The eighth edition of European Youth Week is currently taking place with a broad range of events from 1 to 7 May and activities organised in all 33 countries participating in the EU’s Erasmus+ programme.

With the slogan “Shape it, move it, be it”, it encourages young people to get involved in the discussions on the future of EU youth policy, to move abroad with Erasmus+, and to be part of the newly launched European Solidarity Corps which gives opportunities to young people to express their solidarity with those in need.

Already more than 28,000 young people have signed up to the European Solidarity Corps and first participants already started their placements. A proposal for a dedicated legal base to consolidate and further shape this new initiative is scheduled for adoption on 24 May.

Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics, will take part in the official launch event of the European Youth Week, a two-day European Conference on future EU Youth Strategy, in Brussels tomorrow. Already today, he will have a meeting with a number of young people and representatives of youth organisations to prepare these discussions.

Commissioner Navracsics said: “With our current cooperation with Member States on youth policy drawing to a close in 2018, we need to reflect on the future. We want to hear the views of everyone involved in EU youth affairs to make sure that cooperation in youth action delivers, enabling young people to find their place in society and build the Europe of the future. I look forward to exchanging ideas on our future youth strategy during Youth Week and for the rest of the year.”

During the week the spotlight will be on the inspiring stories of change-makers and their projects under Erasmus+ that encourage more young people to take part.