At YouthProAktiv, we recognize the profound impact that direct dialogue between youth and policymakers can have on shaping a better future. Our “MeetYourMEPs” series exemplifies this belief by facilitating insightful interviews with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). These conversations address key youth priorities and EU actions within various policy frameworks, aiming to bridge the gap between EU policymakers and young people across Europe.
At the heart of the “MeetYourMEPs” series is our goal to establish a direct connection between EU policymakers and young people, including candidates for the European Parliament, to foster mutual understanding and cooperation. This initiative encourages MEPs to actively participate in our programs and initiatives, reinforcing the EU youth strategy. By engaging in focused discussions, we aim to address specific topics that are pertinent to youth communities across Europe.
The thematic areas of discussion within the “MeetYourMEPs” series are diverse and critical to youth development and empowerment. These areas include digitalization and technology, digital influence, inclusion and diversity in disability, rural access and opportunities, the new green deal, youth adulting processes, and culture and multiculturalism.
In 2023, we expanded our engagement through three Instagram Live sessions with MEPs, covering various essential topics. The discussions during these live sessions and face-to-face interviews at the European Parliament included subjects like addressing demographic challenges, nurturing work-life harmony, empowering youth transitions, harnessing media platforms for positive impact, exploring potential collaboration with the EU40 Group, youth collaboration for smart villages, building a sustainable future through the social economy,
disabilities and youth collaboration, the role of AI in education, culture, and the audio-visual sector, the Green New Deal, and strategies for transmitting national and global cultures.
The MEPs we engaged with in 2023 were Tomasz Frankowski (Poland), Dragoș Pîslaru (Romania), Alicia Homs (Spain), Cristina Maestre Martín de Almagro (Spain), Henrike Hahn (Germany), Mónica Silvana González (Spain), and Malte Gallée (Germany).
As for 2024, we delved into new and pressing topics that continue to shape the future of European youth. These included new ways of democratic engagement for young people and their impact on traditional elections, developments in European initiatives to boost the
inclusion of disabled youngsters such as the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities, ensuring work-life balance to empower gender equality, boosting self-employment to increase youth employability rates, the functioning of the European Parliament and its impact on daily life, shaping and implementing policies for the EU youth strategy, EU initiatives to enhance educational and employment opportunities, the role of social entrepreneurship in implementing the European Green Deal, and strategies for mental well-being among European youth.
The MEPs we have met with in 2024 include Sabine Verheyen (Germany), Rosa Estaràs Ferragut (Spain), Christine Schneider (Germany), Diana Riba i Giner (Spain), Axel Voss (Germany), Mohammed Chahim (Netherlands), Javi López (Spain), Brando Benifei (Italy), Hannes Heide (Austria), Stelios Kympouropoulos (Greece), and Sirpa Pietikäinen (Finland).
Through the “MeetYourMEPs” series, YouthProAktiv continues to foster meaningful conversations that contribute to the development and empowerment of young people across Europe. These engagements not only highlight the concerns and aspirations of the youth but also provide a platform for policymakers to address these issues directly, ensuring a more inclusive and proactive approach to shaping the future of Europe.
All interviews and Instagram Live talks can be found on our Instagram account under the highlight “Meet Your MEPs.”