Today, Wednesday, 12 August, Minister José Manuel Albares and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation are celebrating International Youth Day, a day that highlights the vital role of young people in building societies that are more inclusive, sustainable and democratic. Spain is also reaffirming its commitment to active participation at the multilateral and European levels and in the area of development cooperation.
Youth in global governance: United Nations Youth Delegate Programme
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs fosters participation by Spanish youth in the international agenda through the United Nations Youth Delegate Programme, an initiative that strengthens their involvement in key discussions on sustainable development, human rights and global policies.
The Programme, which is implemented in collaboration with the Youth Institute (INJUVE) and the Youth Council of Spain (CJE), aims to:
- Inform Spanish youth about the work of the United Nations
- Facilitate Spanish youth's participation in setting the multilateral agenda
- Fulfil the commitments made in Security Council resolution 2250 (2015) on Youth, Peace and Security
- Include youth in Spain's official delegations for United Nations forums
To date, Spanish Youth Delegates have participated in spaces such as the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, the Economic and Social Council youth forum in New York and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna.
A European commitment: Erasmus+ and the European Union Youth Strategy
Spain's foreign action in relation to youth has a key European dimension. In 1987, the Spanish Commissioner Manuel Marín put forward the Erasmus programme, which has become the Erasmus+ programme and has transformed academic mobility and youth participation in Europe.
Erasmus+ 2021–2027 strengthens:
- Social inclusion
- The twin ecological and digital transitions
- Democratic participation by youth
Spain also supports the European Union Youth Strategy, as a framework for boosting youth's social and civic commitment and ensuring that young people have the resources they need to participate fully in society.
Youth in Spanish Cooperation
Spanish Cooperation recognizes the transformative role of youth. The Global Solidarity and Sustainable Development Cooperation Act includes participation and pluralism as principles for action, and highlights the contribution of children, adolescents and youth to sustainable development in Spain and in its partner countries.
Grants awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) support that commitment through three programmes for Spanish youth. There are three kinds of grants:
- COOPERATION: training in management of development cooperation at Spanish Cooperation Offices and AECID Training Centres
- [DVX31] CULTURE: training in cultural curation and science diplomacy through the network abroad and AECID Cultural Centres
- COLLEGE OF EUROPE: up to 12 grants to study for a master's degree at the College of Europe, a key institution in training specialists in European affairs