The YEYS 2016 winning schools have been chosen!

The results are in. After an impressive 428 applications to take part in Your Europe, Your Say! (YEYS) 2016, 33 schools from 28 EU Member States and five candidate countries have been selected to take part. We are thrilled that so many young people have expressed interest in this exciting event, and we can’t wait to meet the winning schools and students in March.

Learn more about the selected schools.

This lucky group of 16 to 17 year-olds from across the EU - and for the very first time from five Candidate Countries (Albania, Turkey, Montenegro, Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) – will now be invited to the EESC headquarters in Brussels between 17 and 19 March to engage with each other and debate with key stakeholders on the important issue of migration.

EESC Vice President  Gonçalo Lobo Xavier with EESC Members Renata Heinisch and Adam Rogalewski were honoured to take part in the random draw, on 14 January, which resulted in one school being selected from each of the eligible countries.

Each selected school is now invited to send three students, together with their teacher, to represent them at YEYS 2016.

Let your voice be heard

There is perhaps no more pressing pan-European issue than migration at the moment. The EESC wants to see a more humanitarian approach to immigration and asylum, and as the “voice” of civil society we are eager to ensure that the views, experiences and ideas of Europe’s younger generations are heard.

So when we talk about ‘Your Europe, Your Say’, we mean it. We want to know your thoughts on a range of issues; what host countries could be doing to achieve better integration; what practical action schools could take; or what awareness-raising measures you would implement. We want you to think about innovative solutions to the migration challenge Europe – and the rest of the world – is facing today.

In February and March 2016, EESC Members will visit the schools in their respective countries to explain the role and activities of the EESC. They will also provide assistance in the build-up to the event, giving advice to help prepare students for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Thank you to everyone who took part and congratulations to the winners. In the meantime, and to get a better idea about the event, please watch our video of last year’s workshop, or check us out on social media:

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About YEYS

Every year since 2010, approximately one hundred students come to Brussels to debate relevant issues. The exercise gives young Europeans the chance to meet like-minded students from other Member States, and to experience the inner workings of the EESC and EU first-hand.

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