What do young people expect from the future in the EU? Why vote in the European elections?
The European Youth Week 2024 takes place two months before the European elections, which will be held in Croatia on June 9, 2024. Democracy and the European elections are at the center of the discussion. It is high time for the youth of Europe to become more involved in society and democratic processes.
This was joined by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), whose members organize various activities in their countries to inform and encourage young people to use their right to vote and go to the polls.
Lidija Pavić-Rogošić, director of ODRAZ and member of EESC, held a guest lecture for the graduates of Tituš Brezovacki High School in Zagreb. Her alternate in the EESC, Magdalena Makar, also participated.
Topics discussed:
- EU institutions and their role
- What the EU is doing for young people and for their cities and regions
- Why vote in the EU elections
- The future of sustainable development goals after the European elections
- What students expect from the EU after the elections.
The students got an insight into the importance of participating in the European elections and learned more about the role of the European Parliament in making decisions that affect their everyday life. They were also informed about other EU institutions, with an emphasis on the EESC.
The connection between EU policies and the Global Sustainable Development Goals was highlighted, and key documents such as the European Green Deal, the Paris Agreement and the European Pillar of Social Rights were presented.
Students had the opportunity to learn more about specific EU initiatives and projects that offer them opportunities to improve their lives and create a more sustainable future.
After the lecture, the students had the opportunity to ask questions and get additional information about how they can participate and where they can find more information about the topics that interested them.
In the discussion with the students, they expressed what they expect from the EU after the elections, what their priorities are and in which areas they want to be more involved.
The introductory part of the lecture started with an interactive questionnaire in the Mentimeter tool, so that the students could refresh their knowledge about some key facts about the EU.
The introduction to the final part, the discussion, was the presentation of the “What Europe does for me” portal. Young people are satisfied that there is a portal that presents all areas of EU activity, which will benefit them for future activities.
Young people are already familiar with different programs in which they can participate, such as Erasmus, and they inquired about other such programs, for example CEEPUS. They are interested in the concept of DiscoverEU, which they intend to use, and some students plan to take advantage of the opportunity to study at one of the European universities.
From the future in the EU, they expect an increased involvement of young people in decision-making, a clearer and faster resolution of the housing issue and the issue of youth employment. They expect incentives for young people, for example when buying their first property, but also electric vehicles.
The students are not worried about their future, but they are worried about the unsafe European environment and personal safety on the streets.
They would like the EU’s priority to be better connections both within Croatia and between Croatia and other countries, especially with fast and efficient railway.
They also touched on the (im)proper separation of waste and the need to encourage a circular economy. They proposed the financing of a greater number of recycling centres in Croatia and greater support for renewable energy sources.
#EESC #EGSO