“Dobrodošli Hrvatska!”
That’s how head of information and communication at the European Commission’s dhead of information and communication at the European Commission’s directorate general on enlargement Claus Giering welcomed 4.4 million new Europeans in the newest official EU language, Croatian.
By Austin Fast
As the 200 youth from 36 states present in Zagreb at the “Croatia in the EU: Strengthening Ties in Youth Cooperation” conference applauded his welcome, Giering shrugged with a genial smile and said, “Hey, I tried”.
It’s the DG Enlargement’s task to improve communication on EU enlargement policy and increase public awareness of its benefits and challenges.
“New information is not very sexy sometimes, so we’re always looking for new ways of how can we present info about Europe,” Giering said at the conference welcome address.
These three days of sessions from 24 to 26 June are part of that effort to bring enlargement closer to the people of the EU and find new ways to involve citizens in the European idea.
“Young people, with you as representatives, are simply crucial for the future of the European project,” Giering told the participants. “It’s all for you; it’s all for your future.”
Giering explained the conference centres around three key components: facts, people and ideas. Experts will present the facts of enlargement policy and youth opportunities, as young people from youth organisations all over Europe have the chance to build connections and exchange views.
The third factor of ideas comes in with participants generating new ideas about what Europe is all about. Youth will be invited to present on their countries’ social media and create a creative media project in small groups presenting the objectives of enlargement policy and what it means to be European.
“We hope to get a couple of inspiring ideas,” Giering said. “Secondly, [we’re looking for] concrete insights on what youth think that we can use for further communication.”
Maja Sporis, Croatia’s assistant minister for youth and European affairs, also welcomed the youth participants in her native tongue, emphasising the importance of the EU’s mobility in education and employment for young people.
“This synergy of different cultures and exchange of expertise is crucial for the amazing social capital, which the European youth have and which Croatia will become a part of very soon,” Sporis said.
Croatia’s accession to the EU represents an important historical landmark, as it is the second former Yugoslav country to join the European Union after the debilitating wars of the 1990s.
“Despite the difficulties that we all faced together in the last 20 years, it’s possible to build a successful and modern society which complies to all EU standards,” Sporis said, adding that Croatia is happy to share its experience with its Balkan neighbours also looking to join the EU.
Youth organisations have been collaborating ahead of the European Union, as young Croatians have already been working closely with the European Youth Forum (EYF) for more than 10 years, according to EYF president Peter Matjasic.
“They have been the lighthouse in this region showing what can be done despite the negative effects of the wars that happened in this particular part of the world,” Matjasic said.
Mobility and visa issues still affect youth on the borders of Europe trying to get an education or find work, even though Matjasic says they are already living the European dream.
“We already feel we belong to the same family,” Matjasic said. “We have more in common with our Serbian, Croatian, Russian, Swedish or Portuguese friends than we have with other parts of the world.”
Matjasic sees this week’s gathering as crucial to ensure youth organisations are protecting young people’s interests and making young voices resound in the halls of the European Parliament and capitals around Europe.
“We are not only the future, we are the present,” Matjasic said. “And I love the English word ‘present’ – it’s also a gift. We are a gift for the future, but we are here today.”
