Monday, 26 March 2012
EU Boosts Relations With Eastern Partners Through Youth Programs
Deputy Head of the Youth Affairs Council by the Prime Minister, Deputy Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Arsen Karamyan advised today during the press conference held at the Government Press Center that the Eastern Partnership Fourth Platform Youth Conference will be held in Yerevan on March 26-28.
“The forum will discuss youth’s problems and challenges in search of solutions,” Mr. Karamyan said adding that invitations have been sent to all member countries of the Eastern Partnership - Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine - though the Azerbaijani delegation declined the invitation.
Head of EU Delegation to Armenia Trajan Hristea told the journalists that in 2012-2013 the European Commission will keep on strengthening the cooperation with EP-member States in the field of youth affairs. “We will continue to help improve the skills of those public officials and representatives of civil society involved in youth affairs through increased funding of youth programs in the region,” Mr. Hristea said.
According to the speaker, the planned events will be financed under the youth component of the Eastern Partnership Program (with a total budget of Euro 3 million), including the establishment in the second half of 2012 of a regional component of Eastern Partnership Program through the EU-supported “Youth in Motion” project.
1400 programs will be financed in addition to the existing ones involving 21 thousand young professionals picked up from youth exchange programs, volunteer services, as well as network members. The European Commission is due to consider the possibility of raising the level of funding during the coming month.
Mr. Hristea said their primary goal is to support those young people living in villages and towns with most adverse conditions. The program targets include awareness raising and exchange of experience in the region.
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Details available in the audio material
