Youth organisations from Russia and Ukraine agree on urgent resolution

A resolution on the situation in the Ukraine was adopted at the Council of Members of the European Youth Forum last weekend (25-26 April).

During the Youth Forum’s Council of Members there wasdialogue between the National Youth Council of Russia and the Ukrainian Youth Forum, as well as youth organisations from across Europe, in order to reach a consensus and a resolution whichforegrounds the need for a peaceful resolution to be found to the crisis. It also stresses the rights of young people and the fact that international cooperation must be enhanced, including the fostering of exchanges between young people.

The resolution encourages the European Union and the Council of Europe to ensure that a window is opened to young people in Ukraine. It also emphasizes that priority should be given to ensure space for youth participation and inclusion and youngsters' possibility to build democratic structures in all areas affected and beyond. In the resolution the members of the European Youth Forum call for the immediate opening of the mechanism for initiating projects on youth in the current Erasmus+ programme for Eastern partnership countries.

The Youth Forum will rapidly implement, together with all relevant actors, a sustainable action plan for the work in the Eastern Europe and Caucasus (EEC) Region. This plan should include concrete measures towards peace, capacity-building, promoting youth work, establishing new cooperation, and increasing awareness for the different situations and needs of young people in all European regions.

The European Youth Forum and its member organisations believe in our common values of solidarity, peace, respect and a mutual intercultural understanding. Against a backdrop of the very tense and difficult situation in the region, we are particularly proud that young people have been able to jointly discuss and develop a common stance. We continue to urge all parties involved, especially the political decision makers, to seek peaceful solutions and to respect national sovereignty, civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural human rights.

The full resolution can be found below.