Y Vote | Policy Paper on increasing youth participation in the democratic process and the impact of youth-led campaigns

Policy Paper written by Florina-Marieta Neagu (Policy Officer of AEGEE-Europe) with support from the Y Vote 2024 Project Team "Young people don't vote, they're not interested in politics". We often hear these words. On the other hand, many young people express that they feel underrepresented by political institutions and believe their voices are rarely reflected in decision-making processes. In 2019, the statistics changed after years of constant decline in the turnout in the European Elections. The voter turnout experienced the largest increase in decades, largely driven by the younger generation of voters across the EU, who defied expectations and participated [...]

AI ACT FAILS TO ADEQUATELY PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS

Policy Paper written by Michiel Barten Artificial Intelligence is transforming the world at an unprecedented pace, reshaping industries, enhancing daily life, and introducing new ways of interacting with technology. However, with its rapid advancement, AI also carries significant implications for human rights. From privacy concerns to potential biases in decision-making processes, AI's impact on people's lives can be profound, influencing everything from job opportunities to personal freedoms. As AI becomes more integrated into critical areas like healthcare, law enforcement, and social services, ensuring that these technologies respect and protect human rights is essential. (...) The whole paper can be found [...]

The Role of Young People in Building Bridges and Uniting Cultures

Position paper written by Martyna Zapalska and Lena Sobczyńska. And was supported by Teddy van Amelsvoort. In an era of unprecedented global connections, our world still faces persistent conflicts and deep-rooted divides. At AEGEE-Europe, we believe young people have the power to bring upon positive change. Our recent position paper on the role of young people in building bridges and uniting cultures reflects our commitment to fostering open dialogue, promoting cultural exchange and awareness and youth leadership across Europe. Inspired by our conference last February in Eindhoven, where young people gathered to explore topics like diversity, inclusion and the [...]

Policy Paper On Advocating For Comprehensive Sexuality Education For Young People In Europe And The Role Of Youth Led Organisations

Policy Paper written by Florina-Marieta Neagu in March 2024 Comprehensive sexuality education plays a crucial part in equipping young people with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to further enjoy their human rights. Going beyond their sexual and reproductive health and rights, comprehensive sexuality education empowers youth to navigate their development, feelings and relationships, while living in a safe and inclusive space with their peers. However, across Europe, comprehensive sexuality education differs in its content, the age of delivery and implementation, and many young people still lack the necessary information and skills. Furthermore, there has been a rise of [...]

Position paper on Circular Economy

CIRCULAR ECONOMY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND Written by Jana Niedringhaus AEGEE (Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe/European Students’ Forum) is a non-governmental, politically independent, and non-profit student organisation, which was created in 1985. The mission of AEGEE is the creation of a borderless Europe, based on democracy and respect for human rights, by bringing together 13,000 students in around 150 cities and 38 countries with different cultural backgrounds. We strive for a democratic, diverse and borderless Europe, which is socially, economically and politically integrated and values the participation of young people in its construction and development. Our [...]

Sustainability Manifesto

Sustainability Manifesto We, the people of AEGEE, meeting at the Autumn Agora Salerno 2019, hereby declare: We ACKNOWLEDGE that we have a moral and social responsibility to make Europe and the world a better place for current and future generations. We UNDERSTAND that Sustainable Development aims to meet the needs of present generations without jeopardising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We face challenges in all three pillars of Sustainable Development: Environmental - the ongoing pollution of our home, habitat destruction for millions of species, and the refusal to acknowledge planetary boundaries, leading to both a [...]

Joint declaration AEGEE-Europe, AAFB, LEAP2040 – From European Elections 2019 to Europe 2040: Making sure Europe’s nascent democracy serves the interests of the next generations

(To the attention of our political & civil society leaders) The 2019 European Elections enter into history as the first signal of ownership of the European project by citizens. The stop to falling turnout proves that the European election will no longer be a second-class vote. The presence of three trans-European parties in the campaign testifies that more Europeans understand that some issues are trans-border. The centrality of environmental concerns in the campaign, indicated by green parties’ high results and the importance of this question in every party agenda, shows that for a significant number of Europeans, this kind of [...]

Inclusive Mobility Alliance – Press Release

  Press Release Inclusive Mobility Alliance puts forth recommendations for a more inclusive Erasmus programme   The Inclusive Mobility Alliance has been officially launched on the 22nd of January 2019 at the European Parliament. Gathering more than 20 organisations with expertise in Disability, Youth and Higher Education, the Alliance aims at making Erasmus+ more inclusive. Students and young people taking part in Erasmus+ mobilities represent respectively approx. 0.17% and 2.8% of all beneficiaries. These low figures have been stagnating for the past 10 years and are the main reasons behind the creation of the Inclusive Mobility Alliance. Based on the United Nation Convention on the [...]