Youth Summer Universities
The Summer Universities are international hubs that gathers hundreds of young people, youth workers, experts from the field and decision makers for a week. Plenary moments and side meetings encourage dialogue between all the stakeholders of the event and increase confidence between decision makers and young people.
In each “University” a number of youth-led and youth-oriented organisations have the possibility to run their own activities (trainings, seminars, board meetings…) within a dynamic and participatory context which encourages networking, cooperation and peer-to-peer education.
The activities taking place within the Universities allow for the sharing of knowledge and good practices, the planning of future actions to empower young people and the designing of common messages advocating for youth participation.
At the Universities it is possible to experience first-hand intercultural dialogue and explore all dimensions of global citizenship through various approaches based on the non-formal education methodology.
The Summer Universities are promoted by the Network on Youth and Global Citizenship.
23 editions of the University on Youth and Development – since 2000;
7 editions of the Mediterranean University on Youth and Global Citizenship – since 2013
9 editions of the African University on Youth and Development – from 2009-2015
2 editions of the Meta-university (online) – 2020 and 2021
Every year the Network on Youth and Global Citizenship proposes a theme representing the thread that connects all the activities taking place in the framework of the Universities that same year. The plenary sessions and all the other common moments of the University (the “Joint Programme”) explore the annual theme, connecting all partners’ activities and engaging all the participants involved in them.
This approach will unfold different, but complementary, elements ensuring greater impact and coherence in the medium term.
Annual themes - Concept notes:
2018: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies.
2022: Build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions.
The Network on Youth and Global Citizenship is a partnership facilitated by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe that gathers youth-led organisations, international youth platforms and governmental institutions from Europe, the Southern Mediterranean and beyond.
The Network was set up in 2011 as an informal platform of dialogue and multilateral cooperation at interregional level in the youth field.
The organisations part of the network join their efforts for the definition of a common agenda and for the promotion of initiatives fostering democratic participation and global citizenship among young people.
The exchanges of information, opportunities and good practices among members allow to explore policy mechanisms and discover new tools for youth development in order to increase the recognition of youth as agents for positive change.
The principles and standards of the Council of Europe and the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development are the at the centre of the network’s work.
North-South Centre of the Council of Europe
Instituto de la Juventud (INJUVE, Spain);
Observatoire National de la Jeunesse (ONJ, Tunisia);
European Youth Forum (YFJ);
Pan-African Youth Union (PYU);
Network of International Youth Organisations in Africa (NIYOA);
Foro Latino-Americano y Caribeño de la Juventud (FLACJ);
Consejo de la Juventud (CJE, Spain);
Consell Nacional de la Joventut de Catalunya (CNJC, Spain);
Forum Nazionale dei Giovanni (FNG, Italy);
Conselho Nacional de Juventude (CNJ, Portugal).
Youth co-operation initiatives aims at increasing youth participation and international cooperation in the youth sector to build more peaceful societies and more inclusive decision-making processes.
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