World Forum for Democracy 2024 in Strasbourg, France (Fully Funded)

An excellent opportunity for policy-makers, academics, activists, youth representatives and democracy innovators to attend the World Forum for Democracy 2024  in the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg, France. All the costs regarding accommodation, food, travel expenses will be covered by the Council of Europe.

About World Forum for Democracy 2024

The 2024 edition of the World Forum for Democracy comes at a crucial time, with approximately half of the global population participating in elections. This forum will tackle pressing issues related to disinformation and the divisive political narratives that can emerge during election campaigns. These narratives often exploit societal divides, creating an environment where populism can thrive. The forum will delve into how electoral processes may inadvertently exacerbate these divides and will highlight the importance of educating citizens about the potential threats that populism poses to their fundamental rights and freedoms.

The core content of the Forum will consist of political talks and discussions about successful initiatives or actions implemented in different countries. General guiding principles will then be drawn to encourage and support future policy responses and field action. 

The role of the “youth delegation”

The Council of Europe youth sector aims at enabling young people across Europe to actively uphold, defend, promote and benefit from the Council of Europe’s core values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The Youth for Democracy programme reflects this in four work priorities:

- Youth revitalising democracy

- Young people’s access to rights

- Living together in peaceful and inclusive societies

- Youth work

During the World Forum, the youth participants will join the different Forum Talks, Labs and side events. Participants may be given particular roles in the Forum Talks, Labs and side-events according to their interests and competences (rapporteurs, discussants, moderators, etc.).

Altogether, the youth delegates should be active partners and contributors to the Forum, bringing in their own ideas and experiences. Beyond the labs and side-events, the participants may organise parallel activities to make their voices heard and present their visions on democracy.

Objectives of the activity

The organisation and participation of the youth delegation in the World Forum for Democracy

2024 pursues the following objectives:

- To secure a meaningful participation of youth leaders and young people in all the aspects of the World Forum for Democracy

- To promote a youth perspective in the work of the forum, in particular on matters related top democracy and diversity

- To identify and share current trends, concerns and priorities of young people across the globe regarding democracy, diversity and the challenges to both concepts

- To enhance intercultural dialogue and cooperation by young people within a framework of democratic participation and human rights.

Eligibility | Who can apply?

The youth delegation will bring together around 60 participants who represent the diversity of young people around the world. The youth applicants must be:

- Aged between 18 and 30 years of age;

- Able to communicate and work in English proberly;

- Actively involved in youth organisations/association or other civil society organisations working with young people on issues of democracy and diversity;

- Motivated to share their experiences on democracy and diversity and to contribute to 5 developing new ideas on democracy and diversity;

- Available to participate fully in the World Forum for Democracy and the preparation process beforehand (including online preparation and on-site presence in Strasbourg)

Expenses and Benefits

- Travel expenses and visa costs will be reimbursed upon presentation of the relevant receipts, according to the rules of the Council of Europe. 

- Board and lodging are provided and paid for by the Council of Europe during the dates of the activity (arrival on Sunday, 3 November and departure on Saturday, 9 of November). 

- Participants will be accommodated at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg.

- The youth centre is accessible to young people with disabilities and ready to adapt to young people's special needs in order to ensure full inclusion and quality working conditions

Timeline

Application deadline: 30 June 2024, 23:59 CET

Selection result: Candidates will be informed around mid-September 2024 if their application has been accepted or rejected.

Arrival day: 3rd of November 2024

Departure day: 9th of November 2024

The preparation programme for the Youth Delegation is obligatory for all selected participants and will take place on Monday and Tuesday (4th and 5th of November) at the European Youth Centre prior to the beginning of the Forum on the 6th of November 2024. 

How to apply?

The application form must be completed online at https://youthapplications.coe.int before 30 June 2024, 23:59 CET. Potential applicants are strongly advised to apply well in advance before the deadline in order to check that their registration is complete and to solve any possible technical problems before the deadline.

More details

for more details, check the opportunity on the Council of Europe website from HERE

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