On 24 February, Alice Bergholtz, vice-chair of the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ), the non-governmental partner in the youth sector’s co-managed decision-making system, addressed the GT-SOM, the Committee of Ministers’ ad hoc working group set up to organise the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe.
At the invitation of the Presidency of Iceland of the Committee of Ministers, the Advisory Council provided the consolidated answer of its members on what needs to be done to ensure the Council of Europe is fit for purpose to meet current and future challenges as well as the expectations of future generations. The Presidency of Iceland of the CM has placed young people at the heart of its priorities, along with children, equality, the environment and the Organisation’s core values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Young people should be respected as active democratic citizens and be included in all decision-making processes, the current president of the Council of Europe is determined to ensure that the voice of young people is heard in the leadup to and during the 4th Summit of the Council of Europe.
Under the heading “Youthless policy is useless policy”, Alice Bergholtz spoke about the importance of giving young people their rightful place at the decision and policymaking table, not only at the youth table but also in other sectors whose policies also impact youth. She urged the member states to invest more in the Council of Europe to ensure it has sufficient means to fully promote its values, to safeguard rights, responsibilities, and freedoms in Europe.
On this first anniversary of the tragic war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, Alice Bergholtz reminded the Committee of Ministers that the young people of Ukraine are being robbed of their youth, but also – for too many – of their lives. Underlining that the answer to war can only be more peace, Alice Bergholtz urged the Organisation to claim the leading role in peacebuilding in Europe.
Finally, Alice Bergholtz encouraged the Council of Europe to adopt more modern communication methods to increase its visibility. As she said, how will the citizens of Europe know about their rights if they do not know the Organisation exists?
The Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe will be held on 16-17 May 2023 in Reykjavik, Iceland and is only the fourth to be organised in the Council of Europe’s 74 years of existence.
