An estimated 8,500 16 to 30-year-olds from all over the world will this week take part in a series of activities centred on the future of Europe.
EYE2025 (European Youth Event), as it is called, will be opened by EU Parliament Vice-president Sabine Verheyen (EPP, DE) on Friday 13 June at 10:00 in the EYE village in Strasbourg.
Its Vice-president Nicolae Stefanuta (Greens/EFA, RO) will take part in a session dedicated to the next long-term budget, on Saturday at 3pm and the closing session, with Vice-president Pina Picierno (S&D, IT), will take place on Saturday at 4.45pm.
Over the two days, there will be panel discussions with MEPs and other EU decision-makers, as well as with experts, activists and content creators.
Debates between MEPs and the young participants will cover climate justice, skills for the future, the EU’s next long-term budget, and freedom of speech and media, among many other topics.
EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef will lead a Youth Policy Dialogue on Friday at 11am, and take part in a panel discussion on young people’s mental health that afternoon. Executive Vice-President of the Commission, Henna Virkkunen will join in a conversation on how technology can strengthen democracy, on Friday at 3pm.
Other guest speakers are democracy activist Daria Navalnya, the Kayapo Amazonian tribal leader Chief Tau Metuktire and the Mayor of Strasbourg Jeanne Barseghian.
The programme also includes workshops on a wide range of issues that concern young people, from disinformation to housing and migration.
Quizzes, tours, artistic performances, storytelling workshops and concerts are other options among more than 450 activities organised for the sixth edition of EYE.
