Welcome Speech School Annual Day Function

YOUTH AND ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION

data calls participation in various elections in Spain have to make us aware that our participation rates are slightly lower than the average of the surrounding countries. This, coupled with the victory of the PSOE is constantly linked with a high turnout election, should make us reflect on who the abstainers and what their motives. Undoubtedly, the youth vote abstention is more than other profiles. However, it is clear that the successive victories of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has been supported by a clear youth vote.

Voting is a three-way political participation, as it is accessible to all citizens, each person's vote is worth the same and nobody has to pay for it. However, in advanced democracies, to understand political participation as the simple act of voting is something that must be overcome. Political activity must be ongoing and participatory, and promoted from youth to avoid voters. No we can fall into the moral hazard view democracy as something patch and residual. We must work to avoid the political indifference, not only youth but the whole society, because as said Arnold J. Toynbee, the greatest punishment for those not interested in politics is to be governed by people who themselves are interested.

In this regard, the work of young people within the party, enjoying these organizational structures themselves and also complementary to the interests of the party, represents not only as a guarantee for the future, but a clear tool to promote political participation, prioritization of values democratic institutions all abilities. It is true that the existence of Youth within a game can increase internal competition within the same, although this, at the same time is a factor of increased electoral cooperation.

is why we encourage youth participation in political parties should not be purely and simply the responsibility of the youth, but must be driven, but not monitored, since instances of superior responsibility. Democratic activity of these ensures a better quality of democracy within the parties and at the same time increases the possibility of opening ideas to a set of statistically society abstention than others.

Visiting Schedule At Rikers On Christmas

I would hang today an article by Margot Wallstöm without doubt one of my favorite Commissioners (she with Almunia Catherine Ashton and are my favorites). Hope you like it,

Communicating Europe

global challenges which we live are already decisively marking our lives, our future and our children. Not only have begun to shake up our preconceptions about models of society and governance, but that impact our collective lives as individuals in the day.

The solutions to these challenges require a shared determination to tackle them Europeans, more than ever, together. We need Europe to overcome the economic crisis soon. To lead the fight against poverty and climate change. To prevent threats to peace and stability and, ultimately, to promote in the world our common European values \u200b\u200bof freedom, peace, diversity and solidarity. No national government that can tackle this task alone. There is no strategy to resolve not to go through Europe.

However, too many European citizens feel distant from their lives and their hearts. We share history, culture, values \u200b\u200band future, but "many Europeans do not know" as noted by Luis Arroyo COUNTRY past day 7. For example, only 16% of the electorate knows that there will be elections in June 2009 the European Parliament, despite its increasingly important role in that Europe must lead together the solutions to our problems. And the referendums in Holland, France and Ireland have shown that by starting citizen attachment to Europe is not yet won.

Since the history of the united Europe dates back only 50 years should not be surprising that more interest to Salamanca in what the Zapatero government in the anxieties of the Barroso Commission. But this is not enough to explain a distance that Today we can not afford. Other factors contributing to the widening gap between Europe and the citizen. First there is the blame game, the blame game that often lend themselves to national leaders and other opinion leaders is to point the finger of blame "Brussels" as the cause of the ills of the country (relocation, price hikes ...), and exclusively attributed the merit of what works (public works, consumer protection ...). The complexity of the European institutional framework, often perceived as vague and bureaucratic, it also represents an obstacle to be overcome by an effort of information and communication.

The Commission has launched since 2005 to reform its communications policy. We put emphasis on communication with citizens, much listening as talking, refining the tools to better understand their views and provide space for consultation and open discussion where citizens expressed directly. We bring the message to the people and suit their interests and concerns: it is not itself explain the EU budget reform and efforts to combat climate change in Hamburg in Extremadura.
Not in the Irish referendum tells us to convey emotion to European citizens to develop clear messages that explain the added value of Europe European common values, our weight in the world and the cost of non-Europe (what if there was not a European energy policy or public health?). We are preparing campaigns such as the 20 th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain, which emphasize the values \u200b\u200bof freedom, peace, diversity and solidarity that define our history and our project.

We have modernized communication tools to use more television, Internet and other new media, eager to connect with wider audiences, particularly young people. The brilliant campaign of Barack Obama has shown the importance of intelligent use of modern media that allow direct dialogue with voters. EUTube.eu creation in 2007, which received 10 million hits, and the growing use of blogs and online forums (like Debate Europe) we are getting closer to young people. We also expanded our presence through a network of radio and television stations that reach the majority of citizens who do not attend specialized media.

But to connect to 450 million Europeans need the cooperation of other institutions and, above all, national and regional governments. For the first time in our history, October 22, Commission, European Parliament and Council, we undertook to collaborate in the task of communicating with European citizens. The role of the Member States is crucial. In order to give a definite contribution to this commitment, it is desirable that Spain include this effort among the strategic priorities of its EU presidency during the first half of 2010.

Our next challenge is the European Parliament elections in June 2009. Parliament and the Commission worked on a campaign to encourage voting for the 375 million voters in 27 states. We expect the cooperation of authorities and opinion leaders in each country to convince people that will vote because Europe is the Europe.