After a successful launch in March, ten participants of the Young Mediterranean Voices Plus Program (Young Med Voices+), an initiative launched by EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini supported by the European Youth Forum and the Anna Lindh Foundation, attended their first follow-up meeting on 3-4 May 2017 in Brussels.

Young Med Voices+ is a network of young people from Europe and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region promoting dialogue between youth and public institutions aiming at opening all channels for youth engagement across the Mediterranean through large-scale communication and advocacy actions. They will operate as a youth-led “think and do tank” in Europe and the MENA region and give input, among others, to the strategic communications of the European Union delegations.

The participants met with the European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, European Parliament Vice-President Ramon Luis Valcarcel Siso and several other MEPs to discuss youth engagement. They also worked together with the European External Action Service and the Cabinet of the High Representative to find ways to address common challenges faced by youth on both sides of the Mediterranean. The Young Med Voices+ group emphasized the need to make positive narratives in the Mediterranean region more visible.

During these 2 days, they discussed in detail the upcoming processes related to the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security and its implementation in Europe and in the MENA region. Representatives of the Young Med Voices+ will share their expertise this year at the European Development Days on 7-8 June 2017.

Read more:

– In partnership with the Anna Lindh Mediterranean Foundation, the European Youth Forum launched a new cooperation framework to reinforce youth partnerships across Europe and its Southern Neighborhood.

– For updates, follow #YoungMedVoices

– For more info, contact our board member Tina Hočevar: tina.hocevar@youthforum.org