Young people are among the most active users of digital technologies and increasingly vulnerable to the risks and dangers of the digital space. The 24^th edition of the University on Youth and Development (UYD), started today on the theme Empowering Youth in Digital Safety. The UYD equips youth with tools to protect their rights online, promote responsible digital citizenship, and reinforce their capacity to share these tools and knowledge within their communities.

The UYD was opened by Rocío Cervera, Deputy Executive Director of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe. She underlined: “We need a new vision in which technology is not about machines replacing us, but machines enhancing the best of us. In this we can be inspired by one of humanity’s greatest steps forward: the recognition of Human Rights.”

Margarita Guerrero Calderón, Director General of the Spanish Youth Institute (Injuve), stated: “For Injuve it is an honour to once again host the UYD at CEULAJ, especially in this edition with a priority theme: empowering young people to exercise their rights in the digital sphere. On global challenges like this, building international alliances is essential, which is why it is inspiring to see young people from 78 countries preparing to lead the changes we need in the digital environment.”

During the opening session, Eugenio Sevillano Ordóñez, Mayor of Mollina, and Sebastián Pérez Gallardo, Director of CEULAJ, also addressed the participants with words of encouragement.

This was followed by a debate on digitalisation and intercultural dialogue was held, featuring contributions from Manuel Langendorf, Senior Analyst and Editor at Middle East Minds, Harry Myo Lin, dialogue expert and creator of an interfaith chatbot, Sophie Kwasny, Head of Education, Training and Cooperation at the Youth Department of the Council of Europe.

After the inaugural session, each UYD partner presented the activities they will be leading throughout the week. To close the first day, participants discovered local culture and traditions through a flamenco performance.

As a European regional organisation for the protection of human rights with the European Convention on Human Rights as its main reference, the Council of Europe has been at the forefront of setting legal standards for the protection of human rights online.

The UYD is an international youth event part of the iLEGEND III joint programme, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe.