EuroMedScola: studenten debatteren in het EP over uitdagingen voor het Middellandse Zeegebied (en)

Met dank overgenomen van Europees Parlement (EP) i, gepubliceerd op dinsdag 18 november 2008.

The first meeting of EuroMedScola last weekend enabled 250 young people aged 16 to 18 to debate the key issues facing the Mediterranean region, such as education, energy and transport. The students, who in the course of their debates stepped into the shoes of members of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA), presented their findings on Monday to Hans-Gert Pöttering i, President of the European Parliament and President-in-Office of EMPA.

"By holding this EuroMedScola event, the European Parliament wishes to emphasise that cooperation between the peoples of Europe and the Mediterranean is your project", said EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering in his closing speech to the EuroMedScola conference, which took place in Strasbourg on Sunday 16 and Monday 17 November.

"I note with great interest the messages you have drawn up together on subjects as crucial as the environment, equal opportunities, education, migration and freedom of information.  For me and I am sure for all my fellow parliamentarians, these messages are sources of information and inspiration.  They express your perspective, your analysis and your opinions on the matters which concern you most.  They also show, and this is the most important thing, that the mosaic of citizens of Europe and of the Mediterranean countries is able to speak with one voice on matters of common interest".

Conclusions of the working groups

Among the conclusions they presented to the President of the EP, the young people called for "exchange programmes between students from all the partner countries of the Union for the Mediterranean " to be set up. They argued that "migration policy should focus more on integration" than at present.  They also advised governments in the Euromed region "to promote educational reforms that would allow the diffusion of the idea of equal opportunity at grassroots level". 

Organised in working parties devoted to topics relating to the Euro-Mediterranean region, the students had discussed the following topics: "Education and the Future", "Freedom of Information and Citizenship", "Immigration and Integration", "Equal Opportunities, a Vehicle for Democratic Change" and "Environment, Transport and Renewable Energy".

Launched by the president of the European Parliament together with the European Commission, EuroMedScola is part of European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.  The main aim of the conference was to make participants more aware of the importance of dialogue, respect for cultural and linguistic diversity and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Twenty-seven delegations from the European Union - one per Member State - nine member countries of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA)* plus Albania and Mauritania, took part in this, the first EuroMedScola event, which was designed for 16-18 year olds.

  • * 
    Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Turkey.

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