Promoting the potential of young people - MCAA Magazine March 2022

One out of six people in the European Union is aged between 15 and 29, according to data published by Eurostat on 5 January. This makes the 2022 European Year of Youth (EYY2022) ever more important.

EYY2022 aims to throw a spotlight on how young people have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also bring to light initiatives aimed at empowering and inspiring the next generation.

‘The pandemic has robbed young people of many opportunities – to meet and make new friends, to experience and explore new cultures,’ European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen said in a press statement. ‘While we cannot give them that time back, we are proposing today to designate 2022 the European Year of Youth.’

‘From climate to social to digital, young people are at the heart of our policymaking and political priorities,’ she added. ‘We vow to listen to them, as we are doing in the Conference on the Future of Europe, and we want to work together to shape the future of the European Union. A Union that is stronger if it embraces the aspirations of our young people - grounded in values and bold in action.’

In our special coverage, we met MSCA researchers studying issues related to today’s youth. We interviewed a fellow exploring communication across cultures in various school settings. We learned about another researcher’s in-depth analysis of the relationship between different classroom teaching styles and youth wellbeing. We also found out about the importance of professional training for youth in contemporary art museums.

Vanessa Alexakis
MCAA Editorial Team