EYMD 2016 Orange Magazine by Orange Magazine

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Â© Rebeka Davis. 2016

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE

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EDITORIAL

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Editor-in-Chief Thomas Seymat, France Print team Facilitators Triin Ilves, Estonia Katerina Voutsina, Greece

MOVING If the whole is greater that the sum of its parts, then why does it feel like Europe is failing us, and falling apart at the same time? Youth unemployment, the flow of migrants, or climate change are some of the crises that ought to bring out the best in Europe. Instead, it brings out the worst: political calculations, fear, and an entire continent playing the blame game. Now how can we get out of this mess? How about we start talking to each other? The algorithms of the social media we consume so avidly create a comfortable bubble of like-minded news and opinions around us. Here we sit, coddled and cuddled by their feed. But confronting opinions, experiences and certitudes, as hard as it may be, is a necessary exercise. Solutions don’t appear in a vacuum.

Design / Illustration Melody Da Fonseca, France Photographers Dimitris Tosidis, Greece Enrico Pascatti, Italy Cover Rebeka Davis

FORWARD Gathering diverging world views is exactly what this edition of the Orange Magazine, produced during the European Youth Media Days at the EYE2016, has done. In these pages, different opinions and stories were reported by an international team of young journalists and photographers. They go home with new experiences and contacts for their budding careers, and with the hope that their magazine will play a humble part in finding the solutions over 500 millions people are looking for. If our generation is to take down the walls that divides us, we need to get together. It won’t happen overnight, same for the tearing down, but one brick today is one less for tomorrow. Step by step, we can move forward, stronger by the confidence that our collective will is greater than the sum of the problems we face.

Thomas Seymat France

Writers Sarah Chetcuti, Malta Marta Dancs, Hungary Edmund Heaphy, Ireland Bilal Muftuoglu, Turkey Stavros Malichoudis, Greece Eva Panjan, Slovenia Elisenda Rovira Olivé, Spain Erin Stewart, Australia Kaja Puto, Poland Davis Landorfs, Latvia Luca Karafiath, Hungary Agata Mazepus, Poland Judit Molnár, Hungary Melissa Vermeulen, Belgium Anna Zemblicka, Latvia Orsolya Lehotai, Hungary

European Youth Press The European Youth Press (EYP) is an umbrella organisation for young journalists in Europe. The EYP reaches more than 60,000 young journalists across Europe with 25 member organisations and several working groups, forming a solid volunteer and professional infrastructure. It is a democratic, non-profit organisation founded and managed by young media makers all between 20 and 30 years of age. The European Youth Press aims to enable young people to give voice to their opinion on issues in their country and how it relates to the global media landscape by providing access to attend and cover global conferences.

IDEOLOGICAL INCEPTION: CHANGING MINDSETS AND ATTITUDES 14 KATHERINE BROWN: “PRESENTING EUROPE AS PERFECT FOR WOMEN COMPARED TO ISLAMIC STATE IS NOT HELPING TO STOP RADICALISATION”

Orange Magazine Orange Magazine was a journal founded by the European Youth Press in 2004. It caters to an international audience of English readers to address the gap of limited content produced by young Europeans that can be shared with youth outside the region. It is available in both print and online editions. All print and online editions of Orange Magazine are published on www. orangemagazine.eu, with PDF copies of print issues available for download, too. European Youth Media Days For eight years now, the European Youth Media Days are annually being organised by the European Parliament in cooperation with the European Youth Press. Hundred young journalist from all over Europe gather at the European Parliament in Brussels for three days of discussions and media production. This year the inspiring topic is Media Freedom. The media makers are getting workshops from professionals in the fields of print, photo, radio and TV, resulting in creations from all genres, cross-workshop productions and a documentary about the course of the European Youth Media Days 2015.

16 DETERRENCE OR DIALOGUE? THE FUTURE OF EU–RUSSIAN RELATIONS AND THE ROLE OF PUBLIC OPINION 28 HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN START UP? 8 PIECES OF ADVICE EVERY YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR CAN USE 32 HUMANS OF THE EYE 2016

Writings and comments of any contributor do not necessarily reflect that of Orange Magazine. Find more on orangemagazine.eu

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Â© Jakub Nicieja / Fotonews

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IDEOLOGICAL INCEPTION: CHANGING MINDSETS AND ATTITUDES how many times has this seemingly pious declaration been considered a war cry,

meant to instil fear in all those unfortunate enough to witness its echoes?

“ALLAH H U AKBAR!” According to Katherine Brown, lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University of Birmingham, the power of groups like IS in attracting and recruiting members lies in their fulfilment of certain romantic cultural notions – that of men being physically strong heroes and of women being ruled by their biology. Prevention better than cure Current news coverage is saturated with calls for tightened security and states of high alert – all decent enough measures on how to prevent future terrorist attacks and further fatalities. But what about taking a step back and trying to prevent terrorist ideologies from taking root in the impressionable minds of vulnerable youths? In theory this would provide a perfect solution to the radicalisation of young people, but as with all perfect solutions, its execution remains tricky. From an institutional standpoint, as Sakharov prize winner Denis

Mukwege put it, Europe has become “an economic giant but remains a political dwarf”. In order to wield further power on the world stage, as well as a European army, a common foreign policy is required, according to MEP Ulrike Lunacek. What can we do from our end as European millennials? Recent events are proof that the war on terrorism has become a global problem we must all face up to. Moreover, it’s easy to overlook the fact that refugees are not the cause of terrorism but rather the victims. Instead of offloading blame on these alread disadvantaged groups, we, as citizens of a union that prides itself on core values of the likes of equality and fraternity, have a humanitarian duty to help them build the better life they are entitled to. At a local level, better awareness would do well to achieve higher integration levels. Events such as the European Youth Event specifically target youth and focus on key issues that help to foster the awareness and better intercultural understanding needed. “Education is key,” Patryk Pawlak, Policy Analyst for the European Parliamentary Research Service said. Reform in the education system would certainly help: Promoting critical thinking in early school years would contribute to strength of character, ensuring 6

RELIGION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING, PEOPLE ARE that children develop a personal skill set with which they would turn out as less vulnerable prey and more well-rounded individuals who value themselves before valuing any ideology which would threaten their wellbeing. “Talking about issues acts as a vaccine,” says politologist Asiem EL Difraoui, safeguarding young people’s minds against any possible future ideological propaganda. Our first experience of anything, be it a first love to an ideology, will remain our reference point for similar future encounters. “Islam is a European religion, whether we like it or not,” says Cihan Tekeli, Program Manager and Educator at the Anne Frank House. European countries may still be a long way off from total secularisation. Hence, interreligious dialogue is another topic which craves to be more openly discussed, especially in school environments where it could provide deeper understanding of and respect for different faiths.

Sarah Chetcuti Malta

acts of violence should not be connected to religion.

Young European

agreed that

the tensions between different cultures and religious could only be released with proper education.

Within the past few months, Europe has been shaken by terrorist attacks in France, Belgium and Denmark. The shootings at the headquarters of Charlie Hebdo, the Jewish synagogue in Copenhagen and the bombings in Paris and Brussels left their mark. Experts, however, argue that religion should not be blamed for such acts of violence. “I don’t think that religion is violent; the problem is not down to religion. It’s down to people. When you look up the religious texts, it is all about context and history; I think every single holly book that has some form of violent text it has its specific context and it requires interpretation,” said Mariam Inayat, the British Youth Council’s Youth Ambassador, in an interview after a panel discussion. In her opinion, people – not religion – should be held responsible: “I think every single holy book that has some form of violent text, has its specific context and it requires interpretation.” She added that for every violent verse in the Koran, there are many more suggestive verses about peace and respect. The discussion took place on Friday afternoon and highlighted

the importance of interpreting what tolerance and respect mean for our society. Speakers also agreed that there is a fine line between freedom of expression and violence. “A peaceful demonstration could be offensive to someone, but I would never deny somebody’s right to do that,” said Inayat. “I would draw a line when violence starts.” Natacha Van Weezel, a filmmaker from Mo&Moos Mokum in the Netherlands, pointed out that social media can also be violent. “Twitter can be so hateful, aggressive and really one sided,” she said.

In Inayat’s opinion, education is the solution. “If you look up the word xenophobia, it is literally the fear of the unknown. I think that education is key in schools, through politicians and decision-makers on local, regional and national level. We need a more unified approach.”

Eva Panjan Slovenia

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REFUGEES WANT TO ACT! The central question in including refugees into society is usually: what Europe could do? But refugees also want to act, and they already do that.

The so-called refugee crisis has caused a big discussion whether Europe is ready to welcome refugees. Yes, everybody is talking about refugees, but not with them. And if Europe really wants to find a solution for a refugee issue, it has to include them in the discussion. Among refugees there are many open-minded people who have not only theoretical, but also practical knowledge on that topic. And do refugees want to be more active? Some of them do, some not, but they definitely should. Especially those who are stuck in a refugee camp without a job – they have to do something to both get to know and present themselves to the society. That’s why you decided to start your project called “From refugees for refugees”? Yes. As a refugee I am an insider – I know what is happening in the refugee camps and routes. I know the language and cultural background of the people coming to Europe. The aim of the initiative called “From refugees for refugees” is to help newcomers in finding a new life here. And I am not alone – many refugees that I know, want to

Meet Sarah Mardini, a 20-years-old Syrian girl, who saved 20 people she was travelling with on their road to Europe. As a professional swimmer, she was able to jump out of the dinghy when its motor stopped at the Aegean Sea. She was pushing and pulling the boat until it reached the Greek coast. Now living in Germany, Sarah wants to become an activist and human rights expert working for refugees in Berlin.

do something, and we will develop this project together. Do you think initiatives like yours can help people break the stereotypes and show them, that refugees are able to make a first step to integration? Yes, definitely. If you get to know some culture or religion better, you are not afraid of it anymore. It sounds obvious, but some people, including politicians, still don’t understand it. I have a friend, an American, who was literally afraid of me just because I’m a Muslim and he is a Jew. Obviously, he thought that every Muslim is an antiSemite. Then he spent two months in Morocco and changed his mind due to the great experience there. Everything is so easy for you, as you are smart, young and educated. But there people who are less educated and less eager to open their minds. Also among refugees. SM: For them adapting in Europe is far more difficult. Especially for women, because often they are not used to spend their time in public places. That is why they rarely leave their camps.

Do you think they should force themselves to change their habits? Everybody can live a life that he or she likes, but only while being respectful towards the others. Status of a woman in Muslim world is a very hard topic for me, because I really love my religion, even if fighting for women’s rights is unacceptable for many Muslims. Not for all of them, but for many. It hurts me, because I know so many talented Muslim women forced to hide behind their men. I always tell them to stop saying “yes” all the time. Women have to fight for their rights because no one is going to give it to them. I was born in the family where being a girl or boy does not make a difference, not many women has this kind of support at home. But I hope emigration to Europe might be a chance for them to emancipate. Are you disappointed in Europe and Europeans? No, but of course my image of Europe was idealized before I came here. Actually I was quite surprised that Europe is not that different from the world in which I grew up. Of course, there is no war and no one can even imagine life without water and electricity, but still. What I miss in Europe is the Syrian skyline; my city, Damascus, is very unique. But on the other hand I appreciate what Europe has achieved in terms of human rights. And how do you like the idea of European Union? Do you think it would be better to live in the world without national states? I don’t think I can really point at what would be better for Europe as I am still a newbie here. But personally I think multicultural countries are far better, because we learn a lot from each other. And when we all are the same, we become boring.

“

STATUS OF A WOMAN I N M USLI M WORLD IS A VE RY HARD TOPIC FOR M E, BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE MY RE LIGION, EVE N I F FIGHTI NG FOR WOM E N’S RIGHTS IS U NACCE PTABLE FOR MANY M USLI MS. NOT FOR ALL OF TH E M, BUT FOR MANY. IT H U RTS M E, BECAUSE I KNOW SO MANY TALE NTE D M USLI M WOM E N FORCE D TO H I DE BE H I N D TH E I R M E N.

SARAH MARDINI a 20-years-old syrian girl

Kaja Puto Poland

“

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OPINION PAY TAXES, BUT NOT FROM OUR SALARIES? europe needs legal regulations that ease the process of integrating immigrants into the

European labour market. rejecting “unfair for bornEuropeans” will not make people go back to their countries. this thesis as

The birth rate in Europe is not going to increase, and that is why we need immigrants. Otherwise states will be not able to support the growing number of pensioners. European public opinion seems to accept this fact, even if the so-called refugee crisis was used by several politicians in Europe to make people fearful of foreigners. Nevertheless, immigrants’ access to the labor market is still limited and the liberalisation of migration law has caused a lot of controversy. In a nutshell, many think it’s fine for foreigners to pay taxes in a country once they don’t occupy the work places. Whether you prefer to call it pragmatic restraint or hypocrisy, this logic is purely ridiculous: it is not only economically unsound, but it will also lead to social exclusion that might turn immigrants against the state that has taken them in. “There is a shortage of labor force in those countries where immigrants are heading to. Talking about “stealing jobs” is ridiculous, because if somebody is able to be given a job instead of somebody else, that simply means, he or she is better,” Pavel Trantina, the president of the section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship of European Economic and Social Committee, said. Let’s get back to the 1980’s, when numerous Poles were heading to West Berlin after the

Martial Law was introduced in Poland. They usually didn’t obtain a refugee status, but stayed in West Berlin on the basis of duldung (suspension of deportation), ensuring them accommodation and a small amount of pocket money. However, the Poles staying on duldung didn’t get a permit to work. If you have been to Germany, you might have heard a stereotype of a Pole who steals cars and participates in organised crime – mostly smuggling. This reputation, however, didn’t come from thin air. Duldung meant that Poles sooner or later ended up working in the black market. And even when Martial Law was withdrawn, they didn’t return home like Germany assumed they would. On the contrary – the number of Polish immigrants

integrate into society), the more they are eager to search for the “windows of opportunities”, which strengthens prejudices towards them and precludes their integration. I do not mean to say that liberalisation of the labor market will solve all the problems that immigration can cause or is associated with. The growing inequality between the first and third world is not only based on GDP, but also education. Then again, diagnosis is not a medicine, and luckily there are a few countries that understand it. One example is Germany. In April, its government drafted a new integration law which might be perceived as a milestone in striving for equality in the labour market, even if many points are

TH E BI RTH RATE I N E U ROPE IS NOT GOI NG TO I NCREASE, AN D THAT IS WHY WE N E E D I M M IGRANTS.

continued to increase. Even if today the “Polish factor” in the Bundeskriminalamt’s statistics is definitely smaller than it used to be before, the stereotype survived.This example shows clearly the vicious circle that stands behind every rotten compromise that starts with the words “we need immigrants, but…”. The more the access to the labour market is limited for immigrants (because of fears that they are not able to 10

highly controversial. The plan is to suspend a law requiring employers to give preference to German or EU applicants over asylum seekers for three years. Again, this is a temporary solution, and it concerns only one country, but half a loaf is better than none.

Kaja Puto

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concerns. This needs a debate and sometimes it is a painful one. But hate speech does not allow us to express ourselves. It actually blocks proper debate.”

political points. The same study also suggests that over 10% of all member of the European Parliament are from parties propagating racist and or xenophobic ideas.But hate speech is not only directed at refugees. It also affects the LGBTQ community, ethnic and religious groups. “It is true, that the adverse dialogue targeting refugees is on the rise, but sexist hate speech seems to be considered as a joke,” warned Ettema. Legal experts from Slovenia are warning that similar political and social circumstances occurred in the 1930’s, when fascism and Nazism were born.

Some political parties across Europe, mostly right wing, took advantage of the refugee crisis and people’s response to it, adopting the hostile attitude in order to gain

The problem is that there is a feeling that hate speech, especially online, is not sanctioned properly. National legislation needs to be updated to reflect the change in

#HATESPEECH IN THE EU AND THE NEED TO REACT hate speech is taking over social networks and daily conversations. a panel discussion at eye 2016

highlighted the failure to react to and remove hateful comments from social media around the world. it also

emphasised the need for a more robust

European

framework.

“Vote Trump! He will send #rapefugees to MECCA. Let Allah take care of them.” The phrase appeared on the screen behind the speakers. Then, another one. “Every Muslim is a terrorist!”

These were just some of the examples of hate speech Menno Ettema, Viktor Szabados and Iana Minochkina, members of No hate speech movement (NHSM) presented on Friday morning. A 2015 study by the European Parliament suggests that incidents involving hate speech and hate

crime are becoming more frequent, even though there is sweeping European law that governs these issues. Viktor Szabados from NHSM explained that hate speech, as defined by the Council of Europe, covers “all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify racial hatred, xenophobia, anti-Semitism or other forms of hatred based on intolerance.” It also includes intolerance expressed by aggressive nationalism and ethnocentrism, discrimination and hostility against minorities, migrants and people of immigrant origin. In an interview, Slovenian experts said that the European refugee crisis has increased hostility across Europe and worldwide. Among them, publicist Janez Markeš said that hostility was generated because of an incorrect political response to the migrant crisis. “We need to be worried. It is a part of the trend of undermining human right standards,” Menno Ettema said after the workshop. “We need to keep in mind that people have the right to seek protection and at the same time they have the right to express their 12

the online world, Ettema said: “We need to work on clear guidelines, clear legislation, decide what is acceptable and what not and what would be the punishment if someone crosses the line.” But on the other hand, it is very important to educate people. Ettema is sure that our society needs clear standards, clear reporting mechanisms and education about how to act online.

“Be active, report it, and don’t look away when you notice hate speech online and be conscious about your online behavior. Think twice before you share hateful comments,” he said. Eva Panjan Slovenia

“WE N E E D TO BE WORRI E D. IT IS A PART OF TH E TRE N D OF U N DE RM I N I NG H U MAN RIGHT STAN DARDS,” menno ettema, no hate speech campaign coordinator

“BE ACTIVE, RE PORT HATE SPE ECH, AN D DON’T LOOK AWAY WH E N YOU NOTICE HATE SPE ECH ON LI N E AN D BE CONSCIOUS ABOUT YOU R ON LI N E BE HAVIOR. TH I N K TWICE BE FORE YOU SHARE HATE FU L COM M E NTS.” menno ettema, no hate speech campaign coordinator

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KATHERINE BROWN:

“PRESENTING

EUROPE AS PERFECT FOR WOMEN COMPARED TO ISLAMIC STATE IS NOT HELPING TO STOP RADICALISATION” hundreds of europeans have left their countries in recent years to join islamic state, and one

in seven western militants are

women, a report by new america, which describes itself as a nonpartisan public policy institute, states.

Dr katherine brown, a lecturer in islamic studies in the University of birmingham, has studied the relationship between gender, politics and religion for more

than 10 years, and she specialised in gender and jihadi ideologies,

as well as the impact of counterterrorism efforts on religious women’s rights and muslim communities.

Is there a common profile among young Europeans joining Islamic State? Unfortunately, we can’t stereotype a profile of people. All we can say is that they are young people who have interest in politics, in religion, and are questioning their future lives. Unfortunately for us in Europe, they think that a better future can be had in Syria. So I think one of the interesting questions we have to ask is why there are young people who think that there is a better future there than here. And that’s about politics: inclusion, give a people a confidence for the future, make sure they genuinely believe their voices

and experiences and that they are not part of the problem but part of the solution. Apparently, a lot of the debates are about framing young people as problems that we adults need to solve. Actually, young people need to be framed also as the solutions for their own futures. What role does identity play in radicalisation? It plays a very important role. When someone moves towards a more radicalised position, there is always an outward identity: it has become much firmer, more restricted and very exclusive. Radical groups try to isolate the individuals and to present their identities in black and white: “you are with this or against this.” And they say: “Well, those around you do not really understand you. How could their understand you? They do not listen to you. We do listen. We are your community, your only friends. Begin to rely on us and we will provide the things that can help you sort out your identity.” In some cases that means also providing material things. There is a case in the United States where a woman had been receiving books and sweets and gifts from a radical individual who was trying to encourage her to travel to Syria. He believed that giving her things was a demonstration of her value, in a small community where she was lost and ignored. He tried to isolate her even further and then say 14

to her: “Look, we care about you, no-one else does.” So I think what is really important is looking at the individual, the community and those around them. The factors are the same among girls? It is very interesting that when you talk to young women about why they are joining ISIS or why did they return, they mention very similar stuff to men: politics, oppression, violence, the way in which the West is harming innocents in Iraq and Syria, they talk about wanting to be part of a new future... These are the same things men talk about. But they do talk about it in a slightly different way: women talk in terms of empathy and caring, whereas men tend to want to become a hero, to have an adventure. For young men often the adventure is traveling and the excitement of participation, whereas for women is about supporting and building up a new future, and that is it. We do hear a lot about romance and the idea they are being groomed. For some women, there is an element of romance, an idealised notion of what it means to be a wife and what a good Muslim is. And the propaganda is saying to some extent that Muslim men in Europe are not real men: they cannot be, because the state oppresses them, because they are constantly being put down, because they are not given the opportunity to be

breadwinners, because they are not properly respected in the community and other women have undermined them. So there is a real backlash against womens rights. They are talking about a different idea of masculinity, about what makes a good husband and they say that a good husband is going to protect them, to give them financial security. Why would a European girl want to join Isis? One of the things we come across is that idea that in the West, the lives of women iare brilliant. We have rights, freedom of work, freedom of movement, sexual harassment does not take place, we do not have to marry or have kids, and we can do what we want: everything is fine. And we contrast that with images of Islamic state where women are restricted in the sense of the things they are allowed to do and the freedom they have.

Why would you give up all these brilliant things for a more restricted life? The difficultly we have is that we need to question: how is life like for women in Europe? Those dreams – equal access, equal opportunities, no sexual harassment – are not actually real yet: domestic violence has not gone away, the conviction rates in rape cases are really low, we did not reach equal pay... It would be better to work together on what we can improve, but presenting Europe as perfect when Muslim women and other women know that it is not is not helping us. We think that this other future for women in Islamic State is very restrictive but they might feel even more free: you are not going to get harassed at the street, you can practise your faith and your politics, you can become part of a big adventure... that, in that kind of logic, is very powerful.

Elisenda Rovira Spain

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OPINION DETERRENCE OR DIALOGUE: THE FUTURE OF EU-RUSSIAN RELATIONS AND THE ROLE OF PUBLIC OPINION today, europe is still at odds with

Russia for the annexation of Crimea

and the country’s continuous military presence in eastern ukraine.

There

are active economic sanctions and diplomatic relations remain poor.

This is hardly a surprise, considering that for the Western public at large, Russia prevented a sovereign country from strengthening ties with the European Union. It even resembles the geopolitics from the Cold War period where opposite sides tried to gain influence on rivalling spheres. However, Moscow has breached one the fundamental international norms Europeans are so devoted to by going against the inviolability of borders and territorial sovereignty. Nevertheless, we see the prospect of extending the Nordstream pipeline to further west, so it bypasses Ukraine and increases the wealth and influence of Russian oil giant Gazprom. Despite the distant attitudes and sanctions, some European countries will still sign nuclear contracts with Rosatom, implying long-term commitment, and the NATO–Russia Council will gather again for the first time since the annexation of Crimea. Therefore, many ask: can Europe afford to have an unfriendly Russia in its proximity? It seems, that in this complex network of many tentative and contradictory interests that are related to Russia, the general public opinion is often dismissed in the debate. Nevertheless, the European perception of Russia and the general public’s assessment of EU–Russia relations will play a crucial role in shaping the future relationship of the two countries. Therefore, I have asked six participants of the European Youth Event from diverse backgrounds to share their views regarding the future of EU-Russia relations.

THE EUROPEAN PERCEPTION OF EU-RUSSIA RELATIONS WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT EU– RUSSIA RELATIONS? DO YOU THINK THAT THE EU SHOULD LOOK AT RUSSIA AS A PARTNER OR AS AN ADVERSARY?

MIHAI, 21, ROMANIA

CAGDAS, 29, TURKEY

PAULINE, 20, FRANCE

‘’I don’t think that the general relations of Europe and Russia should be impacted by the annexation of Crimea, or at least that shouldn’t be the main point of the discussion. We shouldn’t accept it, but we should find common ground. This has to be the key. We should co-operate with Russia since nowadays we cannot be completely independent. We are all interconnected and being in a conflict with each other will do no good for anyone.’’

‘’First, we should solve the conflicts that impede us to be partners at the moment, such as the Ukrainian and the Syrian conflicts. Even after that, we can start to have dialogue. On the other hand, Europe should not focus on military power, because Europe has already passed that phase in history. The only way for Europe is to focus on its soft power and cultural influence.’’

‘’It’s complicated to build a relationship with a country that wants to build an empire and fails to respect human rights and international law. Europe should make more effort to become independent from Russia and we should send the message that if Russia wants to have a partnership, then it should start respecting European values. I think that the most important thing is to be loyal to our European values, and economic interests can only come second.’’

LAFEY, 21, ICELAND

YENTYL, 27, THE UNITED KINGDOM

‘’Even though the Russian government has certain political views many Europeans do not agree with, we should not forget that there are individuals living in the country that we should be able to co-operate with. Co-operation on the level of civil society is very important. I think that as long as there is understanding and respect for each other in our discussions, co-operation is very possible.’’

‘’In any relationship, both sides need to have an open discussion. In the case of the EU–Russia relationship, it is important that the EU becomes more open to the European public as well, in order to know what the public wants from Russia. After all, we are why politics exist, so politicians need to listen to the public and have an open and transparent debate.’’

Luca Karafiáth Hungary

TOMAS, 18, GERMANY ‘’The EU should look at Russia rather as a partner than an enemy. Generally I believe that it’s always important to work together globally.’’

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TEAM Â© Enrico Pascatti. Strasbourg, 2016.

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EUROPEAN YOUTH IS UNHAPPY WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM, BUT DO THEY HAVE ANY BETTER SUGGESTIONS? Unjust, unfair, individualistic, greedy: young people in Europe do not hold back when describing the current prevailing capitalist system.

When young people are given the chance to come up with their own “ideal society”, many voice their ideas out loud, and especially when they are alternatives to capitalism. At one of the workshops at the European Youth Event 2016, echoes of “we’re the 99%” and “we need radical change” resounded in the room, reminiscent of the Occupy Wall Street protests in the United States, and the recent “Nuit Debout” (“Up All Night”) social movement in France. An initial overview of the current economic system and a brief definition of capitalism were then followed by a word association game that asked people to write what came to mind about the relationships between capitalism, the patriarchy, the environment and social inequalities.

Criticism of unequal access to education stands out on the posters as well, while some pointed out the gender inequalities that still persist in our modern world, like with wage gaps. Actual solutions? When young people are asked to actually present a solution, or create an ideal society, many refuse to define theirs. While most of the young people believe that establishing faith in humanity and being more positive was enough, there were a couple of concrete suggestions that stood out. Taxing the rich and market regulation by the government is one solution, said Thanos, a 27-yearsold participant from Greece. He gave an example of the Scandinavian economic model, which thrives on high taxation while offering free education and healthcare in return. “Changing the system is difficult but realistic. This system has a lot of

For Bianca, a 25-year-old Romanian, the suggestions did not sound well thought out or inclusive enough. “When you suggest something, you have to think about the whole system. What I hoped was to see people coming from different backgrounds thinking collectively and thoroughly for alternatives. Because if you give one suggestion, it can have a lot of repercussions for other parts of the system,” she said. Nidhal, who calls her home country’s economic model “the closest to the ideal”, seems happy with the results and suggestions made by participants, in particular the ones based on Nordic capitalism. “Social democracy is the ideal model, but I don’t agree that social democratic parties nowadays are the perfect examples to carry it through”, corrects Lucie, a coorganiser of the event from Czech Republic. “Social movements from around the world protest against leftist governments, populist governments and conservative governments. That’s why we need a more structured criticism. Protesters need to take responsibility in turning their words into actions, because protesting is something anyone can do,” she added.

Bilal Muftuoglu Turkey

TO INCREASE POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT, THE EU COULD LEARN FROM DATING APPS Trolls and bringing Tinder to politics were just some of the things discussed across European Youth Event 2016 panels that focused on ways to increase political engagement in the European Union. The idea that the internet and social media really could change politics emerged during the 2008 US Presidential elections, which ushered Barack Obama into office, said Dr Sanne Kruikemeier, an Assistant Professor in Amsterdam University. Asked by a participant about increasing the EU’s engagement on social media and the effect of trolls on the discourse, Jaume Duch, the European Parliament’s Spokesman and Director for Media said that they had asked the White House’s social media director for advice – and it comes down to careful moderation. “The verbal style is getting worse and worse,” Heinz Becker, member of the European Parliament, said. He added that internet trolls are the reason why more and more politicians give up on participating in online debates.For Kruikemeier, though, this is not the main issue. Promoting participation and democracy in social media New technological solutions offer new ways to include the people into governing process. At a panel,

“1.5 billion live with less than a dollar a day. We live in an unequal world. It’s because of capitalism”, said Nidhal, a Swedish member of the Young European Socialists.

“Capitalism depends on infinite growth, unlimited and uncontrolled consumption”, wrote one of the participants on giant posters lying in the middle of the room.

inequalities, whether that involves access to healthcare or the job market. We should tackle this, not by destroying capitalism, but by regulating capitalism,” said the Greek participant.

the idea of a new app called “iVoice” was presented. Emulating the dating app Tinder, the application would allow people to “like” or “dislike” the members of the European Parliament or vote on other people’s ideas. Similar Tinderstyle projects have already been tried out in other EU countries. For example, bite the Ballot’s “Verto”, which took centre stage during the recent London mayoral elections, was called out by Obama as something that would help to create a generation of “change agents”. Similarly, “Smart Vote” was used by tens of thousands of Irish voters to decide their preferences in the country’s general election. The “iVoice” is, for now, just an idea by Benjamin Bodson, one of the session’s young “idea givers”. 21

But this teaching and research assistant in EU Law at the Catholic University of Lovaine in Brussels does not think technology is the only way to increase the participation of young people. Mariam Inayat, a former member of the UK Youth Parliament, pointed out the timely question in the European Parliament, namely the increasing diversity. “We need more MEPs from minority groups. The United States have a black president. Do we want to go behind the country that gave us Donald Trump?” she asked.

Elisenda Rovira & Edmund Heaphy Spain & Ireland

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YOUTH ORGANISATIONS A HUB FOR INCLUSION Many young people across Europe, often feel alienated by public service providers which tend to be bureaucratic, inflexible, badly integrated and often under political pressure. At the same time, youth organisations practice the open door policy: through the use of non-formal tools they engage young people in sports, cultural, societal, political, and other organisations. “We don’t sort the youth, we include in our networks people from various political and religious beliefs, with different languages and nationalities,” said Adam Tate from the Scout Association. “It is important that all young people are seen as individuals and that they are regarded equally as members of the movement, whatever their abilities,” he added. For example, the Scout Association is currently running a three-year project which should result in even greater inclusion and understanding of diversity.

Rebecka Stenkvist, an Executive Committee Member of the European Students’ Union admitted that including minority youth is not a one-day task. “Since we are an umbrella organisation, we need to empower our national organisations. We can’t guarantee that were won’t be failures, but we strive to decrease them – we regularly provide trainings at a local level targeting gender issues and minorities,” she explained. Her peers - Estella Muniz, a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girls Scouts and Astrid Oelpenich representing Phiren Amenca International Network - agreed that building networks with other youth organisations, such as LGBT and others, is the main tool to ensure smooth and effective inclusion. “Since the leaders of the organisation are usually young and learning themselves, sharing the practices with the others – either inside or outside the organisation is at the top of the agenda,” Muniz said. All members of youth organisations admitted that exclusion is not an answer to an increasing diversity of today’s Europe. “If we exclude minority youth, we will lose many great ideas, knowledge, we won’t be able to perceive the things from different perspectives”, Stenkvist emphasized. 22

OFF TO A GOOD START LEARNING BY DOING CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION IN PRACTICE “Excluded ones won’t be able to shape their future, have a sense of the ownership. Thus the foundation Europe is built on, will become unstable, frustration will grow and democratic participation won’t be democratic in the sense of the word,” Tate noted. Oelpenich agreed: “Exclusion often leads to violence; if we don’t want to go back to the 1930s, we should work together to create more inclusive society and youth organisations”.

Anna Zemblicka Latvia

How can the media contribute to positive change? Laura Lopez, the Education Policy Officer of the European Youth Forum, said that media should focus more on the positive things. “Personally, I am emotionally exhausted from hearing only negative news. Where are all the good things that are happening? Why aren’t we emphasising that somebody took a positive action and changed the life of another person?” she asked.

“I H EAR AN D I FORGET. I SE E AN D I RE M E M BE R. I DO AN D I U N DE RSTAN D.” confucius

“My message is: let’s cherish the good things more and provoke a change for better by giving a positive example,” Lopez said. “If you are just reading or listening about something, you cannot relate to it. But if you get involved, it makes you think about your own life and your own decisions, and that is why learning by doing is better than other forms of acquiring the knowledge,” Anja from the National Youth Council of Slovenia added. “For us, the practitioners of nonformal education, learning by doing is the way”, Eliza Popper from the European Youth Forum said.

Agata Mazepus Poland

“If we just talk about some issues to the people, they either feel it or they

don’t, they agree or they do not, but when they realise something on their own, when they get a full experience, it is much easier to invoke a change in attitudes, behaviours, and thoughts,” she explained. This message is also a message to all of us. Because, as the motto of this year’s European Youth Event states, “together we can make a change”.

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AN ARTICLE FOR A EURO: THE STRUGGLES TO FIND JOB AS A YOUNG JOURNALIST

young journalists are convinced of future success, but often have to choose the road less travelled to find employment in a dense media job market.

“There are some doors that open, but then there are a lot that just don’t,” said Susanne Gottlieb, a young video journalist from Austria. She added that the experience of looking for a job can be frustrating and explained that employers rarely seem to be willing to invest their resources in young media professionals. At the beginning of 2016, more than 4.5 million people were unemployed across the EU, and although the numbers have slightly decreased during the last few years, long-term youth unemployment is still at record highs. There are no available numbers on unemployment among young media professionals in the EU, but in some countries the the figure is as high as 50% among young journalists.

rapidly, a lot of professionals find one of the biggest challenges is simply finding a job in the first place. “I believe it is directly connected to the role of technology,” she explains. “There is a shift from traditional media, like print and TV, towards new digital platforms. There are less working hands needed and the field itself has changed a lot, I think.”

Udre said that she sees strength in dedication and passion and is not particularly worried about the perspectives of her future employment, but at the same time admits she puts focus on learning new skills. “I am an old school kind of girl – I currently write for a newspaper and a magazine, and in this I can work the way journalists used to 10 or 15 years ago, which I like a lot.

At the same time, I understand that if I want to be competitive, I need to know how to work with data, and I need digital skills. Obviously it will make me more attractive to potential employers in the future.” Learning to succeed later New technology might be reducing media jobs, but at the same time it can provide opportunity, claims

Karim Mustaghni, an entrepreneur and an investor. He says that he has noticed a number of upcoming media start-ups in places like Berlin, and is convinced that this can be a way for young journalists to create employment for themselves. “I think that digital media will become more powerful. I see that people are less interested in mainstream media and the thoughts of individual opinion leaders.” “You can always try to work for the established [companies], but I believe it will only become more and more important to be proactive and build something like a niche company yourself,” he adds. But Susanne Gottlieb says she thinks that this can only be a partial solution to a wider issue. “A lot of people are starting their own little thing, and I think that this is really good. But I think it can also be a bit scary for someone who has done one or two internships. Will they have the customer base and the reputation to succeed? And should they start their own company if they want to learn something or should they try to learn something first to validate their future start-up? I mean, it can definitely be a way to go, but I’m not sure everybody is the person for that.”

“Nowadays you can hardly find an entry-level job, and that’s the main problem,” Susanne added. “For a young journalist, it definitely affects your self value, and it’s not a healthy situation to be in.” Oldschoolers going digital Finding a job can be difficult for aspiring journalists, said Anna Ūdre, 20, a journalism student from Latvia. During the last two years she has participated in a number of journalism events and says that, with the media landscape changing 24

Susanne says that in the end most young journalists she knows have found employment, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach for landing a job. “Pretty much everyone finds something. But maybe that’s not always in the area they studied. Some people have gone abroad to find a job.” “In a way, that’s the beauty of it,” she adds. “You have to run in as many doors as you can and at some point it will happen.” Davis Landorfs Latvia

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THE SEARCH FOR RESEARCH: STRUGGLES AND JOYS OF BEING A FEMALE RESEARCHER IN THE EU

STIRRING UP EUROPE’S ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT Enterpreneurship is a skill, not a talent

The modern world is rapidly transforming. Technological evolution, the change in the labour market and the need to get answers are affecting global research. In Europe, researchers are working in a highly competitive environment. They need to prove their skills, but also plan their next career moves way in advance. Two female researchers in the EU shared their struggles and joys of with us.

organisations, she figured out she could use those skills in her research. Another young academic, Sanne Kruikemeier, is an Assistant Professor of Political Communication at the University of Amsterdam. As a first-year student in the university, she was immediately attracted to sociology. And then the question struck

compensation of their employees differ. Also, gender inequalities exist. For instance, while a male researcher with up to four years experience in France can earn around €30,000 annually, a German colleague would be limited to an annual salary of 22,000. In Austria, a male academic with seven years of experience could earn €50,000, while a female academic earns almost 8,000 less than he would. But are researchers satisfied with their choice? Both seem to agree. Their job provides them with the opportunity to travel to different countries, discover and learn every single day. They find themselves in a very competitive environment, but they are happy at work. Kruikemeier said that she has sometimes experienced sexism, but that did not stop her from achieving her goals.

laura odasso

Laura Odasso, an Italian postdoctoral researcher at Université Libre in Brussels, spends her time between her country, France and Belgium. As a Marie Curie fellow, she researches and teaches classes mainly on migration issues. “Looking back,” she said, “I can’t really remember myself considering a career in academia as an option.” At first she studied Arabic, while she was planning to become a journalist. After having completed a European Studies master’s degree and having gained work experience with human rights’

her: “Who wants to work for a university?” She added that the private sector usually attracts the best and the brightest because of higher salaries. Her experience working for a research company after her master’s degree, however, revealed her passion for data analysis and led her back to campus. She started her PhD at the university she now teaches at. There are approximately 3,300 universities and colleges across the bloc. A 2007 study by the European University Institute suggests that depending on the country, autonomy and 26

Concerning funding, the experiences differ. Grants provided for PhD research in Italy are not sufficient. On the other hand, being a PhD student in the Netherlands gives you freedom to travel, conduct research around the world and comes with a salary and benefits similar to other university employees. In both countries research is totally independent. “[I am] not rich, but I can provide for myself until the end of the month”, Odasso comments.

It is a myth that you have to be born an entrepreneur to run a successful business.

A panel of

business experts suggests that you can become one by developing your mindset and skills.

“In my opinion we need to integrate entrepreneurship in our education system,” said Mads Ehrhardt, Founder of Copenhagen Concept and Fashionfinder. He added that it is much easier to motivate children to become entrepreneurs than adults “who are much more narrow minded.” Above all, entrepreneurship is a skill potential entrepreneurs must learn. The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, encourages entrepreneurship education. Up to 20% of students who participate in a minicompany program in secondary school will later start their own company, European Commission data suggests. That is up to five times higher than in the general population.

Fear or courage?

Do not give up

Europeans seem to fear the consequences of failure enough to deter them from setting up their own business: “This is not the case for Americans, who feel like if they do not do it themselves there is nothing to fall back on,” said Ehrhardt. “It’s sad to say, but maybe courage will come from fear! Europeans should become less spoiled,” he added.

Finance is often one of the biggest challenges for start-ups. However, there are a lot of possibilities to get funding, such as crowdfunding, business angels and government investment programs.

ON LY 37% OF E U ROPEANS WOU LD LI KE TO BE SE LFE M PLOYE D, COM PARE D TO 51% OF TH E PEOPLE I N TH E US AN D CH I NA (SOURCE: EUROPEAN COMMISSION)

“There is a lot of money available in the European Union, and you should figure out how you can get a grip on it”, said Rick Watson, Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets at the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME). “Remember not to give up. If one bank says ‘no’ to your project, you can always go to the next one,” he noted. Also the attitude among entrepeneurs has changed. “Twenty years ago the climate was much more competitive, entrepreneurs didn’t want to share, but nowadays a ‘pay it forward’ feeling arose among them. They feel obliged to help others that are in the same situation as themselves,” Ehrhardt explained. Melissa Vermeulen Belgium

Stavros Malichudis Greece 27

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HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN START UP ?

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IF PEOPLE CONNECT TOGETHER, THEY CAN MAKE BIG CHANGES.

PIECES OF ADVICE EVERY YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR CAN USE

CHECK THE MARKET AND FIND THE GAPS IN THE SYSTEM. THEN STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR YOUR IDEAS.

have you ever thought

that you probably never

geniuses, the orange

Looking at all the young entrepreneurs until the age of 33 and how they impact the society is wonderful. You can really feel the energy and enthusiasm coming from these young people to reach and develop something. They are super creative, innovative and they know how to handle technologies but the main problems they have to face with are to to have a good business plan, get funding and find the investors. It differs from one start up to the others how they eventually reach funds. It also seems rewardable to get promotions at the very beginning and take part in competitions such as the European Youth Award to show their ideas

execute

magazine will bring

BIRGIT KOLB, PROJECT MANAGER, EUROPEAN YOUTH AWARD, AUSTRIA

today is the day to

about becoming your own

change it.

boss

the advice from

do you write down

business ideas on post its,

Featuring

young entrepreneurial

you eight most

NEVER UNDERMINE THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSION. Running an NGO or any kind of social entrepreneurship should be the love of your life. Besides passion you strongly have to believe in that what you do actually makes an impact in the society and thus you need to reach your target groups and deepen the network of your organisation. At the very beginning funding is the most challenging border that you need to solve. Ana`s top tip for young entrepreneurs would be never stop growing and never stop sitting down for a moment to reflect on yourself and your pervious acts to be able to figure out the next steps. ANA ALIBEGOVA, DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, ASSOCIATION FOR EDUCATION MLADIINFO INTERNATIONAL, MACEDONIA

important tips to follow.

BE BRAVE, IF YOU NEVER TRY YOU WILL NEVER KNOW HOW IT GOES We deal with legal technique, publishing, special help for young people who haven`t published any research paper yet and give them the opportunity to publish it for free. We also provide free legal platform to get free legal advises that is in the field of social protection and traffic safety. It is really challenging to find the funding and and start the idea. We first offered three services for free then provided certain services for free and others for paying. That is how we made some money at the beginning. It is also difficult to find the people who are committed enough to work for your organisation. Step zeros is to try and also to gain some experience by joining other organisations as well.

I work on a start up relating sustainable fashion and design. We are facing lots of environmental problems and I wanted to – and eventually did – find my little space to make a social impact and do business well. You shouldn’t ask yourself what you want to be or how you want to be but you should ask yourself what kind of problem you can actually solve and get investors to make it profitable. Don’t be afraid to share your new ideas. So open up, share your thoughts, don’t hold ideas back, listen and you will for sure get back feedback and win something eventually. FENNE PLAISIER, BUSINESS: SUIT ME, THE NETHERLANDS

THE MOST DIFFICULT STEP TO START A START UP IS TO ACTUALLY START IT We do tourism guided by homeless people. The challenges were the lack of knowledge and the legal environment concerning this idea. The society did not understand the idea of social entrepreneurship and it was extremely difficult to explain what we anted to do. That we are a business and we have a social goal as well. You need to have a clear plan that you want to achieve within a certain time and work on it. The idea itself is not enough at all

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS TO GET THINGS DONE It is tough to become an entrepreneur and to understand the process of business especially if you don’t come with this educational background. I used to make a small jewellery collection from traffic sign waste. My motivation was to think big because if you can design jewellery out of this kind of waste then you can do the same with other kinds of waste and create great products. Do you have an idea? Good. Do it, now. JINDRICH FIALKA, FOUNDER AND CEO, CONTIQUA, THE CZECH REPUBLIC

YOU HAVE TO WANT AND HAVE PASSION FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT IS ALSO NEEDED BY THE WORLD. You need to want something that is the passion for something that you know is special, and also needed by the world. Unfortunately something that you are happy about and like is not necessary something that people need. Sit down, think about what makes you happy, think about what can make other people happy and consider if it is needed by the world.

We founded GovFaces that is a social media startup for politics in Switzerland. The market gap was that we realised that actually there is no space for politicians and citizens to normally and effectively interact with each other because according to the experience it doesn’t really happen on Facebook or Twitter. At the start I had to step so much out of my comfort zone that I learned a lot about business and legal environment. Step zero is to be open for talking to people and to be willing to be persistent for your own idea. The truth is that a lot of people have great ideas but without being persistent enough you won`t succeed on this rocky road full of ups and downs. TUDOR MIHAILESCU, CO-FOUNDER, GOVFACES, GENEVA

MATTHIAS HAAS, CEO AND CURATOR SUPERSOCIAL, TEDX, VIENNA

TEREZA JURECKOVA, PRAGULIC, THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Orsolya Lehotai Hungary

DUŠICA BIROVLJEVI, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, NOMCENTAR, SERBIA 28

WITHOUT TALKING TO PEOPLE AND BEING PERSISTENT YOU WON`T SUCCEED.

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SHARING ECONOMY – CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH COMMON VALUES

EYE ROBOTS: THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY AND WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Sharing economy is a

buzzword that changes

the old way of thinking

about travelling, eating, and money.

A fifteen-hour work week will be the norm by 2030, according to the predictions British economist John Maynard Keynes made in 1930.

For many, Uber has replaced or renewed the definition of a taxi service. Airbnb reshapes the traditional forms of holiday and crowdfunding websites offer great opportunity for entrepreneurs without much capital to invest.

Of course, the fifteen-hour work week hasn’t come to fruition. While work hours tended to decrease globally over the twentieth century, in the last decade the number of hours worked across the EU haven’t seemed to have changed much. The plateau has been despite significant technological innovations that Keynes could never have anticipated: the widespread use of the internet.

But not every player in the market is amused by these challengers to the status quo. Taxi drivers all over the world protest against the new ride-sharing services and Airbnb is shrouded in controversy about taxation. There is no universal agreement within the EU on how to treat these innovative technologies, but it is already apparent that some of the laws are outdated. The definition of shared economy includes shared creation and production of goods or services via digital technologies. This kind of innovation is extremely important for the European Union, which has a lack of natural resources but enough knowledge to create various knowledge hubs. Chelsea Rustrum emphasised that the sharing economy concept seems to challenge the importance of qualifications, such as having to have a certified driver, hotel manager or similar. A consultant for Fortune 500 companies as often as sharing economy start ups, Rustrum finds it important to differentiate between for-profit and non-profit profiles and recognises that the “profit at any cost” corporate model will never

support the sharing economy idea. Anika Saigal, founder of Roomsplit, said that sharing economy businesses should be based on larger values.In fact, they are encouraging people to share their values and essentially build communities but unfortunately some companies masquerade as shared economy enterprises even though they go to no effort to form these communities. Besides all the goodness that comes with this kind of innovation, it is always wise to remember that change should not be so fast that society finds it difficult to adapt.

While on the one hand it seems normal that legislation sometimes falls behind, you can expect a lot of problems unless sharing economy legislation is harmonised in the EU.

Marta Dancs Hungary

Dr Alexandra Beauregard, an Associate Professor in Human Resource Management at Middlesex University in London said that for many workers, internet-enabled devices have actually correlated with an extension of working hours, particularly for professionals. Constant connectivity, she noted, has changed employers’ expectations of workers. “You send an email on Saturday and you’re surprised if on Sunday night no one has answered it yet because you know they can get the email.” We’re now seeing a new generation of technologies that may – as the internet did, and electricity before that, and industrialscale machination before that – revolutionise work “We will be augmented by the capabilities of robots,” said panellist Gianfranco Visentin, Head

of Automation and Robotics Section at the European Space Agency. The problem is, we don’t know how yet. For the optimists, the increased productivity robots can offer the workplace is itself exciting. As, Andersson pointed out, robots are very good at some jobs, and don’t go on strike or require coffee breaks.

WE N E E D TO TH I N K ABOUT WHAT KI N D OF WORLD WE WANT AN D I TH I N K THAT ROBOTS CAN H E LP US CREATE IT.” andersson

But even if you see robotics as promising rather than threatening, there are lingering questions around what exactly humans will do when all this work is being tasked to robots. Kondert described why our speculation is doomed to fail, “we try to predict things that’ll happen in the future 31

with the mindset of today.” All experts were nonetheless reassuring about the future of work for humans. Andersson said that “robots create wealth, you create value.” As such, humans will retain the ability to find meaning from work, and to decide what activities need pursuit. Likewise, “we will need more skills that are different from today,” says Kondert. People will need to know more about technology to better understand their new wired colleagues, and they’ll also need to be creative. “We as a society decide what makes sense,” says Kondert. Indeed, some countries, and the EU itself, have put together strategic plans for the role of robots in society. We may not be able to imagine what’s in store for our work and lives in the future, but it’s up to us to shape it along the way. As Andersson says, “We need to think about what kind of world we want and I think that robots can help us create it.” Marta Dancs Hungary

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HUMANS OF THE EYE2016

we spend much of our adult lives working, and in

turn figuring out how to fit in family time, hobbies, relaxation, and other activities. for young people

ARE WE PRE PARE D TO WORK LONG HOU RS FOR A DREAMJOB OR H IGH SALARY ? IS A JOB J UST A PAYCH ECK THAT FU N DS A WE LLROU N DE D LI FE?

thinking about the future, the question of balance is important.

Erin Stewart Australia

TAMARA JACOBI, 23, FRANCE AND POLAND

MARIA RODRIGUEZ, 20, SPAIN

VERONIKA OKATA, 22, SLOVAKIA

“I think the most important thing is to find a job that you really like. It’s also really important to have a family that supports you in your choices, especially as a woman. Female ministers in the French Parliamentary Assembly have spoken out last week against sexism. It’s really important that women in the political sphere are addressing it.”

“I’m not sure what I’ll do when I have a job, but I don’t imagine just doing one thing in my life. I’m also a board member of the Spanish Youth Council. People who are already actively participating in organisations, we’re engaged in so many things, we cannot stop. Not only studying or working but getting involved in society.”

“I work for a multinational corporation and volunteer. For my age, I have quite a full CV already. I believe this is the age where we have to start doing something with our lives. I want to work really hard now and party less and in the future I’ll be rewarded.”

CHRISTOPHER VESSELINOV VASSILEV, 17, BULGARIA

KRISTIANA TOMINA, 18, LATVIA

IRVIN MOJCIC, 28, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

AARON SINCLAIR, 20, UK

VIKTOR REIER, 26, GERMANY

LINA TOUMI, 23, FRANCE

“I’d like to have more free time in the future, for my family and for me as well. My father works more than ten hours a day for not a great salary. In Bulgaria this is normal. I’d like to go and study somewhere abroad and afterwards I can go back and try to change the situation in my country.”

“I’m a student, I would like to be a journalist. I’m worried about it. I’m a family person and I like being with kids. That kind of makes me sad. But I need to go into a career and educate myself and I will do it.”

“I campaign against the physical and mental walls against the Roma people in society. It’s difficult to balance between things. When I arrive at my limit, I go into nature for a couple of days.”

“I study hospitality management, and I also work at a football stadium, a cocktail bar, and a restaurant. I work three jobs and I go to college. I prefer not to have spare time because it bores me. A lot of people in the UK do the same thing because utilities are really expensive, people work really long hours to pay for things that are essential.

“I would like to join the German Foreign Office. They work at least 50 to 60 hours per week. For me, it’s absolutely okay because I’m a workaholic and I love working and feeling useful. It would be a huge privilege to represent my country.”

“I’m a teacher of French as a foreign language. I also volunteer in many organisations. I could have spare time, and I chose not to. I’m so tired during the weekend. At some point it’s too much and you can burn out, even if its volunteering. You really have to think of yourself too. I think people take it very seriously in France, that you have to have a balance.”

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EUROPE, EMBRACE YOUR WASTE! 1.3 billion tonnes of food go to waste around the world

each year, an alarming number considering that 26,000 children die of hunger every single day and that eight million people are severely malnourished.

although the food we produce

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table of the poor.

of, they give the opportunity to charities to pick exactly what they would have the best use of and redistribute it to those in need.

The Young Charitas puts an emphasis on enhancing social inclusion through bringing recycled food into people’s lives. Apart from organising food markets, where people in need can fill their baskets with unlimited amounts of reclaimed food for €3, they also support women in crisis situations, whose bonding often starts through the food donated to them by charities.

According to Ward, the project has been highly popular especially because it has given people in precarious situations the access to items that they would have never been able to purchase for themselves. Although she thinks there is still a lot of work to be done to change people’s rigid attitude to “best before” dates (which are not the same as “expires by” dates) and the notion of waste, she is positive about the future and believes that such projects are a good way of moving towards a sustainable tomorrow.

“I DREAM OF A WORLD WHERE WOMAN AND MAN ARE EQUAL”

DR DENIS MUKWEGE, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

“First they might just ask each other what an avocado is, because they have never seen such a vegetable in their lives, but the next day, they would already be sharing recipes and the third, they would all be cooking and eating together, a process which hugely contributes to their reintegration into society,” Van Mulders explained.

would be enough to feed the

world’s population twice over,

“In the European Union, we waste a lot of food,” said Arne Gericke, a Member of the European Parliament. He explained that while the question of food scarcity typically comes up in a non-European context, it is necessary to start examining the European Union’s role in the processes that contribute to the issue. Furthermore, he urged to explore alternative ways to create a sustainable system that could result in fairer access to nutrition, considered a basic human right by the United Nations, and encouraged following in the footsteps of some outstanding young people whose projects have grown out of such efforts. One such example was created by Iseult Ward, a young entrepreneur and founder of NGO FoodCloud, which won the Social Entrepreneurs’ Ireland Impact award in 2014. The concept of the start-up is very simple: it connects businesses that have too much food to charities in their communities that have too little. By providing an app where businesses with surplus food can list the items they would like to dispose

New ways for sustainable food management

NO NEED TO BE HUNGRY

When it comes to food, the best attitude one can adopt is to consciously avoid the production of waste, noted Vanessa Hofeditz, the president of International Young Naturefriends.

795 MILLION PEOPLE GO TO BED HUNGRY

THE ASIAN CONTINENT IS THE MOST AFFECTED BY THE EPIDEMIC

45%

During a workshop, she discouraged participants from opting for a catering service when hosting an event.

OF THE DEATHS IN CHILDREN UNDER FIVE ARE CAUSED BY POOR NUTRITION

ONE OUT OF SIX CHILDREN IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES ARE UNDERWEIGHT

NEVERTHELESS 12 BILLION PEOPLE COULD BE FED WITH THE FOOD WE CURRENTLY PRODUCE

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? FOOD WASTE DISTRIBUTION COST CONFLICT

RITA MARQUES COSTA

overproduction is still the norm.

“By having a cook on the venue instead, a certain amount can be prepared at a time and if it runs out, it can always be replaced by cooking more. This is the only way to come close to the actual amount that will be consumed and to avoid having to throw anything away. It is only a simple change to how we do things, but if followed by many, it is bound to have a massive impact, not only on our environment, but on people’s attitude towards our resources,” she explained.

SOURCE: FAO

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Recycling food Julie Van Mulders from Young Charitas argued that the discarded 30% of the overall food production is food that is stolen from the dinner

Judit Molnár Hungary

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