European Commission Emphasized The Role Of Youth

The European Commission supported a series of events organised by HASDER and EU Infopoint as part of International Youth Day celebrations. The focus of this year was the active role that youth can play in sustainable development. The activities included a panel painting session at Selimiye Square, a round table discussion at the EU Infopoint, a bike tour in the walled city of Nicosia, a girls football tournament at Çetinkaya Football Pitch, Cyprus Night at HASDER Institute, Young Musicians Concert, European Jazz - Flapper Swing Concert and a film screening at HASDER Institute. 

As part of the series of activities organised with the support of the European Commission within the scope of International Youth Day in August, Nicosia hosted Flapper Swing Jazz band on 12 August at HASDER Institute. At the night, which highlighted the “Youth Leading Sustainable Development” theme, Flapper Swing performed jazz songs from the 1920’s and 1930’s, dressed in authentic clothes of the respective period. The concert attracted a great deal of attention and appreciation by the youth. During her opening speech, Pelin Maneoğlu from the European Union Programme Support Office stated that “Young people are not only our future, they are also our present and  young people have a key role in   taking forward the EU’s Sustainable Development Strategy. In this framework, as part of the EU’s Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community,€416 million has been allocated with a view to encourage economic development within the framework of key objectives in various fields  that have an impact on the future lives of young people”. After the opening speech, Flapper Swing took the stage taking the audience on a journey to the Europe of the 1920's and 1930's with their upbeat jazz songs.

International Youth Day activities included a large scale bike tour in the walled city of Nicosia on 6 August. Approximately 92 people and 46 teams attended the bike tour which ended with a prize ceremony for the winning teams. The event gave young people the opportunity to not only take part in a fun activity which included a treasure hunt but to also consider cycling as an alternative transport mode which fits in with this year's International Youth Day theme of Sustainable Development.

The series of activities organised within the scope of International Youth Day ended with the screening of “the Age of Stupid” movie on 16 August at HASDER Institute. Alessandro Bianciardi, Head of Section for Infrastructure, Private Sector Development and Scholarships of the European Union Programme Support Office, delivered the opening speech through which he focused on this year’s theme of the International Youth Day whereby he stated that this year’s theme was compatible with the EU’s Sustainable Development Strategy, and that the young people were the subjects of the positive change which was required to carry forward the EU’s Sustainable Development Strategy. Moreover, Bianciardi also stated that “the EU’s Sustainable Development Strategy aims at establishing sustainable communities which can efficiently manage and use their resources, and which can bring out the ecologic and social innovation potential in economy, and therefore aims at continuously improving living standards”.