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British students to have their say on migration in Europe
Preparations for European Youth Debate kick off on 9 March with EESC visit to the selected school in Derry
On 9 March Michael Smyth, the Vice-President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in charge of budget, will visit St Columb's College in Derry to prepare a delegation of students for the Your Europe, Your Say European Youth debate which will take place later in Brussels on 17-19 March 2016.
Michael Smyth will work with the three students and one teacher to prepare for the event, which this year will focus on migration in Europe. He will present the EESC's activities and its role as the voice of civil society in Europe and give them guidance on the debate. Students taking part from across Europe will be tasked with coming up with concrete measures to be taken in schools, clubs, etc., to promote effective integration of young migrants into European societies.
Thirty-three schools have been selected from among over 400 applicants from the 28 EU Member States and, for the first time, the 5 candidate countries (Albania, Turkey, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). The EESC is organising this event for the seventh consecutive year to ensure that the views, experiences and ideas of young people are taken into account in EU policy making.
In applying for the event, St Columb's College explained why it wished to participate in the event: " Students in St Columb's College have a strong sense of History and political awareness, which in some part may be due to the unique Northern Irish situation in which the generation of their parents and grandparents experienced the 'troubles' first hand. However, living in a small city located on the periphery of Europe our students sometimes fail to understand the situation in mainland Europe and only really fully appreciate it when they visit other countries. We also feel that in light of current developments it is of the utmost importance for our young people to become involved in discussions about the future of migrants in Europe."
Michael Smyth has been a member of the EESC since October 2006. He has been a member of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Confederation of British Industry Northern Ireland since 1990 and a member of the Economic Strategy Committee of the Institute of Directors, Northern Ireland since 1998. He was the Head of the School of Economics at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown, Northern Ireland from 2008 to 2013. Currently he is the President of Habinteg Housing Association, a large social housing provider in Northern Ireland.
British students can already come into contact with students from the other participating schools on Facebook or Twitter to exchange ideas and information.
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For more information, please contact:
Siana Glouharova , EESC Press Officer
Email:
Tel: ++32 2 546 92 76/ Mob: + 32 (0) 473 53 40 02
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The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the EU decision-making process. The Committee has 350 members from across Europe, who are appointed by the Council of the European Union.
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Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99 – 1040 Bruxelles/Brussel – BELGIQUE/BELGIË
Tel. +32 25469406 – Fax +32 25469764
E-mail: – Internet: www.eesc.europa.eu
Follow the EESC on