The regional project launched on youth policy support of Eastern Partnership Countries.


The regional project launched on youth policy support of Eastern Partnership Countries.

  • 29-06-2013 13:45:45   |   |  Social

The EU financed Eastern Partnership Youth Regional Unit (EPYRU) successfully concluded its two-day opening conference in Kyiv on 21st June. Over sixty delegates from all countries of the EU’s Eastern Partnership (Republic of Armenia, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) attended, including representatives of governments, statistical and research institutions, and youth-oriented NGOs. The Conference was opened with addresses from the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Mr. Ravil Safiullin and from Mr. Vsevolod Chentsov, Head of the EU Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.Following status reports from each of the Partner Countries, keynote addresses from EU experts working with the EU Youth in Action and EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership initiatives set the context for round table discussions at which delegates themselves commented and made suggestions on the EPYRU’s own programme. These contributions will be closely studied by the EPYRU which will seek to include all constructive proposals. The project Team Leader Hans-Juergen Maeth stated “I am delighted at the positive interest and commitment displayed by all the delegates at the Conference, and I am sure that this will lead to practical initiatives, sharing best practices of the EU and of the countries themselves”. Alessandro Leone, representing the European Commission’s Development and Cooperation Directorate, commented “This initiative comes at a timely moment; we have the opportunity to foster significant change for the youth and the future of the Eastern Partnership countries”. In the Armenian delegation were engaged Arsen Karamyan, the Deputy Minister of  Youth and Sport Affairs of RA, Davit Hayrapetyan, the Director of  “Youth Events Holding Center” SNCO, Vahe Baveyan, the Head of Legal Department of Ministry of Education and Science of RA, Anahit Karapetyan, the representative the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of RA, Kristine Mnatsakanyan, the representative of the Ministry of Health of RA, Hovhannes Grigoryan, CEO at IPSC - Institute for Political and Sociological Consulting and Nelli Gishyan, the Program Manager of  Federation of Youth Clubs of Armenia (FYCA), the largest youth organization of Armenia.
The conference consisted of two main sections: in the first part the youth policy trends and issues of Eastern partnership member countries were presented. Within the second part the working groups, focus was on three main directions of the program, and there were discussed: the key issues of inner-sector cooperation of state institutions in the youth field, the argued issues of the youth policy creation and development of youth investigations’ institute, and also the core issues of youth participation and mutual effective cooperation between state and public sector of youth policy.
 
 Arsen Karamyan stated “As an outcome of the conference it was confirmed that the Armenian delegation will take part in the training courses within the scope of this project, and a regional forum on thematic orientation of youth participation will be held in Yerevan, October 2015”. 
Another result of the project, was determined to launch the regional youth policy support of Eastern Partnership Countries in the Republic of Armenia at the end of 2015. 
 
In the second part of the program, where the group discussions were held, the representative of FYCA suggested to open regional youth centers in Armenia, via which it would be possible to develop youth work in Armenia. The above proposal was approved by the organizers and a tentative agreement was reached with the organizers, as a result of which the detailed project will be presented to EU supporters in the next meeting, which is going to be held in August 2013, in Georgia.
 
Astghik Avetisyan
 
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