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Background:
In an effort to further support dialogue and cooperation between
Serbia and its regional and European neighbours, the German Institute
for Foreign Relations has cooperated with a number of institutions,
organizations and individuals to make possible, during Germany's
EU Presidency, the manifestation of a "EU Youth Parliament"
in Serbia. The event, hosted by the Government and Parliament of
the Autonomous Province (AP) of Vojvodina, is organized in close
cooperation with the OSCE Mission to Serbia, the German Embassy
in Belgrade, the Centre for Political Education of Baden-Württemberg
and the Research Group 'Youth and Europe' in Munich.
1. Brief Overview and Objective:
160 high school students from across Serbia and their friends from
Croatia, Bulgaria, Rumania and Germany shall, for two days, assume
roles of European decision makers, and debate questions such as
EU membership of Croatia and Turkey, as well as EU perspectives
for Serbia. The original role play, developed by the Research Group
'Youth and Europe', was adopted to the current political and social
situation in Serbia with the aim to include engaged high school
students into a debate on issue that exceed national perspectives
and thus enable them to better understand the complex political,
cultural and social environment of today's Europe.
As students take the roles of EU member states, political fractions
within the EU Parliament, or decision makers in the European Commission,
they will receive an opportunity to evaluate and compare their own
country from the perspective of an outsider, and participate in
a fact-based political debate with students from other European
countries. The simulation shall resume Serbia's negotiations on
the Stabilisation and Association agreement and decide over Croatia's
and Turkey's EU membership. Fifteen national trainers and one professional
from the Institute in Munich shall guide the students through EU
institutions while educating them on possibilities to participate
in and assume responsibility for the future of their own society.
Following the simulation in Novi Sad, the most outstanding students
shall also receive an inside view of EU institutions during a visit
to Brussels. The trip to Brussels, organised by the Mission of the
European Commission to Serbia, shall be announced during the closing
ceremony at which students will present their visions for Serbia's
future to local politicians and representatives of the international
community.
Following the summit a brochure on the role and activities of the
EU in Serbian will be distributed in participating schools. The
students who take part in the EU summit shall act as ambassadors
in their own schools and transfer their knowledge to other students.
It is also envisaged that smaller EU summits are held at schools
and youth institutions across the country using the expertise of
national trainers to lead these events.
2. Activities and Events
1. January to May 2007 - 140 students have been selected from among
40 schools across Serbia. In support of their application students
prepared short slogans and photos that represent EU values most
valuable to them. While among students from Serbia numerous national
minorities are represented, their diversity is further enriched
through the participation of students from Croatia, Bulgaria and
Rumania.
2. March to May - Preparations and events are covered by media events,
including two press conferences, life footage of the event and promotional
material distributed among all participating schools and local communities.
3. 4 to 10 March 2007 - Training for trainers for 15 German speaking
national trainers who shall be responsible to lead the students
through the simulation. The training is organised by the Center
for political education of Baden-Württemberg.
4. March to May 2007 - Work on print materials for students conducted
in close cooperation between ifa, the OSCE Mission in Serbia and
the Government Office for EU integration. The original materials
for the EU Simulation have been developed by the Research Group
Youth and Europe from Munich, and with their support modified and
updated to suit the Serbian context and participants. The materials
contain information on country profiles, political fractions, EU
intuitions as well as provide an overall pedagogical and organizational
framework for the simulation.
5. 07 to 12 May 2007 - distribution of roles among students and
relevant material for study and preparation.
6. 18 to 20 May - EU Simulation
3.
Organizers:
" Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen e.V. Stuttgart, Peter Kratzer
(ifavojvodina@nadlanu.com), Lena May (may@ifa.de)
" Government of the AP Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Mrs Dusanka Manic
(manic77@eunet.yu), Nela Jelic (nelajelic@yahoo.com),
" Parliament of the AP Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Csilla Gimpel Kanor
(csillak@skupstinavojvodine.sr.gov.yu), Lidia Kovljenic (bokalili@yahoo.com)
" OSCE Mission to Serbia, Belgrade, Mrs Hannelore Valier (hannelore.valier@osce.org),
Mr Axel Jaenicke (axel.jaenicke@osce.org), Snezana Vuksa (snezana.vuksa@osce.org)
" German Embassy in Belgrade, Mr Arne Hartig (ku-l@belg.diplo.de)
" Research Group Youth and Europe, Mr Stefan Rappenglück (rappenglueck@lrz.uni-muenchen.de)
and Mrs Eva Feldmann (evafeldmann@hotmail.com)
" Zentrale für Politische Bildung Baden-Württemberg, Mr Wolfgang
Berger (wolfgang.berger@lpb.bwl.de)
" Junior team-leader, Mr Ilker Vidinlioglu (ilker@vidinlioglu.de)
" Donauschwäbische Kulturstiftung Baden-Württemberg, Mr Eugen
Christ (dsks@hdh.bwl.de)
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