Young people to contemplate the future of Nordic cooperation
Press release 86/2012
16 April 2012
Minister for Nordic Cooperation Alexander Stubb has convened a working group of young people to contemplate the future of Nordic cooperation, with the aim of including young people’s views in the discussion of the Nordic cooperation and its future. Nordic cooperation marks its 60th anniversary this year, and it covers virtually all areas of social policy. At the first meeting of the young people’s working group, held at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Ministry on 16 April, Minister Stubb’s message, however, was clear:
“Please take nothing for granted, just ask and challenge. The long, established traditions of cooperation are a strength, but strong traditions must not mean the same as stagnancy. In considering the direction of cooperation, I ask of you, above all, an open-minded approach; tell me what you expect from Nordic cooperation, what you believe and what the Nordic common future should look like.”
At the first meeting, the working group approached their task in three small groups that discussed the future directions and priorities of cooperation, ways to develop young people’s participation, and the role of language and identity and the challenges to communication and visibility. The working group will gather together the results of their work in a joint paper that will be submitted to Minister Stubb in October 2012. The group includes 23 young people representing very different backgrounds and coming from all over Finland.
Additional information: Antti Timonen, Press Attaché to Minister Stubb, mobile tel. +358 40 590 7231, and First Secretary Ville Andersson, Secretariat for Nordic Cooperation, mobile tel. +358 40 140 8926