2011 EU-China Year of Youth Flagship Events

Beijing, Xi’an, 4-11 July & Shenzhen, Guangzhou, 9-15 August 2011

Call for Participants

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 1st June 2011

The events in Beijing, Xi’an and Shenzhen, Guangzhou, as flagship events of the 2011 EU-China Year of Youth will allow youth representatives from both regions to come together to exchange views and knowledge with each other on different themes of common interest, in particular youth and sustainable development and youth participation. Member Organisations can apply to one or both events.

Background

2011 was designated as the EU-China Year of Youth at the 12th EU-China summit, held in Nanjing on 30 November 2009, with a view to "further promoting and deepening partnership between Europe and China" (art. 24). The agreed objective is to strengthen people-to-people contacts and cooperation in various fields, especially youth.

The main objectives of the Youth Year are:

• To promote intercultural dialogue and strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between European and Chinese youth;
• To encourage young people to care about and support the development of EU-China relations;
• To achieve extensive and positive impact and help ensure that cooperation between policy makers as well as between youth organizations is sustainable beyond 2011.

In addition, in line with the 2011 European Year of Volunteering, it is foreseen that voluntary activities comprising young Europeans and Chinese can be promoted through various instruments, including the European Voluntary Service.

To reach these objectives, a variety of activities are foreseen, including a series of flagship events to be held throughout the Year in Europe and China.

TheYear was officially launched with two high-level official opening ceremonies, respectively held in Brussels on 11 January and in Beijing on 23 February.

Objectives and Theme

The event in Beijing, Xi’an is aimed to debate on Youth and Sustainable Development, including a focus on: green volunteering; green transportation; green consumption;and green creativity.

At the event in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, participants will be invited to explore youth participation, contributing to the debate on topics such as: voluntary service; community development and service; new generation and social integration; youth participation in policy making in China and Europe.

Profile of participants

The participants in these events should be youth leaders and should have extensive experience in moderating and being rapporteurs in international meetings. The participants should have a strong "multiplier capacity", i.e. ability and motivation to pass on their experience to others in their home country.

Additional selection criteria:

·         Be nominated by NYCI

·         Be aged between 18-35

·         Previous experience in cooperation with EU-China issues will be an advantage

·         Be committed to building projects/ activities with Chinese youth organisations

·         Be committed to take active part in the whole activity as well as have the capacity to encourage initiatives related to the Year of Youth in their home country

·         Have a good command of the English language

Selection procedure and Deadline

Contact international@nyci.ie for an application form.  Send application form to international officer in NYCI international@nyci.ie by Wed 1st nd June.  There will be a selection procedure in the NYCI and the nominees will be prioritised and sent to the European Youth Forum who will do the final selection process.  Application does not mean participation.

Please let us know in your application form whether you wish to attend the Event in Beijing, Xi’an, the Event in Shenzhen, Guangzhou,or both.

Should more nominations be received than places available, the European Youth Forum will aim to compose a group with a fair, gender and geographically balanced representation of the types of organisation in the European Youth Forum’s membership, taking into account the motivation and experience of the nominees with regard to the above-mentioned criteria.

Other technical details

·         Date and place of the meetings: the flagship events will take place in Beijing, Xi’an on 4-11 July (including arrival and departures dates) and in Shenzhen, Guangzhou on 9-15 August (including arrival and departure dates).

·      Travel, accommodation and meals: International travel costs of European participants will be covered by the European Union. Domestic travel and accommodation costs of European participants in China will be covered by the All-China Youth Federation.

·         Agenda and background info for the meeting: will be sent to participants ahead of the meeting.

·         Language of the meeting: English

Contacts

For questions, please contact Valerie at NYCI Tel 01 4255945 or international@nyci.ie