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About the Nordic Youth Council

The Nordic Youth Council is a forum for the political youth organisations in the Nordic countries. Young political activists have the opportunity to exchange ideas and visions and to contribute to putting young people's wishes on the Nordic agenda.

Since the Nordic Council was established in 1952 young politicians have followed its work with great interest. In the beginning the Nordic Youth Council held an annual seminar. The first proper Session of the Nordic Youth Council was held in 1971, and it became established as an independent organisation in 2002.

Erik Winther Paisley, President of the Nordic Youth Council 2011.

Young Nordic votes

The Nordic Youth Council does not consider itself to be an appendage to Nordic Co-operation but an important part of it.

The NYC puts important questions concerning young people in the Nordic countries on the agenda. The NYC is fighting for easier access to education and jobs in the Nordic countries; for improvements in educational and job programmes such as Nordjobb and Nordplus, and for a common Nordic student card that gives access to student discounts everywhere in the Nordic region.

However, the Nordic Youth Council is not just concerned with questions that affect young people. For example, the NYC has worked for several years to strengthen Nordic solidarity in the area of the environment and climate. The NYC has adopted several resolutions that focus attention on equality between the sexes. The NYC has also drawn attention to the importance of the Nordic public service TV channels being accessible in the whole Nordic region.

An organisation with opinions

The Nordic Youth Council focuses naturally on specific problems affecting young people in the Nordic countries, but it is important that the NYC is not an NGO. The NYC is a political forum whose decisions are not necessarily made in unanimity. This means that the NYC's resolutions are sometimes controversial.

This is a strength for the NYC because it keeps the organisation lively and interesting, and it increases the NYC's opportunity to start a debate amongst Nordic MPs.

For example, the NYC has adopted several resolutions to support the rights of homosexuals and criticised the Faroe Islands for not protecting their rights. In 2006 the NYC adopted a resolution in favour of resuming commercial whaling under sustainable conditions.

Language on the agenda

The NYC has several times pointed out the problem of young Nordic people having greater and greater difficulty in understanding each other. The NYC calls therefore for improved teaching of the Nordic languages.

The NYC is amongst those who experience language difficulties in practice. It creates problems in an organisation where everybody must be able to take part and contribute on an equal footing. Since the NYC does not have large resources for interpretation and translation, the Presidium of the Nordic Youth Council has found it necessary to consider introducing English as the working language in line with the Nordic languages.

Nordic Youth Council is heard

The NYC puts forward its opinions first and foremost to the Nordic Council MPs. The members of the Presidium attend the Nordic Council committee meetings. The NYC President delivers a speech at the annual Nordic Council Session.

The NYC resolutions are widely distributed in the Nordic Council, just as they start a debate amongst politically active young people in the Nordic countries.

Contact

Roh Petas