Seventy years after the Federal Republic of Germany joined the Council of Europe and with a view to the upcoming German presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from mid-November 2020, this online debate was organised to celebrate the Germany’s commitment to shared European values.

During the exchange, Advisory Council on Youth member, Emilija Gagrčin, shared her views on the expectations of young people in Germany and Europe for European co-operation with Federal Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, Prime Minister of the Saarland, Tobias Hans, and historian from the University of Strasbourg and author of the History of the Council of Europe, Birte Wassenberg.

The minister, Heiko Maas, closed the debate on a wise note: “Democracy is not a matter of course, we live in times when people have to stand up to safeguard democracy, peace and freedom”.

The German presidency of the Committee of Ministers will include youth work and youth participation amongst the priorities, indeed Germany is organising the Third European Youth Work Convention online from 7 to 10 December 2020, just before the end of Germany’s EU Council Presidency.

Watch the debate (German only)

Website of the Third European Youth Work Convention