Young people aged 15 to 22 claim a new Europe in Frankfurt

Frankfurt am Main, 15.11.2013: Today, 45 young people from ten European countries have presented the European Youth Manifesto including their calls for action for the future of Europe in the Römer, the Frankfurt town hall.

In their manifesto the youth demand a new society in which Human Rights, Culture, Education, Employment, Environment, Immigration, Language, Energy, Security and combating Violence and Crime play a central role. They want a Europe that embodies unity and puts honesty and tolerance into practice.

In the foreword, Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the European Commission and Chairwoman of the Board of Patrons for European Youth states: ”European institutions as well as decision-making processes have to become more democratic and transparent. After all, more and more decisions that affect people‘s lives directly are taken at European level. At the same time, people need to know about their rights, as you mention in the manifesto.”

You can download the complete European Youth Manifesto here. 

From 14th until 16th of November, the young people are visiting Frankfurt to attend the first Get2Gather of the initiative “My Europe“ initiated by the Frankfurter Zukunftsrat. Thus Frankfurt will become City of the European Youth for three days. This evening they will launch the Youth Council for the Future in the Imperial Hall of the Römer. This council shall take an active part in the creation of the future and in contributing to solve the key problems that are exposed in the European Youth Manifesto. By means of the council the young people shall be given a voice in Brussels as well as in the national parliaments.

The young aged 15 to 22 haven´t got a lobby in Europe up to now. But they are our future. It is those youth, who will be the managers and leaders in politics, economy and culture by the year 2030.

Prof. Dr. Manfred Pohl, Founder and Chairman of the Frankfurter Zukunftsrat e.V. as well as initiator of the project “My Europe“, points out: “The young people of today want another, a better Europe where the people understand each other despite the diversity of the cultures and where they show solidarity towards each other. These youth need a strong lobby and require a stronger involvement in the political decision-making process. The right to vote at the age of 16 in all EU countries and especially at the European elections is long overdue. This way we give the youth a voice.”