What do citizens want?

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What do citizens want?

About

Open session at the EYL40 Seminar in Warsaw

How do you feel about your role as a citizen and your relationship with political leaders? Does your vote count? Would you want to be involved in decision making at local, national and European level? Do you want to be among 100 citizens to take part in an inspiring discussion with talented young leaders from a wide range of fields?

Every year, the think tank Friends of Europe brings together a new class of European Young Leaders, aged 40 and under, who have made their mark in a wide range of fields – including politics, science, business, media, NGOs, arts and civil society – and who are heading for the topmost ranks of European leadership.

In March 2018, the European Young Leaders will meet at the beginning of a pre-election year for the EU, during which the jostling of right-wing populists and left-leaning neoliberals will move from the national arenas of member states to take centre-stage at the regional level. It’s a key moment for European citizens to examine their understanding of the European project, assess its strengths and weaknesses as well as their expectations for the future of the Union. The session will provide a unique opportunity to meet the young leaders and alumni in an informal setting to discuss Europe’s key challenges.

You can register to the session here.

Please note that the session will be held in English. This debate is executed in cooperation with the City of Warsaw, the office of the Polish Ombudsman and the Casimir Pulaski Foundation.

Engage with the European Young Leaders Programme on Twitter and Facebook for more news on the young leaders and alumni

Schedule

Schedule

Registration
Open session
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You will have a unique opportunity to help identify three key recommendations for ways to improve the direct participation of citizens in European democracies. These recommendations will also be translated into a series of live, pan-European debates on direct democracy and shared with EU decision-makers in the lead up to the 2019 European elections.

Direct democracy and citizens’ participation are increasingly significant to re-establish the relationship and trust between citizens and decision-makers. Across the world as well as in Europe, there are examples of citizens being involved in making decisions on budgets, urban planning, healthcare, standardisation and even constitution.

It is time to leave your mark and be a change-maker. Register to join by clicking here. We look forward to hearing from you!

Introductory remarks by

Stefania Kapronczay

Executive Director at the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) and 2018 European Young Leader (EYL40)

Sammy Mahdi

Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration and 2018 European Young Leader (EYL40)

Moderator

Dharmendra Kanani

Chief Operating Officer and Chief Spokesperson of Friends of Europe

Speakers

Speakers

Stefania Kapronczay
Stefania Kapronczay

Executive Director at the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (HCLU) and 2018 European Young Leader (EYL40)

Show more information on Stefania Kapronczay

Stefánia is a human rights activist, whose work focuses on illiberal democracies. A lawyer by training, she has particular expertise on the reproductive rights of people with disabilities and is a passionate defender of the rights of vulnerable groups. She currently serves as the Executive Director at HCLU, the leading human rights organisation in Hungary that aims to increase awareness of fundamental human rights and empower Hungarians to enforce these rights when they are abused, especially by those in positions of public power. Stefánia previously served as the HCLU’s head of patients’ rights program, in which role she led the organisation’s effort to stop restrictions on reproductive rights and the criminalisation of homelessness, as well as foster the rights of persons with disabilities. She currently co-chairs the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations and sits on the advisory board of School of Public Life, a community-based research and training centre.

Photo of Sammy Mahdi
Sammy Mahdi

Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration and 2018 European Young Leader (EYL40)

Show more information on Sammy Mahdi

Sammy, the son of an Iraqi political refugee and a Belgian mother, has become the first ever Chairman from Brussels to lead the Flemish ‘Jong CD&V’ party. He has previously served as a parliamentary assistant and writes a regular column for the Belgian newspaper De Morgen. Passionate about issues related to integration and equality, Sammy is viewed as a bridge builder between Belgium’s Muslim and non-Muslim populations.

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