Ireland’s European Youth Parliament brings Strasbourg to Bundoran
Youth organization European Youth Parliament (EYP) Ireland will see young people come to Bundoran from Connaught and Ulster in a hybrid format to discuss issues affecting European citizens under the theme ‘Building European Belonging’
The European Youth Parliament of Ireland will meet in the popular seaside resort as well as online from February 4-6 for its annual Connaught Ulster session.
This will be the first time the event has been held in Donegal and marks EYP Ireland’s interest in ensuring that even those living in the most remote areas can attend their events.
The focus will be on discussing how we can build European belonging even in the most remote regions and will tackle issues on a European scale. Students will discuss topics such as the protection of minority languages, freedom of movement in the EU and the escalating conflict in Belarus in a fictional parliamentary setting.
The discussion will take place in a welcoming environment and EYP Ireland prides itself on being a safe space to develop and express opinions, build cross-cultural understanding and develop democratic citizenship skills.
Young students in grades 4-6 from across the region will take part in the three-day educational event, which this year takes place in a hybrid format. Some will be offered the opportunity to upgrade to a national session.
Volunteers from across the EYP network will travel to Bundoran to facilitate the events. In order to ensure the safety of participants, numerous Covid-19 safety protocols are in place for the event and students will join the event digitally on platforms such as Zoom and Discord.
Kate Rogers and Olivia Boland are the organizers who have worked to bring the event together since April 2021. Despite the uncertainty and change over the months of planning, they are thrilled to realize their vision of bringing the European Youth Parliament to Ireland at Bundoran.
EYP Ireland has been inspiring young people’s interest and engagement in politics for 25 years. The European Youth Parliament is present in 40 European countries and organizes nearly 600 events each year. The EYP network has nearly 35,000 participants each year.
The European Youth Parliament of Ireland is supported by the Communicating Europe initiative
Year 4, 5 or 6 students wishing to participate can register on the EYP Ireland website www.eyp.ie.