Events

The basic idea of a session is that the delegates come together in multi-national committees, each committee looking at a different topic. Having taken part in ´Teambuilding´, the delegates participate in Committee Work, producing a Resolution on their topic, which is then debated in General Assembly.

Each session, though with its own unique character, is largely based on some core elements, which are detailed below. In all they help with the session´s goal of giving the participants the opportunity to think about the challenges facing Europe as well as the chance to get to know each other and each other´s cultures better.

Teambuilding

On the first weekend of an EYP session, between twelve and twenty students from all over Europe get together in a committee. These people who come from very different backgrounds and who have never met before, need by the end of the week to be functioning as a close-knit team pulling together and respecting each other. And it is this task that is the aim of the Teambuilding. Under the direction of experienced team-builders, in conjunction with the committee Chair, the delegates in committees engage in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, some physical, others creative, yet others more problem solving, but all of them fun, and all of them designed to get this disparate group of people working as a team. The culmination of the teambuilding is the teambuilding presentations, a sketch which every committee has to put together to show to the other delegates, so bringing everyone back together at the end of the weekend, and giving the delegates a last fun creative team exercise before the serious business of Committee Work begins.

Committee Work

This is perhaps the central part of any session. The delegates of the committee come together, now working well as a team after the teambuilding weekend, and they sit down to discuss their particular topic. Their goal is to write a resolution on this topic on which they can all agree. This is no easy task. They come from very different perspectives, and will almost certainly have to reach compromises if they are to find agreement within the time required. To help them in this, each committee has an experienced Chair, an older EYP alumnus, who ensures that everybody´s ideas are heard and that the resolution reflects the ideas of the group – that every member of the committee can feel proud of it. The discussion is always very heated, but the end result is that each of the delegates has learnt an incredible amount about the issue, and really thought about the implications, and has developed and redeveloped his or her own views, with a flexible approach paramount. The skills they learn here, in discussing, debating, persuading and negotiating, will stand them in good stead for the future.

General Assembly

The General Assembly reunites all the participants of the session, to consider the results of committee work. Each committee presents and defends their motion for resolution, which is then debated for approximately 40 minutes by the Assembly. Thus delegates have to be familiar not only with their own topic but also to some extent with all the resolutions. At the end of each debate there is a vote – based solely on the personal concscience of each delegate. Those resolutions which are passed are subsequently presented to the European Parliament and National Governments, and other such bodies. While it is true that the European Parliament has gone on to discuss issues brought up by EYP resolutions, the main aim of EYP is not so much to exert political influence as to provide an educational experience for the individual participants.

Evening activities

Like all young people, the participants at an EYP session value the chance to relax from the very hectic pace of the session schedule, and the evening programme is designed with this mind. That is not to say that it does not continue the emphasis of the other elements of the session, providing delegates with a unique opportunity to learn about each other and the diversity of our continent in general. Beyond the time given over to general socialising, a number of more formal events take place:

Eurovillage
Each of the countries represented puts together a small stall with items from their country, a flag in the background, souvenirs and information brochures in the foreground, and lots and lots of national food (and sometimes drink!) to be sampled.

Committee Dinner
Mid-way through the week, this is a chance for the committee members to get to know each other better during a relaxed evening in one of the host city´s many restaurants.

Euroconcert
The talents of EYPers are various, and in recognition of the many musically gifted among the delegates, this event is a chance for these musicians to show their abilities, playing a variety of instruments, singing and dancing.

Farewell Party
This is the party that marks the end to an incredible week, the last act of the session. Inevitably it is both a happy and sad occasion, happy because the delgates have had so much fun, but sad in the knowledge that the morning after they all return to their home countries, changed people nonetheless.

Free day
Between Committee Work and GA there is a free day, giving the opportunity to the participants to get to know better the town of Naousa and the Greek elements in general. Thus, we have planned a tour in Aristotle’s School, as well as an excursion to the beach in Pieria. Moreover, there will be free time for walks along the corridors of Naousa.