The European Youth Conference “Young people in local and regional life: Democracy in action!” will take place from 5 to 7 February 2025 in the Youth Centre Braga, in Portugal.
The Braga Youth Conference is the largest gathering of young people and local authorities in 2025, anchoring youth perspectives in the Council of Europe’s local and regional democracy work. It will gather around 150 young people and local authorities from the 46 Council of Europe´s members states , who will work on the update of the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life.
The opening remarks will be given by:
- Ricardo RIO, Mayor of Braga
- Luis GUEDES, Municipal Youth Council of Braga
- Nina GRMUŠA, Chair of the Advisory Council on Youth
- Veronique BERTHOLLE, Congress Spokesperson on Youth, Deputy Mayor of Strasbourg
Margarida BALSEIRO LOPES, Minister of Youth and Modernisation of Portugal, will deliver an address to the participants of the conference. The Minister will open the photo exhibition "Between light and darkness", featuring photos by Konstantin and Vlad Liberovih and Yurka Dyachyshyn, which will take place in the city of Braga.
The opening session (5 February 9:30-10:40), the session with the Minister of Youth and Modernisation of Portugal (6 February 19:30) and the closing session of the conference (7 February 17:00) are open to media. Simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Portuguese will be available.
The conference is co-organised by the Council of Europe Youth Department and the Braga Youth Centre, and in partnership with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the Municipality of Braga, the Portuguese Institute for Sports and Youth and the European Youth Forum.
Media contacts:
Francisca Rodrigues, phone +351 912 157 215, Braga Youth Centre
Tatiana Baeva-Frachon, Council of Europe Directorate of Communications
Marija Simic, Council of Europe Youth Department
