The steering group of a future Council of Europe youth campaign for revitalising democracy met for the first time on 2 and 3 March 2021 online. Subject to sufficient resources, such a campaign could be launched in 2022 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the youth sector.

In true co-managed fashion, three members of the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ) and three members of the European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ) met, along with representatives of the European Youth Forum and of the Council of Europe secretariat (Youth Department, Directorate of Communications, Directorate of Internal Oversight), to discuss the concept and key parameters of the proposed campaign.

Following in-depth discussions, the steering group agreed the focus of the campaign would be democracy, meaningful youth participation and digitalisation. The first two are fundamental principles of the Council of Europe youth sector which are being impacted by the third, i.e. digitalisation.

The steering group will meet again in May and in September to further develop and operationalise the concept of the campaign.

The members of the steering group called on member states and partners to commit to supporting the future campaign at European and/or national levels at this crucial juncture, so that a final decision on whether to launch the campaign can be taken by the Joint Council on Youth (CMJ) next October.