From 19 to 24 February 2012, Chengdu will be the place to be for young people with an interest in EU-China Relations. During these days, the first EU-China Youth Policy Dialogue on EU-China Relations, Urbanisation and Social Policies will take place in Chengdu, China. The EU-China Youth Policy Dialogue is a joint project of the European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS – Brussels) and the Chinese Association for European Studies (CAES - China), funded by the European Commission’s Executive Agency for Culture and Education and the Guanghua Foundation, with the support of the Institute for European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS – Beijing).
Focusing on EU-China Relations, Urbanisation and Social Policies, young people from Europe and China will gather their forces during this week of intense dialogue, cultural exchange and discussions on the future of EU-China Cooperation. Drawing on their own expertise, know-how and skills, policy recommendations will be drafted from the specific viewpoint of young people in both societies, creating the opportunity to shape their own future lives and those of many others. Young people are not only the future, but also the present and who would be better placed than them to shape the coming policies and Sino-European relations. China and Europe, partners balancing on a perpetual cord of tension and cooperation, will be joined at each other’s hip for many years to come. Decisions made by policy-makers and other stakeholders will indefinitely have an imminent impact on the world and life of young people, freshmen in the political arena. The EU-China Youth Policy Dialogue aims specifically at making the voice of young people heard and known to decision-makers and the wider public. Hear them out, they might have something important to say!
Tackling the issues of urbanization, social policies, unemployment, the ageing society, in addition to wider topics in EU-China relations such as security issues, the financial and economic crisis, trade relations, investment and social entrepreneurship, as well as political cooperation and diplomatic relations, a broad spectrum of topics will be discussed during workshops and other activities. On Thursday afternoon (23.02.2012), the outcome of the discussions, including a list of policy recommendations will be presented to a larger audience, informing both European and Chinese policy-makers of points of action that require special attention from the point of view of young people in society.
In March, a second EU-China Youth Policy Dialogue will be hosted in Brussels along the same lines, covering the issues of Climate Change, Environment and Sustainable Development, and Youth Policy and Education. Through the online discussion forum and young EU-China experts group, the dialogue will continue in the digital world. All results will be issued and circulated in an all-inclusive publication and made available to policy-makers and stakeholders involved.
For more information on the EU-China Youth Policy Dialogue in Chengdu or Brussels, please contact info@euchinayouth.eu
EU-China Youth Policy Dialogue in Chengdu