Five cities short-listed to become the European Youth Capital 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 23 April 2014

Press contacts: Sarah Farndale, European Youth Forum, + 32 2286 9436 / +32 490 390665 sarah.farndale@youthforum.org / press@youthforum.org

Brussels, 23rd April 2014 // Cascais (Portugal), Galway (Ireland), Newcastle (United Kingdom), Perugia (Italy) and Varna (Bulgaria) have been selected by an independent high-level jury to compete for the title of European Youth Capital (EYC) 2017.

These five cities will now progress to the next round of competition to compete for the coveted title. During the second round, the cities will have an opportunity to present an extensive draft programme of youth-related cultural, social and political events and activities.

As with previous competitions, the European Youth Capital 2017 will encourage the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Charter on Local and Regional Participation of Young People through the promotion of new ideas and innovative projects. EYC initiatives lay the foundations for young people’s active participation in society and present good practice examples to other European municipalities.

The five short-listed cities beat strong competition from Alcobendas (Spain), Kaunas (Lithuania), Vicenza (Italy) and York (United Kingdom) to advance to the second round. The top candidate cities will receive recommendations from the high-level independent jury and a youth focus group on how to make their applications even more responsive to young people. The winning city will be announced in November 2014 during an awarding ceremony in Cluj-Napoca, Romania (EYC 2015).

In addition, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is now an endorsing partner of the European Youth Capital.

Peter Matjašič, President of the European Youth Forum, comments:

“We are delighted to announce the five European cities which will compete to be European Youth Capital 2017. This prestigious title is a fantastic way to showcase good practice examples of youth policy making and youth participation at local level and think of new, innovative ideas and projects designed by and for young people to truly engage them in the life of their city. The EYC is also a unique way to strengthen the bonds between the candidate cities and Europe, while the winning city can serve as a springboard for more cross-border cooperation and manifestation of the European spirit the young generation of today embodies. Good luck to all those shortlisted!”

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Notes to the editors:

The European Youth Capital is a title awarded each year to a city by the European Youth Forum, In 2017, it will be awarded for the ninth time. Since the first European Youth Capital was awarded to Rotterdam in 2009, the title has been awarded to Turin, Antwerp, Braga, Maribor, Thessaloniki, Cluj-Napoca and Ganja.

The EYC high-level jury includes representatives from the European Parliament, Microsoft, the Committee of the Regions of the EU, the Assembly of European Regions, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, the Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe, EurActiv, the University of Cagliari and the European Youth Forum.

For more information visit: www.europeanyouthcapital.eu