The conclusion of the initial phase of EurHope is approaching and will enable the top priorities of young Europeans to be gathered. These priorities will then feed into discussions and debates during the European election campaign, the European institutions and civil society will have the opportunity to respond to them. The results of the consultation will be revealed on 10 November in Madrid.
The initiative launched by Make.org and JEF Europe 4 months ago has been recognised as a significant way of mobilising youth by main European institutions. Supported by the European Parliament, EurHope is now under the patronage of the Commissioner Dubravka Suica, in charge of Democracy and Demography, with the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Committee of Regions as European institutional partners.
But EurHope is not a Brussels-centred campaign.It is a collaborative effort that brings together partners and participants from all corners of the European Union, spanning a vast and diverse landscape from Finland in the north to Cyprus in the south, and from Portugal in the west to Romania in the east. This wide geographical reach reflects the campaign’s commitment to inclusivity and the belief that the European project is a collective endeavour that involves every member state.
The campaign’s goal is to engage and empower citizens across the EU. By working with partners and stakeholders from every part of the EU, the EurHope campaign aims to foster a sense of unity, solidarity and common purpose among Europeans. It seeks to highlight the rich tapestry of cultures, traditions and perspectives that make up the European mosaic. EurHope strives to create a platform where individuals from across Europe can come together and shape the future of the continent. Through digital engagement and grassroots activities, the campaign is committed to ensuring that the voices of all Europeans are heard and that the European project remains a source of hope and inspiration for generations to come.
OFAJ, the Franco-German Youth Office is an international organisation serving young people.
Created in 1963, on the basis of an historical promise of peace between France and Germany, OFAJ enabled nearly 10 million young people to take part in more than 382,000 exchange programmes in the last 60 years. “The OFAJ's DNA is Franco German, but above all profoundly European” as they told us.
For this organisation every Franco-German exchange is part of a European context.
According to OFAJ, “in these uncertain times, marked by a rise in populism and nationalism in Europe, it is vital to strengthen young people's enthusiasm for Europe and to facilitate their network in the perspective of the run-up to next year's European elections. In this occasion, young people will have the opportunity to play an active part in the construction of the European Union, even at the age of 16 in German case”.
Social inequalities in terms of access to mobility for young people need to be solved. In this context, the OFAJ is committed to promote the integration and equal opportunities of young people with fewer opportunities within its programmes, knowing that "Europe is not an elitist project, but an unprecedented opportunity for self-fulfilment and a source of personal development reserved for every young person, whatever their life situation".
Every young person can find out more about the OFAJ as an opportunity for an intercultural encounter, directly or through its 8,000 partners.
The OFAJ is supporting the EurHope campaign with the aim of “giving young people a voice during a first phase of consultation, to strengthen their participation and to bring their voices to the political level so that decision-makers can become aware of their proposals for shaping the future of Europe.". The work of the OFAJ is and always will be dedicated to young people and their future, "because it is the young people of today who will be the political decision-makers of tomorrow. Through this campaign, the OFAJ is working alongside its partners, so that young voters can make their voice heard.”
European Youth Parliament Sweden’s commitment to democracy and inclusion is evident in their statement. EYP Sweden’s work is inspiring and it’s clear that they are making a positive impact on the future of democracy in Europe.
EYP Sweden believes democracy and inclusion are highly necessary for a just and well functioning society where the citizen is considered not only a person among the people, but an individual. Letting Europe’s young population know this is key for democracy continues being the norm. “We want our young citizens to know their rights and feel that their voices and opinions matter, we want them to reflect upon what they think is important and why. EurHope is a great forum for this”.
Every year, EYP Sweden organises one big and three medium-size scale conferences on this subject. “The conferences are organised by our young elected officials for our members” and they serve as a dynamic platform for young people to engage in discussions and debates related to democracy. They also create campaigns, other activities and keep their social media updated to reach a broader audience.
EYP Sweden believes the 2024 European Parliament election to be particularly important since it is a fact that democracy is challenged in Europe today. War, human rights not being respected and basic rights being removed are examples of this. These challenges undermine the core principle of democracy and threaten the stability of our continent. “We need to show our young population this is not the Europe we want. And what better way to do so than participating in a democratic election?”
Founded in 2021, A Voté is an association that has started its activities in the context of the 2022 presidential elections in France.
Through their collaboration, A Voté has joined the EurHope coalition to play an active part in the European election campaign. As part of this initiative, A Voté added its own unique touch by organising voting simulations at the Solidays festival in Paris and the Delta festival in Marseille. By transforming the festival venues into temporary polling stations, the association's volunteers gave festival-goers the chance to vote by majority decision on various European Union democratic reforms, such as compulsory voting rights, voting at 16, and postal or online voting. More than 2,500 people took part in these events, which put the spotlight on the EurHope coalition.
Flore Blondel-Goupil and Dorian Dreuil, co-presidents of the NGO, explain that for them, "re-charming democracy and Europe means putting the vote and electoral issues back at the heart of festival celebrations! That's the very essence of A Voté: tackling the subject of voting where you least expect it, sparking surprise and interest. This playful and educational approach is paying off, as it allows us to raise awareness of the issues at stake.”
A Voté has also taken the initiative of publishing the very first electoral participation indicator in partnership with IFOP and Ouest-France, a year before the European elections of 2024. The results of this survey reveal that barely one voter out of two plans to go to vote, a worrying situation. This underlines the need to mobilise all stakeholders to make these elections a success and tackle electoral abstention.
Flore Blondel-Goupil and Dorian Dreuil, co-presidents of A Voté, tell us: "Until the European elections on 9 June 2024, we plan to step up our efforts to encourage voters to check their electoral registration. Nearly 7.8 million people are currently registered at the wrong polling station, often without being aware of it, which would deprive them of their right to vote. Our mobilisation aims to correct this democratic gap, making the ballot inclusive and accessible to everybody."