Eastern Partnership Youth Forum gives greater visibility to joint youth cooperation

About 200 participants — including young people, youth workers, youth researchers and youth policy makers from both Eastern Partnership (EaP) and Youth in Action Programme countries — have been invited to discuss the EaP Youth Forum’s aims in the framework of the EaP Youth Window. The Eastern Partnership Youth Forum will take place from the 23rd to the 24th October in Kaunas, Lithuania, in the framework of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) as well as the EaP’s fourth platform: Contacts between people.

Some of the EaP Youth Fourm’s objectives include enhancing and recognising youth work and non-formal learning on different levels. Another is to increase their visibility to improve the joint youth cooperation between the EaP and Youth in Action Programme countries. Guests have an opportunity to share their perspectives about those objectives and exchange ideas for good practice.

The meeting comes at a time when many argue that the EaP needs a revival and concerted effort at building stronger ties by the actors involved. Many in the EU and EaP countries find that the partnership is slowly losing its raison d'être.

The European Youth Forum also has prepared activities to supplement the event’s agenda. As an organisation committed to strengthening the cooperation between EaP countries and youth organisations across the EU, the European Youth Forum will ensure that it consistently follows up on the future progress of the EaP Youth Forum.