SPAIN – RYCO Deputy Secretary General Mr Denis Piplaš attended the Catalan Youth Congress held in Mataró, Spain, on 17 – 19 March. Organized by the Catalan Youth Agency, the event aimed at providing an opportunity for youth, youth workers, youth policymakers and decision-makers to interact and meet. Participants were rethinking youth policies and laying the foundations for the new 10-year National Youth Plan of Catalonia (PNJCat).
Participating in the panel discussion between international, European institutions and agencies under the title “Challenges and work strands for post-COVID-19 youth policies”, Mr Piplaš highlighted RYCO’s current programmatic and strategic priorities and provided an insight into the organization’s unique co-management principle in its Governing Board.
Participants were also interested to find out more on RYCO’s strategy development process in 2021, and agreed to include this know-how in the preparation of the PNJCat. Welcoming the efforts within the European Year of Youth, all panellists reflected on the difficult situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and stressed the need for an inclusive approach in youth policy-making.
Besides the RYCO Deputy Secretary General, the panel discussion was also participated by representatives of the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency – ERYICA, European Youth Card Association – EYCA, Eurodesk, European Commission, Assembly of European Regions – AER, CSR Europe and the Finnish National Youth Council – Allianssi.
Prior to the discussion, a keynote address was delivered by President of the Government of Catalonia Rt. Hon. Mr Pere Aragonès i Garcia who stressed the need for more international cooperation, while also expressing his view that youth are the most powerful agents of social change.
Mr Piplaš also had the opportunity to have an exchange with the President prior to the start of the official program.
