Youth of European Nationalities/ Jugend europäischer Volksgruppen: 2025

ended

Youth of European Nationalities (YEN) is the largest network of youth organisations of autochthonous, national and linguistic minorities (later referred to as “minorities”) in Europe. Minority youth organisations are vital actors of civil society, spaces of democratic life and youth participation offering unique opportunities for self-representation on local and regional levels. Under the slogan “Minority Rights Are Human Rights”, YEN represents the interests of minority youth on a European level and aims to support the personal development of young minority members to become active citizens and changemakers. YEN aims to create a network of solidarity, a safe space for reflection and opportunities for peer learning between minority youth from all over Europe. YEN works for the further development of minority (youth) rights, aims to create tolerance for different cultures and supports the strive of institutions such as UN, CoE and the EU to guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms. YEN aims to achieve its goals through activities such as youth exchanges, capacity building, workshops based on non-formal education on issues relevant to minority youth, and activities for networking and peer learning. YEN also uses its unique insight into the needs and wishes of minority youth for its advocacy work to ensure representation and participation on a European level. In 2025 it is time for YEN to reflect on our internal structures and practices, review the impact of our activities and the development of our network and if necessary, adapt and update our work. The regular youth events for our network will focus on visibility in 2025. In international youth exchanges we want to transmit skills and knowledge and encourage reflection on the value, impact and aim of visibility work for minority youth organisations.