Braga, Portugal – How can the youth reshape European politics and prepare for the road ahead and beyond? From the 16th to the 18th of June, over 150 young people representing over 40 youth organisations from all over Europe, came together in Portugal for YEPP’s XIV Conference, entitled: “The Road Ahead: Fit For 2024”. The conference focused on a plethora of topics including the Future of the Centre-Right, Economic and Green transformation towards Cleantech and Europe’s geopolitical position in the world.
Marking this great occasion, YEPP President Lidia Pereira stated that:
“Now more than ever, it is important for us to remain forward thinking – not only in our approach to tackling crises but also changes in political landscapes. We need to prepare for the road ahead and must be fit for 2024 and beyond. Why? Because it empowers us to anticipate challenges and shape a world that transcends todays expectations.”
This event also saw the election of the new YEPP Board 2023-2025– who would decide on the upcoming youth strategy for the European Elections and re-shape youth politics for the years to come. During the event, participants did not only have the opportunity to receive key insights from key political players such as Roberta Metsola (President of the European Parliament), Ursula Von Der Leyen (President of the European Commission), Dubravka Suica (Vice-President of the European Commission) and Margaritis Schinas (Vice-President of the European Commission). Delegates were given the opportunity to engage and question key players such as Nicolas Pascual de la Parte (Spanish Ambassador) Ricardo Rio (Mayor of Braga) and José Manuel Fernandes (MEP, Head of the Portuguese Delegation PSD in the EP).
To mark the importance of this event, our delegates received a special intervention from Kateryna “Ptashka” on the realities of the war in Ukraine and a musical note. Our delegates also partook in interactive panel discussions where they engaged in discourse with Suzana Carp (Deputy Executive Directos, Cleantech for Europe), Raquel Vaz Pinto (Political Scientist) , and Vladimiro Feliz (Director, Ceiia).
A special thank you to the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies in making this conference possible, as well as PSD, JSD and JP Portugal in hosting us.
The new YEPP Board 2023-2025 :
President:
Ana Lidia PEREIRA (JSD, Portugal)
First Vice-President:
Sophia KIRCHER (Junge ÖVP, Austria)
Secretary-General:
Heidi HANHELA (KNL, Finland)
Deputy Secretary-General:
Vassilis SAKELLARIS (ONNED, Greece)
Treasurer:
Adam BATOVSKY (KDMS, Slovakia)
Vice‐Presidents:
Eoin SCARLETT (FYG, Ireland)
Dora SZILAGYI (MIERT, Romania)
Ola SVENNEBY (UHL, Norway)
Severin HIRMER (Junge Union, Germany)
Edelmira FERRI HERNANDEZ (NNGG, Spain)
Tea JERKOVIC (MHDZ, Croatia)
Derek GROOT (CDJA, The Netherlands)
Oleksandr AFANASIEV (BM, Ukraine)
Florian GASSER (JG SVP, Italy)
The newly elected YEPP Financial Auditors:
Michele RONCORONI (JM, Switzerland)
Metty STEINMETZ (CSJ, Luxembourg)
