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Taking part at the Youth Action Week in Strasbourg

Nina, Germany, 19

If the whole world would communicate and cooperate like we young people did during the Youth Action Week, we would be well on the best way to world peace.

I come from the beautiful capital Berlin and was a representative of the jugendBEIRAT (youth council) of the wannseeFORUM foundation at the Youth Action Week in Strasbourg at the Council of Europe. Together with young people from all member states of the Council of Europe, we discussed important topics such as human rights, youth participation and digitalisation. At the end of the week, in line with the 50th anniversary of the youth sector, the Council of Europe had 50 proposals for action on all 3 themes to revitalise democracy and youth participation.

I attended a workshop on the topic of "digitalisation". We addressed the issue of the extent to which society is aware of digital media and digital opportunities and that there is still a lot of room for improvement in this area, especially in Germany. We also talked about equal opportunities and which groups in society have access to digitalisation and which do not.

Besides the work in the workshops, a varied programme was offered by the Council of Europe. From cultural music evenings with a stage programme, artistic activities such as poetry slams, graffiti spraying, stamping and creative writing, to nice get-togethers in the Youth Centre and listening to ESC songs, to the big farewell dinner and the closing party, it was packed with everything.

I gained so much from this week: Through the exchange with members from other youth organisations, I was able to get good inspiration for my own organisation. Through the digitalisation workshop, I got many project ideas for the jugendBEIRAT, which we can hopefully implement in the future. But apart from a lot of new input regarding the understanding of democracy and youth participation, I especially take the interpersonal aspects back with me into my everyday life in Berlin! I met incredible people from all over Europe who gave me new perspectives on life and enabled me to think further than just the bubble I found myself in every day. And besides possible international cooperation organisations for the jugendBEIRAT, I have made friends for life.

If the whole world would communicate and cooperate like we young people did during the Youth Action Week, we would be on the best way to world peace.

It was a week I will never forget.

Updated on pátek, 28/10/2022

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