Motion for a recommendation | Doc. 13762 | 21 April 2015

Enhancing the efforts of the European Youth Foundation for the Balkans

Signatories: Mr Josip JURATOVIC, Germany, SOC ; Ms Doris BARNETT, Germany, SOC ; Mr Vannino CHITI, Italy, SOC ; Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Norway, SOC ; Mr Igor CORMAN, Republic of Moldova, SOC ; Mr Paolo CORSINI, Italy, SOC ; Ms Elvira DROBINSKI-WEIß, Germany, SOC ; Mr Gvozden Srećko FLEGO, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Hans FRANKEN, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Andreas GROSS, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Jonas GUNNARSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Germany, SOC ; Ms Anette HÜBINGER, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Andrej HUNKO, Germany, UEL ; Mr Igor KOLMAN, Croatia, ALDE ; Mr Dirk Van der MAELEN, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Philipp MIßFELDER, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Melita MULIĆ, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Ms Nataša VUČKOVIĆ, Serbia, SOC ; Mr Johann WADEPHUL, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Tobias ZECH, Germany, EPP/CD

Last year’s violent conflict in Ukraine together with social uprisings in the Balkan Peninsula - paired with an increase in nationalist rhetoric across Europe - remind us of the everlasting danger of nationalism and war in Europe.

However, the history of Central Europe has shown that there is one very effective means that can successfully prevent this kind of danger: the cultural exchange of young people across borders.

Unfortunately, although young people would like to actively contribute to all kinds of exchange, yet not all countries offer them opportunities for exchanging ideas, thoughts and building sustainable relationships.

Therefore the Parliamentary Assembly asks and encourages the Committee of Ministers and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to further investigate the possibilities of the European Youth Foundation to support efforts of cross border co-operation – particularly among Balkan countries - and come forward with recommendations on how to strengthen existing local approaches, keeping in mind the important link that young people secure between neighbouring countries and against the evil of nationalism.