their own projects.
Activities during the Dutch presidency
The outcome and projects of the seminar ‘Young People in Europe’ will be summarised in a document which can be found www.jeugdraad.nl/eu. The seminar is the second event that the Dutch NYC organises because of the Dutch EU presidency. In July the Dutch NYC organised a seminar on the enlargement of the EU and from the 26th to the 29th of November the Youth Event will take place in Rotterdam. During this event 120 young Europeans will discuss relevant topics with directors-general from the youth departments from all EU (future) Member States.
Dutch National Youth Council
The Dutch NYC is an umbrella youth organisation that supports the voice of and acts as a focal point for people between 12 and 30 years old. It gives them the possibility to express themselves and to influence decisions on their future. With this seminar the Dutch NYC wants to show that Europe is also for young people and not only for old men in grey suits…
See also www.Jeugdraad.nl and www.Jeugdraad.nl/eu.