Report on Youth Meeting of V4 Countries in Visegrád

The meeting was organised under the Hungarian presidency of the ’Visegrád Countries’ cooperation on the initiative of Mr Tamás Gergely Kucsera, Hungarian Youth Conference, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, with the aim of highlighting youth problems and emphasizing the need of a closer cooperation in this field. The parties intend to emphasize the role of youth in the public life, since later on today’s youth will work together under common economical and political circumstances in the united Europe.

Composition of the participating countries

Czech Republic
Mr Jindrich Fryc, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, director of the Youth Department; Ms Karolina Stuchlikova, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Youth Department; Mr Krajci, Czech Council of Children and Youth; Mr Jan Taraba, Circle of Children and Youth Associations in the Czech Republic

Slovak Republic
Ms Katarína Harsányiová, Ministry of Education, Department of Children and Youth; Ms Marta Galusová, Ministry of Education, Department of Children and Youth; Ms Lenka Plavuchová, Youth Council of Slovakia; Mr Stefan Drancak, Youth Council of Slovakia

Republic of Hungary
Ministry of Youth and Sports
Mr László Szabó, deputy secretary on Youth Affairs; Ms Hajnalka Kassai, Sub-Secretariat on Youth Affairs; dr Csilla Papp, Sub-Secretariat on Youth Affairs; Ms Réka Brendus, Sub-Secretariat on Youth Affairs; Ms Anita Kristály, International Relations Department

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr Ottó Szabó, department head

Civil organisations
Mr József Tóth K., National Chilldren and Youth Parliament; Mr Zsolt Barthel-Rúzsa, Hungarian Historical Churches, Youth Committee; Mr Csaba Honti, Festival on the Borders Office; Mr Hanga Dukász, Festival on the Borders Office; Mr Krisztián Huber, National Conference of Student Self-Governments; Mr Péter Puskás, National Conference of Student Self-Governments

Hungarian Youth Conference
Mr Tamás Gergely Kucsera, Standing Committee President (representing Hungary); Mr Pál Popovics Pál, representing Sub-Carpathia; Géresi Róbert, representing Upper Hungary; Somogyi Attila, representing Transylvania; Kriják Krisztina, representing Croatia

Program

Starting the meeting, the department head of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ottó Szabó gave a general summary of V4 cooperation, having regard to the general aim of the Euro-Atlantic integration.

The deputy secretary on youth affairs Mr László Szabó briefly introduced the Hungarian Ministry of Youth and Sports, the new youth structure and the international relations, finally hinted on the possible mutual professional aid concerning the bill on the Young’s possibilities and institution system of youth.

The presentation was followed by the Czech and the Slovak delegations’ summaries on the same topics.

Civil organisations introduced their purposes and activity as well as their relations to the governmental and international organisations.

Later on, discussions started on the new bill on youth which is in scope of interest in all of the participating countries. Each participating country has to confront similar challenges but they are on different stage of the process.

Finally, the parties spoke about the possible closer cooperation in the field of youth, emphasizing the question of youth research and information transfer, drug prevention, the protection of youth and starting exchange programs.

As conclusion the parties have adopted the following summary on the meeting (Summary on Youth meeting of V4 countries):

The delegations representing their countries on youth meeting of V4 countries got to know the program of V4 under the Hungarian presidency. After reporting on each country’s governmental and non-governmental purposes and actions the participants have concluded they have a similar point of view in the field of treating youth problems and they are intending to develop a closer cooperation in the future.

The parties have accepted the Czech delegation’s offer to provide their experiences on volunteer and professional youth worker training for the other countries governmental and non-governmental organisations.

The parties have decided they will deal with the protection of youth, drug prevention and the question of especially endangered groups of young as main interests.