Klaipėda wins! City to become European Youth Capital 2021
Klaipėda, Lithuania, has just been announced as European Youth Capital for 2021.
Klaipėda will hold the title for one year, during which it will have the chance to showcase innovative ideas, projects and activities designed to empower young people, boost youth participation and strengthen European identity.
This year marked the 10th anniversary of the European Youth Capital and the European Youth Forum is proud to see the continued positive impact of young people who have shaped and transformed their cities all across Europe. The movement to empower youth in Europe’s cities is just beginning!
Klaipėda impressed the European Youth Capital Jury with its belief in the undiscovered potential of young people and its efforts to include marginalised groups in all aspects of city life.
The announcement of the 2021 European Youth Capital winner was made at a special award ceremony in Novi Sad, Serbia, attended by Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić. The city of Novi Sad itself will be taking on the title of European Youth Capital for 2019 and is this week hosting youth representatives from across the continent as they gather for the European Youth Forum’s bi-annual General Assembly.
An independent, high-level jury, convened by the European Youth Forum, selected Klaipėda from a shortlist of five finalist cities. The other finalists for EYC 2021 were (in alphabetical order):
Chișinău (Moldova)
Greater Nicosia (Cyprus)
Varaždin (Croatia)
Yaroslavl (Russia)
The Jury consisted of representatives from:
The Committee of the Regions
The European Parliament
The Council of European Municipalities & Regions
The European Youth Forum
The Open Society Initiative for Europe (OSIFE)
The Advisory Council of Youth of the Council of Europe
The European Economic & Social Committee
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
The Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe
ARUP
The International IDEA
EURACTIV
European Movement International
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
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