LIVE reporting from the EU #YouthConf in Rome

Rome, 13 to 15th of October 2014 // At the EU Youth Conference in Rome (Italy) organized by the Italian Presidency in cooperation with the Forum Nazionale Giovani and the European Youth Forum, young representatives and policy-makers from all over Europe are right now sitting at the same table to insist that the European Union strengthen its action in order to give young people their legitimate place in society.

Live stream of the EU Youth Conference (only plenaries will be streamed)

The Youth Forum gives you the opportunity to follow the conference thanks to its live reporting below!

Due to technical reasons, we have not been able to live report the rest of the EU Youth Conference.
On day 3, the conclusions from all the different workshop have been presented to the delegates at the last plenary.You can find some more information on the whole conference on our joint press release, co written with the Italian Presidency and the Forum dei Giovani: http://www.youthforum.org/pressrelease/joint-press-release-the-eu-youth-conference-concludes-in-rome/

12.30 am Workshops session on Young People’s Access to Rights

The workshops starting again, all delegates are invited to sit and discuss young people's access to rights. A lot to say after the interesting speech of Johanna Nyman.

11.30 am Keynote speech on Young People’s Access to Rights

Our Youth Forum board member Johanna Nyman is now taking the floor to speak about #YouthRights!

10.30 am - Presentation and approval of the Guiding Framework for Youth Empowerment for political participation

The Guiding Framework for Youth Empowerment for political participation has been drafted, following the input from the workshops where young delegates and policy makers from all over the EU had the opportunity to debate it. It is now being presented to the delegates.

9.30 am - workshops

New workshops are taking place, on youth empowerment for political participation. Topics for discussion include means, forms and stakeholders of political participation, and many others, no doubt plenty interesting debates will be going on!

The delegates will be discussing the first draft of the Guiding Framework for Youth Empowerment for political participation.

14 October, Rome - DAY 2 of the EU YOUTH CONFERENCE

8 pm

This is the end of the first day of the EU Youth Conference in Rome. Thanks to all the delegates for their energy and these fruitful discussions!

7 pm - workshops

The delegates are now back to their workshops to discuss the suggestions made on their outcomes.

5.30 pm - opinion boulevard

The delegates had the chance to discuss the outcomes of the different workshops, and give some inputs and suggestions.

4 pm - First pics of the event have been published by the Forum Nazionale Giovani, check it out here!

Do not hesitate to tag your friends!

2.30 pm - Workshops

Workshops on Youth Empowerment for Political Participation

12 pm

We had the chance to speak with Silvia Costa, MEP & Chair of European Parliament Committee on Culture and Education. Find below some key quotes.

Mrs Costa underlined the importance of the constructive cooperation between the Youth Forum and the Forum Nazionale Giovani in the organisation of the conference and sees the new format of cooperation of the structured dialogue, which gives more space to dialogue with young people, really positively . "It is important to talk about young people but it is even more important to talk with young people." Mrs Costa, within the CULT committee at the European Parliament, will advocate against additional budget cuts on Education, Youth and Research. She stressed the vital role of the Youth Intergroup in pushing forward youth policies across all policy sectors and called on MEPs to help renew the Intergroup. The Chair of the CULT committee wants more recognition for non-formal education. Non-formal education contributes to citizenship education which is one way to fight against the rise of extremist parties and also a way to strengthen youth political participation.

11 am - Press Conference and Institutional greetings

Mr. Allan Päll, Secretary General of the European Youth Forum

Mr. Giuseppe Failla, Spokesperson of the Italian National Youth Forum

Mrs. Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth

Mr. Giuliano Poletti, Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

Mrs. Silvia Costa, MEP & Chair of European Parliament Committee on Culture and Education

The various speakers highlighted the key role of the Structured Dialogue and the importance of the involvement of young people in all sectors of policy making.

Find below some quotes from the European Youth Forum Storify.

10 am - Keynote speech on youth participation

Manfred Zentner, social researcher from the Danube University Krems, Department Migration and Globalization is giving a passionate keynote speech on youth participation

The delegates had the opportunity to discuss and debate youth participation between them thanks to the activities proposed by the facilitators of the EU Youth Conference and also to ask questions to the social researcher Manfred Zentner.

9.50 am - Presentation of the 4th Cycle of the Structured Dialogue

The process of the Structured Dialogue has changed in order to improve the dialogue between youth delegates and policy makers. From now on, the trio presidencies will focus on the same topic. The current trio is now focusing on youth political participation.

European Youth Forum Vice-President, Guoda Lomanaite, also Chair of the European Steering Committee is presenting the 4th Cycle of the Structured Dialogue.

9.30 am - Official opening

Ignazio Marino, Mayor of Rome is welcoming all the participants to the Youth Conference with Calogero Mauceri, the head of the Department for Youth and National Civic Service insisting that in Italy, as in Europe, the dialogue with youth is a vital priority.

Some videos from the EU Youth Conf in Rome

• Graeme Robertson (European Youth Portal) on the structured dialogue.

• Simon (German National Youth Council delegate) on participating in the #YouthConf

• Melanise (French Youth Delegation) on the importance of the structured dialogue.

• Crowd and delegates at #YouthConf 2014.