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PROGRAMM “YOUTH ADVOCACY ALLIANCE ” 2023 RESULTS

5 events have been carried out within this project:

Event 1 – I International training on youth advocacy and leadership capacity building in Estonia

Participation: The event involved citizens, including 5 participants from the city of Tallinn, Estonia; 6 participants from the city of Helsinki, Finland; 5 participants from the city of Oslo, Norway; 5 participants from the city of Göteborg, Sweden; 5 participants from the city of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Location / Dates: The event took place in Tallinn and Narva, Estonia, from 02/02/2023 to 05/02/2023.
Short description: The aim of the event was to prepare all project activities, discuss necessary changes and update in the project related technical and content questions, including framework on the content and presentation of the series of debates, media campaign what has been managed by each partner and discussed flagship events EU high level debate in Brussels and European Active citizenship week in Tallinn. We set a new timetable as the spread of COVID 19 and travel difficulties had influenced our work. Partners have approved all necessary changes and update responsibilities amongst themselves and come up with a concrete action plan for execution of the activity plan and targeted results.
Main part of the project was dedicated to the public debates which included following working methodology key elements:
Positivity- the aim is to be focused on the positive aspects of migrants & minority involvement in society. How the target group contribute to the well being of a society or a region like Europe. How cultural diversity is a richness and the benefits of belonging to the European communities.
Intercultural dialogue – providing a voice to the disadvantaged and a forum where they can be heard and engaged.
Comparative perspective- involving other organisations and communities of Europe.
Each public debate has been dedicated for specific topic.

The public debates has been a two day event which have included an intensive programme of official discussions, workshops, trainings, study visits, project proposals and development of content for independent European Report on situation with refugees, migrants and minorities in different sectors of social life.

Event 2 – II International Training on youth advocacy on local level in Sweden
Participation: The event involved citizens, including 5 participants from the city of Göteborg, Sweden; 5 participants from the city of Helsinki, Finland; 5 participants from the city of Oslo, Norway; 5 participants from the city of Tallinn, Estonia; 5 participants from the city of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Location / Dates: The event took place in Göteborg, Sweden, from 29/03/2023 to 01/04/2023.
Short description: The aim of the public debate “Setting into society and strengthening cohesion” was to discuss EU and national policies in terms of migrants, refugees and minorities and exchange of views between different partners and propose concrete proposals/ solutions, policy changes (knowledge and experience-based solutions) for local and international decision makers. Participants came to conslusion that we need to increase inclusion of vulnerable groups (migrants, minorities and refugees) in ensuring more inclusive and sustainable society. Vulnerable groups representatives, experts, decision makers, stakeholders and young people had an opportunity to discuss importance of involvement of vulnerable groups in the civil society, improvement of social cohesion and particularly question related with children and young poeple at local level by promotion of intercultural dialogue and social work. The programme consists of plenary, lectures/speeches, panel discussions, workshops, study visits and Round Table / World Café discussions involving all participants.

Event 3 – III International Training on youth advocacy on regional level in Denmark
Participation: The event involved  25 citizens, including 5 participants from the city of Tallinn, Estonia; 9 participants from the city of Mälmo, Sweden; 5 participants from the city of Vantaa, Kerava & Helsinki, Finland; 7 participants from the city of Copenhagen, Denmark; and 1 participant from the city of Oslo, Norway.

Location / Dates: The event took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 12/04/2023 to 15/04/2023.
Short description: The aim of the public debate “Professional success and Integration”  was to think about how to support and integrate vulnerable groups into society and adapt them in society and the labour market, focusing on the situation of immigrants, refugees and minorities (language, gender, and people with special needs). Partner countries representatives also have exchanged views on local realities with situation on labour and human rights on their countries and from EU perspective, on the main priority areas for the future of EU and national integration and adaptaion of labour policies for vulnerable groups, on the role of EU Funds and programms to support national efforts on integration, adaptation, inclusion and on the key role played by multi-stakeholder partnerships in the integration process. Key govermental institutions and stakeholders have shared EU and national tools and abilities for vulnerable group representatives labour-market integration and discover key challanges on this theme.

Event 4 – IV International training on youth advocacy on international level in Finland
Participation: The event involved 25 citizens, including 5 participants from the city of Sillamäe, Tartu, Tallinn, Estonia; 5 participants from the city of Oslo, Norway; 7 participants from the city of Mälmo, Göteborg, Sweden; 7 participants from the city of Helsinki, Finland; 5 participants from the city of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Location / Dates: The event took place in Helsinki, Finland, from 03/05/2023 to 06/05/2023.
Short description: The aim of the public debate “Intercultural dialogue & Anti-discrimination strategies”  was continution of contribution of gathering materials for development of the content for an independent European Report on the situation with refugees, migrants, and minorities in different social life sectors. We were discovering opinions of the citizens, vulnerable groups and stakeholder representatives on how we could more effectively counter violent extremism, racism and xenophobia from European and Euro-mediterranean perspective, the role of civil society in cohision and integration policy, education and Intercultural dialogue. Participants were proposing their own ideas and tools for promotion of intercultural dialogue and supporting anti-discrimination in the society. Also as important part of the debate, was to have a dialogue with the European institutions, representd by Esther Pozo, Policy Assistant to the Commissioner for Home Affairs of the European Commission on the theme of “European Commission Inclusion: Intercultural Dialogue and Anti-Discrimination” and on the theme of combating the stigmatisation of migrants & minority groups and their protection, fostering European citizenship and improvement of conditions for civic and democratic participation we finalised our discussion with representatives of European Union Parliament office in Barcelona.

Event 5 – Grand Conference “Youth – are a solution, not a problem” in Norway
Participation: The event involved 55 citizens, including 5 participants from the city of Tallinn, Narva, Sillamäe, Estonia; 5 participants from the city of Copenhagen, Denmark; 5 participants from the city of Mälmo and subarea, Sweden; 5 participants from the city of Helsinki, Kerava, Lohja, Finland; 25 participants from the city of Oslo, Porsgrunn, Norway; additionally to them, there were also other representatives and foreign representatives.

Location / Dates: The event took place in Oslo/Porgsgrunn, Norway, from 31/05/2023 to 04/06/2023.
Short description: The main aim of the European Active Citizens week was to explore the implementation of the EU action plan on integration and inclusion 2021-2027, to raise awareness about the importance of involving migrants and minorities fully in the civic society as well as sensitising them to understand and appreciate the normality of different worldviews, customs and ways of life among human beings and to support migrant & minority communities in exercising their rights and responsibilities in society and enhance their feeling of belonging to the community, both local and European. 
The European Active Citizens Week / Festival has been a flagship event of the project and included a series of events that have been happening during 8-days and included an intensive program of official discussions in frame of the high level international conference “Inclusive and Sustainable Europe: way forward or step back?”, working groups (about the achievements of integration and migration policies of the EU and importance of inclusion of vulnerable groups into active social life), trainings and workshops conducted by international partners and Estonian hosts, study visits and cultural performances (local and international), exhibition and development of new project proposals plus networking. A special attention has been dedicated to the presentation of an independent European Report on the situation with refugees, migrants, and minorities in different social life sectors prepared by international partners in frame of the programm “Inclusive Europe”. The European Active Citizens Week has connected regional networks of practitioners, policy-makers, civil society organizations, young people, media, and governmental officials. Additionally to the key theme we were able to discuss also following qustions:

  1. Inclusive Society and integration policy from the perspective of the state and social stakeholders on migration crisis
  2. The EU and Civil Society response on migration crises by setting new action plan for Pact on migration and asylum and supporting migrant & minority communities in exercising their rights and responsibilities in society
  3. The Civil Society Dynamic on integration, inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable groups at national and European Level
  4. The barriers to integration and of effective steps to address them – within and beyond the labor market, social cohesion and civic participation at local and national level.

In frame of the project we have achieved many positive results:

  • We have organised 5 public debates and an EU High level public debate, with a flagship event the European Action Week with diverse programm, that was organised to celebrate Unity in diversity.
    Events included: media campaign, debates, trainings, sharing stories, concerts, intercultural fair, exhibition, creative and educational workshops and an official international summarizing conference of the program.
  • Participants of the project have gained new skills & knowledge regarding inclusion, participation, overview of local and EU policies and specially migration and integration action plans . They also discovered the role of civil society organisations in ensuring the integration of migrants and refugees in EU.
  • Participants of the project and particularly Civil Society have developed a new set of guidelines and responses on migration crises by setting new action plan for Pact on migration and asylum and supporting migrant & minority communities in exercising their rights and responsibilities in society.
  • Through dialogue and education, the project has increased the communities’ tolerance, intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding.
  • Through debates and opinions polls we have collected data (across Europe) on political discourse on local and EU level, on extremist and populist movements, distinct conceptions and migration/minorities challenges that we used to formulate practical solutions for politicians and stakeholders acting as on national or European level.
  • Participants have improved their own understanding of the EU policy making-process, had a change to get to know more about legal and executive power representatives and participation of EU citizens in the policy making process by full engagement and sharing opinion by proposing practical solutions, empowerment of collaboration and sharing European values like: freedom, rule
    of law, equality, participative democracy and promoting peace and stability in our communities.


✔ Programme pictures gallery
✔ Programme materials and reports
✔ Programme questionaires

Programme has involved participation of 5 official partner countries: Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.

Totally in project activities directly took part 150 people and through communication and indirect activities 403 people.

The project “Youth Advocacy Alliance” was funded with the support of the Nordic Council Point and international partners.