The kind of Europe Cyprus youth is fighting for

The conversation around Europe today raises critical questions regarding balanced development, democracy and the coexistence of people on the basis of solidarity and social cohesion. We must define the future of Europe, especially for the young people who represent it.

The most pressing issues that concern youth should be addressed, while each individual goal should contribute to building relations of equal participation and the new environment we are trying to create.

What kind of Europe do we want?

This is a question that every EU Member State should be able to respond to during these critical times. It is particularly important for each member state to have a specific model in place for the development of the European Union, especially at a time when the current system is being challenged. There are two main models for the future organisation of the European Union: the supranational model and the intergovernmental model.

The supranational model implies the transfer of sovereignty from the Member States to the Union system with the aim of creating – or strengthening – institutional bodies with autonomy versus national governments in decision-making. In contrast, the intergovernmental model allows participating Member States to formally maintain sovereignty, but to also cooperate in decision-making to solve common problems or manage crises and deal with risks and threats.

The effects of the crises of the past decade have led to the European Union shifting to a stronger intergovernmental model of operation. A large number of citizens began to perceive the Union not as a system maximising its prosperity, but as the exact opposite: a system that with its policies leads to a reduction in the standard of living, to rising unemployment, to new inequalities, to insecurity in societies.

At the same time, Brexit was a catalyst for the European Union, as it stressed to political leadership that the process of European integration, which despite its shortcomings has secured important benefits (peace, democracy, prosperity), was in danger of ending.

What kind of EU does Cypriot youth want?

A discussion will take place during the 2^nd Cyprus Forum on October 2, 2021 between youth representatives, European officials and MEPs about the kind of EU that the new generation envisions.

The Cyprus Forum is organised by Oxygono and the Delphi Economic Forum, while this session is co-organised with the European Parliament Office in Cyprus and will be addressed by Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Vice President of the European Parliament and by Kalliopi Agapiou-Iosifidou, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Cyprus.

MEPs Costas Mavridis and Stephen Clark, Director in DG COMM of the European Parliament, will engage in dialogue with Cypriot youth representatives.

It is worth noting that the Cyprus Forum seeks to unite civil society, institutions, academia and the business world for the second consecutive year.

Bringing together a unique mix of local and foreign leaders from the public and private sectors, the media, academia, entrepreneurs, policy-makers and active citizens, participants in the 2nd Cyprus Forum will exchange ideas and identify new and creative solutions to key issues of public life.

For registrations click here.

For more information, contact Cyprus Forum: Tel: +357 22 678 670, [email protected], www.cyprusforum.cy