In the context of the return of war to the European continent and in the face of multiple social, environmental, economic, health and democratic crises, the young citizens of the 27 EU countries must more than ever become the spearhead of Europe's fate.
Launched on May 9, 2023 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the EurHope initiative combines the transnational and volunteer activism of JEF with the innovative digital engagement tools of Make.org. As the first phase of the campaign, a citizen consultation is accessible until September 2023 in all 27 Member States on the multilingual online platform eurhope.org. A single question, "What are your ideas for building together a Europe that can respond to future challenges ?", creates an unprecedented dialogue on a European scale, and will ultimately identify the priorities of young people ahead of the 2024 elections. This Citizen's Agenda, which will be revealed next November in Madrid, will serve as a lever for the massive mobilisation of young people and the sharing of ideas with elected representatives and members of civil society.
On the occasion of the launch of EurHope, a founding text, signed by a large number of European actors animated by an unshakeable will to build a more united Europe that is capable to face challenges, was published simultaneously in many European media:
EurHope was launched on May 9, 2023 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, in the presence of MEPs Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, Brando Benifei and Sandro Gozi, as well as the President of JEF Europe, Antonio Argenziano, and the President of Make.org, Axel Dauchez.
Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, MEP (Greens/European Free Alliance) : "More than ever, Europe needs to open its doors and mobilise citizens to build together the Europe of tomorrow. This is why we strongly support this initiative."
Brando Benifei, MEP (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats) : "It is very important to send a clear message today: we want European democracy to work, and we need this citizen impulse to meet today's challenges."
Sandro Gozi, MEP (Renew Europe) : "We need hope. If we look at the pandemic or the war, citizens need and believe in the EU. This is an important message that we need to get across before the elections".
Antonio Argenziano, president of JEF Europe : "Hope is not about counting on the future, but about being proactive in making Europe a symbol of hope again. To achieve this, we must continue to give voice to the citizens."
Axel Dauchez, president of Make.org : "To engage young European citizens, it is essential to address the issues that concern and engage them. We will also strive to stimulate a political debate around consensus, not just divisions."
This initiative is supported by the European Parliament & (in alphabetical order) à Voté, Accor, Arte, Association Civic Tech, Bertelsmann Foundation, Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung, Caisse des Dépôts, Centro Studi sul Federalismo, Citizens For Europe, City of Paris, Civico Europa, Clear Channel, Debating Europe, Decider Ensemble, European Association for Local Democracy, European Environmental Bureau,, Franco-German Youth Office, Groupe SOS, Istituto di Affari Internazionali, Metropolitan area of Nice, Mediatransports, Mladi EU, Ouest France, Robert Schuman Foundation, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Social Good Accelerator.