First Young Med Voices’ Regional Forum in Valletta to debate accelerating global efforts for Agenda 2030
Valleta, Malta, 3 July 2019. “The Young Mediterranean Voices programme is leading the global policy debate towards the Agenda 2030", highlighted Paul Walton, Director of Strategy and Partnerships for the Anna Lindh Foundation at the opening of the 1st Young MediterraneanVoices Euro-Med Debate and Policy Forum, which is taking place in Valleta from 2-5 July 2019. Valleta,
Organised by the Anna Lindh Foundation in partnership with the British Council and the Maltese Youth Agency, with the support of the European Commission, the Forum brings together more than 50 young debaters from across the two shores of the Mediterranean for a unique programme of intercultural debates, virtual exchange, and policy roundtables.
The event involves high-level representatives of institutions associated to the programme. Clifton Grima, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sports and Voluntary, highlighted: “As Malta, we will ensure that the outcome of this Young Mediterranean Voices Debate and policy Forum will arrive at a proper destination and shape our policy narratives.” The Forum will also be attended on 5 July by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, Carmelo Abela.
The Forum represents a central contribution of Mediterranean youth to lead and drive the 2030 Global Agenda for Sustainable Development. The motions of the debates will be connected to key SDGs, in particular linked to quality education, gender equality, reducing inequalities, climate action and peace, justice and strong institutions. More broadly, all motions will connect to Goal 17 on “Partnerships for he Goals” and on how to partner with youth as drivers and catalysers of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Forum showcases a unique methodology of intercultural youth-led debates used to draw out key issues, evidence and proposals to act strategically to accelerate the implementation and increase the reach of the 2030 Agenda. Each debate will feature teams of young debaters from the south and north of the Mediterranean who will present evidence to validate their arguments for or against a policy motion linked to specific SDGs. Issues, arguments and policy recommendations will be captured and presented as a main output of the forum.
The Forum is taking place back-to-back with the IV MedThink 5+5 Forum in Malta (1-2 July) that will gather senior officials, ambassadors and research analysts from think tanks and diplomatic institutions from the Member States of the 5+5 Dialogue to discuss a more comprehensive Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation, and to also discuss the outcomesof this week’s landmark Summit of the Two Shores.
Young Mediterranean Voices is the flagship debate and dialogue programme connecting civil society, education and policy-makers across the Southern Mediterranean and Europe. The programme is coordinated by the Anna Lindh Foundation, co-founded by the British Council, and developed in partnership with the Centre for Mediterranean Integration (CMI), Friends of Europe, the World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid, MEDAC and Soliya. The programme is funded by the European Commission (DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations) and co-funded by the Government of Finland, World Bank Group and the British Council.
