Warsaw 2020 - Concept Paper

93RD INTERNATIONAL SESSION EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT

OF THE

CONCEPT PAPER

PREFACE The idea behind the International Session in Warsaw was born from the notion of wanting to give back. As EYPers, we receive an abundance of opportunities from our network. Therefore when the horizon of our days within this organisation started to appear, we decided that before we reach it, there is still time to leave something meaningful behind for the future generations of EYP. EYP Poland has developed immensely since its official establishment in 2006.

13 years later, we host around 13 events every year and gather more and more participants from all around Poland and Europe. However, over all of these years of development and progress, our National Committee has only ever hosted one International Session in 2007. With the growth of our NC in mind and notion of wanting to contribute to our international network, we have been working hard to organise this flagship event in Poland. This wouldn’t have been possible without the many individuals who have been determined and dedicated to make it happen. Who through gathering all necessary knowledge and resources set the foundations of bringing an International Session back to Poland.

Warsaw 2020 will be the product of that experienced and dedicated team and will strive from the very beginning to organise a session at the highest standard that will concentrate on providing its participants with an empowering and inspiring environment. With this in mind we hope to have a real impact on our participants, the network and the host city of Warsaw.

Warsaw is a place where history and geopolitics has created a meeting point of tradition and modernity. This session will be a great opportunity to implement better solutions that meet new requirements and unarticulated needs. For good ideas you need human interaction, conflict, argument and debate, all of which fused together lead to innovation. However, innovation wouldn’t be possible without challenging existing solutions and breaking established norms. Warsaw, a city that was completely rebuilt after the WWII,t is an amazing place to experience and immerse in all of the aforementioned aspects, and we as the Organising team will thrive to make the most out of the city we love, and make it an integral part of the session, taking its culture, people, beauty - of the city that blends rich history with modernity and innovation.

Warsaw is a colourful metropolis bustling with life within the very heart of Europe. On one hand, magnificent palaces, churches and a perfectly restored Royal Castle towering over the Old Town that reminds visitors of Warsaw’s rich tradition and history; on the other, a cosmopolitan downtown area with a multitude of new facilities that undeniably show its modern face. The experience of both visiting Warsaw and getting carried away by the fantastic atmosphere of this diverse city is the main reason why we decided on Warsaw and believed in its capacity and character!

The capital of Poland is located on the Vistula River which greet its visitors with its beauty and charm. Its rich cultural life invites visitors to numerous museums, art galleries and theatres which span in their range from historical through contemporary to modern. Furthermore, Warsaw is a city that reminds its visitors that it is possible to overcome any hardships that lay in front of us. As mentioned before, the city and its citizens had to rebuild the capital from piles of dust into what it has become today. This is perhaps the greatest lesson taught to us by the city, that where there is hope for a better future there is a chance to succeed.

The decision to organise an International Session in Warsaw also supports the idea of replacing people’s prejudices about the grey and austere image of Warsaw and Poland, with the image of a city that is full of colour and an exciting creative buzz. It is also an amazing opportunity for participants to discover and immerse in the rich Polish culture - and Warsaw is the perfect place to do so, as it accumulates all that’s necessary!

NEON WARSAW

THE FUTURE IS EUROPE With “The Future is Europe” as our session’s motto, we want all of its participants to reflect and think about what is to come, and how our generation can shape it. We want them to think about their day to day actions now, because it is the consequences of these actions that we will experience in the future. Finally we want them to reflect on how our generation can make this future brighter, safer and an exciting time to look forward to.

Moreover, we live in a time when we look away from the good sides of Europe, especially in the hosting country where European values, the idea of integration and working beyond partitions are being challenged by the political environment.

Europe needs unity and diversity. This is not only the “official” aim and foundation of the European Union. It is also the core of a viable future of Europe itself and of Europe’s contribution to a peaceful world.

Promoting European values and the idea of global citizenship has always been one of the most important domains of EYP thus Warsaw 2020 will strive to take those steps to completely new level. The time is particular as well, with the new decade ahead of us, we shall stop and give a thought to what’s really valid and important. Maybe the future is not Europe in the way it is constructed today, but certainly we have to continue to work together. The theme of the event is linked to Warsaw’s turbulent past and the increasing number of challenges the youth and people across the globe are faced with.

Warsaw 2020 will be an opportunity to reflect on past objectives and set new milestones for the future.

From the times of feudalism, though regaining independence in 1918 and World War II, to the era under the communist regime and now today...

Polish culture developed as a result of its geography at the convergence of various European regions. With its origins in the culture of the West Slavs, over time Polish culture has been profoundly influenced by its interweaving ties with the Germanic, Hungarian, Latinate and to a lesser extent; Byzantine and Ottoman worlds as well as in continual dialog with the many other ethnic groups and minorities living in Poland. These factors have contributed to the versatile nature of Polish art, with all its complex nuances.

Europe certainly needs more self-confidence. But what we need primarily is an alternative approach combines common economic and environmental efforts with the support for cultural diversity and exchanges. Culture is at its best when it is neither part of a narrow minded nationalistic policy nor passive victim of equalizing and superficial international trends. Culture should rather show and underline the strength of European identities (plural!) and be open to new and exciting influences.

THROUGH THE PRISM OF CULTURE, TRADITION AND ART

As an Organising Team we want to go far beyond the traditional idea of promoting culture of the hosting country and the cultural diversity of participants. During the session we want everyone to immerse in every possible aspect of Polish culture and the environment of Eastern Europe: its cuisine, art, cinematography, music, theatre and performance scene. Through the cultural programme of the event, participants will express themselves through music, acting, dancing and sharing traditional culinary specialties to acquire increased cultural awareness, and develop their ability of cultural expression and self-confidence. These cultural aspects allow participants to identify common forms of cultural expression, as well as values and attitudes. This will quite naturally foster the development of a sense of a European identity. The increased cultural awareness and developed competences for intercultural dialogue will contribute to combating all kind of prejudice. One of the main goals of Warsaw 2020 is to create an environment that will foster and accelerate vivid exchange of cultural identities, understanding and passions of its participants, through debate and cultural/ art programme.

This “fusion� is a European strength we should not forget. Culture in its diversity can make us stronger and enable us to build Europe as a wellrespected home for all those who appreciate and honor creativity, personal freedom and respect for the neighbors. Culture is not a good instrument to create divisions and express superiority and arrogance. Culture must help to build bridges inside national societies, across European borders and also globally.

THE COLLECTIVE

“Cały naród buduje swoją stolicę” (ang. “The whole nat Warsaw is a city that had to be completely reconstructed a the city, that where there is a hope for a better future, and a Warsaw 2020 is based on 4 objectives:

CO-PRODUCE KNOWLEDGE With our shared knowledge, we can change the world. Warsaw 2020 will be a platform that facilitates the achievement of collaborative projects that matter. Share your commitment with an impressive group of professionals active in various fields.

DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS Each collaborative project is a new challenge. Each project calls upon certain skills and facilitates the development of expertise that will further benefit your community.

Warsaw 2020 strives to be an environment in which you will feel that your ideas are respecte where you can transfer your knowledge and experiences, exchange whatever you have

We want to be heard, we want to be visible, we w

tion rebuilds its capital�) is an engraved text on one of the walls of an old building in Warsaw. after the turbulent history it was a witness to. This is perhaps the greatest lesson taught to us by a group of people willing to commit, there is a chance to succeed. The idea of collective nature of

GAIN VISIBILITY The visibility of our work and its outcomes during the Session will enable the promotion of the participants involvement and the value of their acquired skills. This will in turn help our participants stand out in the eyes of potential co-workers in the future and members of any community our participants will find themselves in.

DEVELOP YOUR NETWORK Participating in Warsaw 2020 implies forging a strong bond with individuals from around Europe.

It also involves interaction with our partners, development agencies and agents of change. Becoming a member of a dynamic and engaged community that creates opportunities carries utmost importance to us!

ed, listened to and developed in creative and passionate setting. We want it to be a platform e to exchange, provoke, challenge, produce art and equip yourself with life-long skills.

want to shake the world, and make a difference.

The knowledge that participants will gain from this very event, combined with understanding, respect and tolerance for difference, can empower them to tackle aforementioned prejudice, improve relationships and make the most of their lives, not only in the EYP context. In our ever more diverse and challenging society, it becomes more important to instil young people with these positive and open-minded attitudes.

We believe that academic quality doesn’t just mean having the right information.

Proper academic debate and discussion also involves deep engagement where the people involved engage meaningfully with each other and with the ideas on the table. It is mostly about learning and exploring, within and outside of the EYP context. That’s why we will take advantage and utilise everything that the surrounding community and environment can give. The academic vision of the Session will be shaped with institutions, patrons, companies and nongovernmental organisations with different backgrounds and focuses, in order to produce unbiased and fruitful debates and discussions based on diverse topics. What is the future of Europe? We shall figure it out together, with the help and advice from parties that do share our core values and are invested in educating and empowering the youngsters. Our goal is not to have dry debates resulting in academically correct paper, or a so called resolution. We do want to leave a visible mark and fingerprint on the society and community that will last longer than the duration of the Session.

ACADEMIC VISION

Often, young people are told they lack the knowledge and maturity to have an opinion as to how current societal issues should be addressed. We disagree! With this project, we want to offer a platform to the European youth to gain an in-depth understanding of key societal issues, to become confident to use their voice and develop their own proposals as to how challenges should be tackled, through meaningful dialogue.

As the team that is tasked with the responsible task of documenting the Session, they will be provided with support from the Organising Team every step along the way. We truly believe the Media Team has a significant impact on the participants of the Session and want to hear about their needs and wishes for the event.

Furthermore, it is crucial for us to give them the possibility to implement their own projects whilst also contributing to the vision of the Session itself.

Being part of a Media Team is an excellent formative experience and we will provide support in both organising external trainings, acquiring equipment and ensuring the team’s working environment is as important as everyone else’s.

Our goal is to provide the best creative environment for the future journalistic and artistic talents amongst us whilst documenting the Session’s impact for the generations to come.

MEDIA VISION

With Polish Culture and artistic expression playing a key role in the Session’s preparation and programme, it is of utmost importance to us that the Media Team of Warsaw 2020 is provided with total creative and artistic freedom.

Too many times have the voices of artistically minded people been deemed as less important and with this session we want to provide a platform where participants who excel in this field are treated as equal to everyone else.