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The 81st International Session of the European Youth Parliament will take place in both Belfast and Dublin this March. St Mary’s University College will be one of the main venues where over 300 young participants from thirty-five European countries will gather to debate and discuss current European issues.
The European Youth Parliament (EYP) is an independent educational programme which was established in 1987 in Fontainebleau, France. Over the past twenty-nine years, the EYP has grown to encompass almost 500 events involving 28,000 young participants annually in countries across Europe. Today it is one of the largest European platforms for political debate, educational work and the exchange of ideas among young people. The flagship events of the EYP are the three annual International Sessions, which gather together delegates from all the participating countries.
The International Session is divided into three sections: Teambuilding, Committee Work and General Assembly. The Committee Work segment of “Dublin Belfast 2016” will be hosted by St Mary’s University College from 7 – 9 March. For three days, St Mary’s will be the location of innovative knowledge sharing by young Europeans with the goal of devising resolutions that will be debated in General Assembly in Dublin, then sent on to decision makers across Europe. St Mary’s also will play host to “EurVoice”, EYPUK’s outreach programme integrating delegates from around Europe with local school students and politicians.
“Dublin Belfast 2016” is a milestone for the organisation. It is the first International Session held jointly in two countries, organised by both EYP Ireland and EYPUK. The session theme, “Crossing Borders, Transcending Conflict”, is especially pertinent given that the session falls on the centenary of the 1916 Rising. The relevance of this theme is strikingly evident, not only to the United Kingdom and Ireland but also to Europe as a whole. The context of “Dublin Belfast 2016” establishes the theme as the foundation of the session and will allow delegates to consider the impact of cross-border conflicts from their corner of Europe as well as further afield.
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