A strong affirmation of European values came from 49 young delegates of JCI (Junior Chamber International) who gathered in Brussels. Thanks also to the contribution given by Jonathan J. Borg, JCI vice president assigned to Europe from JCI Malta, young active citizens discussed the current and unprecedented crisis with stakeholders from the European Commission, the Committee of Regions, Members of the European Parliament and representatives from European Business and Civil Society organisations.
"Our continent is facing an unprecedented crisis. Many lose their life on their quest to a better life, and of those who successfully complete their journey, many struggle for social acceptance and educational and economic opportunity. At the same time, the communities receiving this unprecedented number of migrants and refugees are struggling with how to support this population and also continue to serve current residents. At the same time, many of the refugees making their way to Europe are well educated, want to work and contribute to the local economy. Given the current youth unemployment crisis as well as the challenges of ageing populations, the current crisis will have effects on the societies beyond just the effort to welcome the refugees and migrants to their new communities," says Ismail Haznedar, who is the first Turkish president to lead the worldwide organisation.
The discussion was part of the 11th edition of the programme entitled JCI European Know-How Transfer led by the Belgian Siska Castelain, which aims to strengthen the awareness regarding European institutions and to foster the connection between European stakeholders and European citizens.
After a period of five days spent in the heart of Europe engaging in workshops and seminars, the delegates - young active citizens aged 18 to 40 - committed to supporting the European-wide efforts to help integrate refugees, while contributing to solutions for the other pressing challenges such as youth unemployment.
European JCI members met with experts from the European Commission and the Committee of Regions, Members of the European Parliament and staff members of international organisations like the European Youth Forum and the European Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs. Further exchanges and partnerships with the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions in the field of youth and development were on the agenda. Furthermore, they had the great opportunity to spend three days shadowing a member of the European Parliament.
"For me to attend this JCI European programme was a great development opportunity and gave me a solid insight on how the EU institutions work, the unique opportunity to shadow MEP Dr Roberta Metsola made me appreciate the hard work and commitment which our MEPs dedicate towards this post," declared Mr Borg.
"By connecting European policy with local business and civil society, the programme fosters the European integration process. The commitment to integrate refugees while continuously working on sustainable solutions to Europe's other challenges reflects the importance of young people's contribution to the future of the continent. Their input and their shared voice will be required to achieve the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, which have just been approved by the UN General Assembly and which will guide JCI's efforts over the next 15 years. This is in line with our Mission, which is to provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change," said the executive vice president Steven Wilson, who leads JCI in Europe in 2015, where the NGO is present in 39 countries with more than 30,000 members.
Engaging in activities focused on sustainable development locally and globally, JCI members take responsibility for their communities while improving themselves through leadership and action. We think critically about existing problems and find sustainable solutions, which we translate into projects in education, innovation, entrepreneurship and social responsibility. We believe that collaborative ownership of both challenges and solutions by government, economy and civil society will produce long-term impact. At a global level, JCI is a recognised partner organisation of the United Nations and is present in more than 120 countries with 200,000 members.