MINELRES: UNITED: CfA: Consultation with the African Youth Diaspora living in Europe

[email protected] [email protected]
Wed Jun 20 17:37:29 2007


Original sender: UNITED <[email protected]>


UNITED E-NEWS 18/06/07: 
European Consultation and consultation with the African Youth Diaspora
living in Europe
Towards the Africa-Europe Youth Summit
(To coincide with the 2nd EU-AU Heads of States Summit)

22 - 25 July 2007 - Marly le Roi, Paris, France

deadline 23 June 2007

(please do not react to UNITED but to the organisers)

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Dear Friends,

The North-South Centre of the Council of Europe in partnership with the
Institut National de la Jeunesse et de l'Education Populaire (INJEP),
the European Youth Forum and  the Directorate of Youth and Sport of the
Council of Europe are is organising the Consultation with the African
Youth Diaspora living in Europe, part of the process of the Africa
Europe Youth Summit. This consultation will be held at the INJEP, in
Marly le Roi, France, from the 22nd to the 25th of July 2007.

Please find below the Call for Participants and attached the Application
Form for youth leaders from the African Diaspora Living in Europe. The
deadline for applications is the 23rd of June  2007, please send
preferably by email to [email protected]

We would be very pleased if you could circulate this information among
your contacts and partners .

Thank you!
Best Regards

Marcos Andrade
Co-ordinator - youth Dimension
North-South Centre - Council of Europe
Tel: +351 21 358 40 39 
Fax: +351 21 358 40 72
[email protected]
http://www.coe.int/T/E/North-South_Centre/
www.coe.int


***attachment in plain text below***

European Consultation and consultation with the African Youth Diaspora
living in Europe

22 - 25 July 2007 - Marly le Roi, Paris, France

Towards the Africa-Europe Youth Summit
(To coincide with the 2nd EU-AU Heads of States Summit)

Call for Participants and Application form

Summary
The holding of the EU-AU Summit, to be held in Lisbon in the second
Semester 2007 under the Portuguese EU Presidency, will constitute
crucial opportunity to convene an Africa-Europe Youth Summit which would
allow youth representatives from African and European youth NGO to
express their main concerns, to address recommendations and to state
their priorities in terms youth and youth related policies to the Heads
of State and Government during the Summit.
These recommendations could lead to the development of a sustainable
Africa Europe Youth Plan of Action to be implemented by the relevant
actors, taking into account the existing realities, partnerships and
good practices and operating a positive transformation in the realities
and relations between young people in Europe and in Africa.
With the aim of increasing young people?s participation in the
Euro?African Cooperation and to reinforce youth work in Africa and
Europe while influencing the youth policy in Africa Euro Cooperation,
the submission of a final declaration of the youth Summit by a youth
delegation to the EU-AU Heads of State Summit is an immediate expected
result.
The quality of preparations of this Youth Summit will to a large extent
determine its results. Such preparations are underway in a partnership
involving various youth organisations and youth related agencies from
Africa and Europe gathered in a Steering Group facilitated by the
North-South Centre.
Fundamental part of the process leading up to the Youth Summit are the 5
Sub-regional consultation workshops foreseen for the African
sub-regions, the Pan-African and European consultation Workshops and the
consultation with the youth from the African Diaspora living in Europe.
For the European Youth Organisations and for the representatives of the
youth from the African Diaspora Living in Europe, on behalf of the
steering Group, the
Institut National de la Jeunesse et de l'Education Populaire (INJEP),
the European Youth Forum, the North-South Centre and the Directorate of
Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe are organising this
Consultation meeting to be held in Marly le Roi, France, from the 22nd
to the 25th of July 2007.
In this document you can find the presentation and the application form
for the meeting.


Context
The relationship between Europe and Africa is changing. The emergence of
the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa's Development
(NEPAD) has created numerous opportunities for inter-regional
cooperation.
In December 2005, the European Union adopted the ?EU Strategy for
Africa?, setting out guidelines for a new Europe-Africa partnership.
This collaboration was then further strengthened by the 6th EU-Africa
Ministerial Troika Meeting in Vienna 8 May 2006, and the African Union
Commission ? European Commission meeting in Addis Ababa on 2 October
2006. These events have contributed to a growing consensus among
European and African leaders regarding issues of peace and security,
human rights and governance, trade and integration, and development. The
emerging accord in evidence is based on notions of integration,
solidarity, and cooperation.
This process has been designed to culminate in the adoption of a Joint
EU-AU Strategy at the 2nd EU-AU Summit, proposed by the Portuguese
Government to be held in Lisbon in 2007 under the Portuguese Presidency
of the European Union. This Joint Strategy will act as a reference
framework for Europe-Africa relations over the next decade.
Accordingly, the coming year represents a unique opportunity to
institutionalize youth cooperation and participation in Euro-African
relations.
At the same time, the rapport between African and European youths is
also evolving, inspired by the emergence of strong links between the
civil society of both continents. The establishment of political
instruments such as the Africa Youth Charter is a strong indicator of
these changes - many of which have developed within the context of the
World Program of Action for Youth, adopted by the UN in 1995, and of the
1998 Braga
Youth Action Plan - working towards the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals.
Yet despite these positive developments, the process of Euro-African
youth cooperation requires further attention. This is reflected in the
growing recognition amongst European and African young people of the
need to establish a permanent framework for youth dialogue and mutual
aid, bringing Euro-African youth relations into line with, for example,
the formalized interaction enjoyed between young people from Europe and
the
Mediterranean countries. Preparations for this Summit started in 2006 in
a partnership involving various youth organisations and youth related
agencies from Africa and Europe gathered in a Steering Group facilitated
by the North-South Centre and including the European Youth Forum,
the Pan African Youth Movement, International Youth Organisations (WOSM,
Party Political Youth Organisations etc.); the Portuguese Youth Council;
the African Institute of South Africa; the Institut National de la
Jeunesse et de l'Education Populaire and the other hosts of the regional
Consultations in Africa. This Steering group has also been followed by
the European Commission.
T he Steering Group recommended - bearing in mind the dynamics of
co-management within the Council of Europe between governments and youth
groups, the development of permanent Euro-African youth relations,
starting with the 2007 Africa-Europe Youth Summit. This, in order to
consolidate the political process of co-management already established
by several actors at varying levels (international institutions,
governments, and youth organizations), while also creating a unique
space for youth participation in this evolving Euro-African partnership.


Working Areas of the Consultation
As result of the discussions taken by the Steering Group of this process
with contributions from numerous young people and other stakeholders,
under the guidance of the Steering Group the following working areas
where identified as thematic areas of concern for young people in Europe
and Africa with a direct contribution to the priority of
Poverty Eradication:
- Millennium Development Goals
- Good Governance and Democracy
- Peace and Conflict
- Climate Change and sustainable development
- Trade and Socio-Economical Development
- Migration, Mobility, Intercultural Dialogue and Co-development
- Employment and Decent Work agenda;
- Strategy and instruments for Euro-African Youth Participation and
Cooperation.

The presented priorities represent a starting point for the discussions
in the consultation meetings and it is expected, through constructive
collaboration with all stakeholders, to develop an inclusive document
which will act as a foundation for the Africa-Europe Youth Summit.


Objectives and Expected Results
The EU- AU Summit of head of States will focus in creating the political
context and adoption of a Joint EU-AU Strategy for cooperation and to
achieve a solid and effective partnership between the two continents. At
the very basis of this partnership has to be the involvement of Civil
Society and of the young people of the two regions.
In this sense the main aims of the Africa Europe Youth Summit are to
increase young people?s participation in the Euro?African Cooperation
and to reinforce youth work in Africa and Europe and to influence the
youth policy in Africa Europe Cooperation, particularly in the context
of the EU-AU Summit of Head of States.
The European Consultation Meeting prior to the youth Summit is a
fundamental moment of this strategy and will have the following
Objectives:
- To prepare the contribution of European youth organisations and of
young people from the African Diaspora to the Africa Europe Youth Summit
and consequently to the EU-AU Summit of Heads of States;
- To contribute for increasing cooperation and relationship between
youth organisations within Europe for Euro-African Cooperation ;
- To contribute to the recognition of important role of Young people and
youth Groups in the Africa Europe Cooperation.
- To improve the knowledge and understanding of young people?s
contributions, values and aspirations for the future relations between
Europe and Africa.


The Expected Results of this meeting are the following:
- Comprehensive contribution (declaration) as an input to the Africa
Europe Youth Summit
- An increase in understanding and dialogue between young people, and
their organisations, in the priorities of the Euro-African Cooperation.
- An increase in the understanding of the cultural, social, economical
and political context of the Africa Europe relations
- An informal network of youth leaders and organisations with interest
in developing Africa Europe co-operation and actively committed to the
strengthening of Civil Society;

Format of the meeting
The European Consultation will gather close to 130 youth representatives
from youth organisations members of the European Youth Forum and from
youth representatives of the African Diaspora living in Europe.
The Consultation will gather expertise in the different thematic working
areas and will seek recommendations to the Summit. Is been planed to
last for 3 days using a combination of plenary and thematic working
panels in a youthful environment and based on participatory and
non-formal Education methodologies.

Profile of Participants
Approximately 50% of the participants for this consultation will be
selected from member organisations of the European Youth forum and the
other 50% will be selected from active young people in youth
organisations and groups from the African Diaspora living in Europe.
Gender balance will be ensured in the selection process of the
participants, as well as the balance between the type and/or nature of
organisations.

Concerning participants and their profile:
- should be a key multiplier playing an active role within a youth
organisation, network or service at local, national or regional level,
and plan to continue this work in the near future;
- seeking gender balance;
- diverse social and geographical background ;
- aged between 18 and 30;
- have already some qualification or experience in terms of
international youth work and preferably in Euro African Cooperation;
- be committed to attend the full duration of the meeting and be
supported by a youth organisation or service;
- be able to represent his/her organisation and the context of its work,
- Be able to work and communicate in English and/or French.

Board and Lodging and support for Travel Expenses
Board and Lodging will be cover at the INJEP for the duration of the
activity. The Council of Europe will support the travel of participants
to the meeting giving priority to those coming from. According to the
price of the Ticket the North-South Centre will support participants
travel costs fully or in an agreed amount.

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We depend on YOUR help in 2007!

UNITED is not rich and has no stable income!
Though far most of the work at the UNITED secretariat is done voluntary
- still money is needed to keep the network functioning in 2007 and to
secure the cooperation and information flow throughout Europe.

Your donation is most welcome:
- in cash to UNITED Postbus 413 NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
- by bank (preferable) to:
UNITED, Postbus 413 NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
Account: IBAN NL77PSTB0002343715, BIC: PSTB NL2A - Bank: Postbank,
Postbus 1800, NL-1000 BV Amsterdam
(From NL: postbank 2343715)

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