History of organization

What is European Youth Parliament?

European Youth Parliament (EYP) is an international politically neutral organization. Its goal is to increase young people’s comprehension of importance of the issues connected with Europe and to assist in getting a really unique experience. The organization was founded in 1987 and it has been passing the processes of expansion and enlargement for already 17 years. Today its work is based on activity of more than 30 national committees, which form the network within and beyond the bounds of EU.

European Youth Parliament was founded as a pan-European school project, which spreads and propagandizes the idea of united Europe and European citizenship. Now it functions in 32 European countries. It works in EU member states, newly accepted members, and also in neighbour countries. European Youth Parliament participated in the celebration of a significant event – the expansion of EU, which took place on May 1, 2004, because its work was a extraordinary contribution into promoting European values, formation of the European consciousness, and also in creation of a platform, necessary for the youth’s dialogue on the most topical issues of Europe.

Being a non-profit organization, EYP completely depends on volunteer work. Most volunteers are schoolchildren and students. Their devotion and enthusiasm is exactly what makes every EYP event special whether it is a small regional forum or an international session, which gathers about 350 delegates.

EYP conducts 3 international sessions annually, which are attended by 250 young people, aged 16-22, from all of Europe along with the teachers who come together not only to support the delegations but also to discuss and to learn from each other’s experiences and practices.

International Sessions of EYP: training or entertainment? To participate in activities organized by EYP means to receive the experience and to understand democracy, its functional structure, decision-making processes and debate culture. EYP sessions are a possibility for young people to share opinions and establish friendly relationships, which pass through all borders, nationalities and religions. Thus EYP promotes the development of the common European identity and encourages youth to develop their vision of the European future.

During ten days the participants of the session form little international groups to work upon urgent political, social or cultural issues. The result of the Committee Work is a resolution, which includes the ideas and decisions, discussed and accepted by the group. In the end of the week every committee presents its resolution during the General Assembly, which is the main event of the session. Those resolutions, which are approved at the General Assembly, are sent to European Parliament as an initiative of the EYP youth.

Except the serious committee work, the participants are able to present their countries at Euroconcert and Eurovillage, where the culture and the way of life of different nationalities as well as their national cuisines are presented. Eurovillage is not only a performance, but also a really unique celebration of cultural and geographic variety of Europe. It is an event, which promotes comprehension of how important mutual understanding between different nationalities and cultures is.

The future of Europe depends on up bringing and the increasing comprehension of values, which are decisive for existence of the mankind. It demands understanding of how Europe lives, how its social, political and economic structures work and how they can use all the benefits. In EYP young generation plays the most important role, as it has the future in its hands. The importance of European Youth Parliament lies in its ability to enclose young people to the complicated complex questions of European enlargement and to interest the youth in European issues.

What Is European Youth Parliament – Ukraine?

The International Youth NGO “European Youth Parliament – Ukraine” is an apolitical, non-profit organization that represents a national committee of the European Youth Parliament in Ukraine. It has been registered with the Ministry of Justice in Ukraine on February 18, 2002, hence is a full-fledged participant of the civil society development process in Ukraine. De facto, the European Youth Parliament – Ukraine (further will be referred to as “EYP – Ukraine”) has been successfully operating in Ukraine since 2000. EYP – Ukraine is a purely youth imitative that has been set up by the young people, students of Kiev Universities, and has been further developed, managed and run by the young people (age 16 – 23).

EYP – Ukraine aim is to promote the idea of Ukraine’s integration into the European society among Ukrainian youth by means of open forums and dialogue. Besides featuring European values and triggering young people’s interest in the history of EU development and thinking about its advantages and disadvantages as well as identifying Ukraine’s place in EU and in Europe, EYP – Ukraine team puts great efforts into the youth empowerment and ensuring young people’s participation in the decision-making which is one of the basic human rights and is key to democracy and civil society building.

The priorities of EYP – Ukraine are the decentralization of the organization and therefore it pays great attention to the youth engagement into the EYP – Ukraine initiatives from the regions of Ukraine. EYP – Ukraine leadership takes great pride in its regional branches in western Ukraine with the central office in Lviv; in eastern Ukraine with offices in Sumy and Kharkiv; in central Ukraine with the key office in Kirovograd; and in southern Ukraine that is centered on Odessa office. EYP – Ukraine regional branches follow the developed strategy of the organization, nevertheless it is the primary task of the regional EYP – Ukraine offices to identify priority areas for their regions where EYP – Ukraine can be of the greatest importance.

Among the member of the EYP – Ukraine there are around 280 young people in the above-mentioned regions of Ukraine who study in high schools, prominent Universities and other higher educational establishments. Many of the members of the organization represent student self-governance bodies, other youth NGOs, Mass media, governmental bodies, business sector as well as international development missions. This provides a unique opportunity for the organization to consider interests and challenges that various representatives of Ukrainian youth face nowadays.

The organization is open to all pro-EU; pro-democracy and pro-human rights young people of Ukraine who would like to contribute their efforts in building the democratic civil society in Ukraine.

“European Youth Parliament – Ukraine” was officially registered as a youth NGO with the Ministry of Justice in Ukraine on February 18, 2002.
The members of the Leadership group were Olha Smyrnova – a founder and President of EYP – Ukraine, Vasyl Myroshnychenko and Klaudia Shevelyuk – vice-presidents. On September 28, 2002, the next General Meeting took place; it was aimed to elect the new Leadership group. Vasyl Myroshnychenko was elected a President, Denis Kudin and Oksana Nesterenko – vice-presidents. Dmytro Kushneruk was elected to be a Board member on legal affairs, Oleksandra Andrusyk – a Board member on PR, Svitlana Bajanova – a project coordination manager. Also an auditing committee including Olha Morozova and Olha Golichenko was formed and headed by Natalya Voynarovska. Maria Klymovych was elected a secretary of EYP – Ukraine, Natalya Kaptyukh - a treasurer, Tatiana Poladko – a coordinator of international activities. At 2002 meeting Olha Smyrnova was elected an Honorable President of “European Youth Parliament – Ukraine” for her considerable contribution into creation and development of the organization. New members of the Leadership Group were elected in 2004 and a workplan for 2005 was developed. It is possible to get more information about the activities of EYP – Ukraine in 2002-2004 its annual reports.