Mr Odd Anders With, Norwegian State Secretary, Ministry of Children and Family Affairs

Council of Europe Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth

Thessaloniki, 7 - 9 November 2002, Greece

Intervention in the plenary discussion

Madam Chairperson,

Dear Ministers, Colleagues and participants,

I will first of all use this opportunity to thank the Greek Government and the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs for the invitation to this Conference and for the great hospitality you have shown.

I will also like to underline that my Government and my Ministry gives a high priority to the work of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe has focused on democratic development in member states and on human rights of individual European citizens. It is important that all member states subscribe to the basic values of the Council of Europe. Democracy is not only guaranteed in a constitution or by a political system. Democracy has to be renewed and developed with active participation of the citizens. Declarations and adoption of conventions is not the only guarantee for human rights. Human rights can only be a reality through the daily political practice and legal provisions in each country.

In this context it is important to give priority to the situation of young people. We have to make the often-used phrase that "the future depends on the youth" a reality. The Council of Europe should therefore continue to develop principles and guidelines for national, regional and local youth policies in the member countries. In my opinion it is necessary that governmental youth policies are based on fundamental values in the society, defined at international as well as national level. Young people are not hundred percent adults, but their values are hundred percent. Do we act like that? We have to regard young people as independent individuals with values, rights and responsibilities in the society. We should encourage the creativity of young people and take use of their resources. We should learn to share and to serve those who needs to be served We should appreciate the ability of young people to take a critical approach towards society, their choice of values and engagement in society. I will therefore express my support to the draft Declaration we are invited to adopt at the end of this Conference.

We are also invited to adopt a Resolution on the priorities of the Council of Europe's youth sector for the coming three-year period. The promotion of intercultural dialogue and peace, social cohesion and human dignity as well as human rights education, are important elements of the future priorities. Participation and democratic citizenship are fundamental parts of any youth policy. My Ministry organised in August this year a European Conference on child and youth participation in society. Young people from nearly thirty member countries of the Council of Europe had the possibility to express their visions on participation, to point out the challenges and barriers to real participation and to work out strategies and working tools for the future. I will use the opportunity in the Round Table later today to give you more detailed information on the outcome of this Conference.

Support to the setting-up and development of appropriate youth policies should be a major instrument for the Council of Europe in the future. The Council of Europe will review the Norwegian youth policy next year. We are looking forward to this and we are prepared to implement the new guidelines for this exercise. I also appreciate the policy to take into consideration the youth dimension in other policy sectors of the Council of Europe. The cross-sectorial approach has to be an integrated part of the work of the Council of Europe in the youth field.

The Council of Europe has been active in the youth sector for thirty years. Important results have been achieved in this period. Norway has tried to contribute in an active and constructive way during these thirty years. It is our intention to continue this policy. As an intergovernmental organisation, the Council of Europe has a unique position in the international youth field. The co-management principle and the co-decision between the governmental and non-governmental partners is a trademark for the Council of Europe. I will in this context underline the importance of the operational elements of the Council of Europe. I have myself, when I was a member of my party's youth organisation, benefited from the possibilities the Council of Europe gives to the voluntary youth activities. The two youth centres, in Strasbourg and Budapest, are important instruments for the implementation of the priorities in the youth field. The European Youth Foundation is important for supporting international youth co-operation. In order to promote international youth work, we should all support the proposals of increasing the funds available to the European Youth Foundation. I can inform you that Norway will, as we have done for a number of years, also this year provide for a voluntary contribution to the European Youth Foundation.

Mister/Madam Chairperson,

It is important that Ministers responsible for national youth policies have the opportunity to meet at conferences like this. I am convinced that we will have an interesting and constructing exchange of ideas, both in plenary and the Round Tables.

Thank you for your attention.