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Thessaloniki Candidate City – European Youth Capital 2014 (Source)

Description
The ‘European Youth Capital’ (EYC) is an initiative of the European Youth Forum, the largest platform of non-governmental youth organizations in Europe, in cooperation with the European Commission. The title is awarded to a European city for the period of one year, during which it is given the chance to showcase, through a multi-faceted programme, its youth-related cultural, social, political and economic life and development. The first European Youth Capital was Rotterdam (the Netherlands) in 2009. The European Youth Forum (YFJ) has awarded the EYC 2010 title to Turin (Italy), EYC 2011 to Antwerp (Belgium), EYC 2012 to Braga (Portugal) and EYC 2013 Maribor (Slovenia). The title is given to the city that presents a yearly comprehensive program of actions, ideas, suggestions and cooperation for young people on a local, national and European level. Moreover, this initiative doesn’t fund construction or infrastructure projects, but a specific program that highlights the features, ideas and dreams of young people.

General info: Theme 2014
The title chosen is “Time”. Through the word and concept of “time” we aim at expressing the history of the city and its role in South-eastern Europe, as well as its future perspectives, development and transition towards its social revival. Our 2014 programme will be comprised of a wide range of actions, carried out on four pillars: creation, membership, special social groups and new social movements. This way we wish to define the actions, interventions and the context within which we will take initiatives as a municipality, so that in 2014 we will have fully prepared the city and its youth for receiving actions both of a European and an international level.

Why Thessaloniki?
The city of Thessaloniki is a youthful city. It has nearly 150,000 students and young people reach 50% of the population. Young people are everywhere; they develop initiatives, move, learn, create, love and demand. They make plans, demand and dream of a different and better society, of “another” city. Young people learn the city, its corners and its history. They also talk about the future and their role in tomorrow’s society. Young people participate. Our city has experience in organising major cultural and social events. From the Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean in 1986 to the Cultural Capital of Europe 1997, the city has acquired much and remarkable infrastructure. We dream of a year of creation and of collaboration with the city’s and Europe’s youth; a year of continuous actions, discussions and interventions on issues that interest young people in Greece and in Europe, in order to prove that apart from a past, the city has also a present and a future. That exact future is formed by the new generation. We believe that the city of Thessaloniki will be a successful host as the European Youth Capital of 2014 for one additional reason. The current municipal administration is investing heavily in the development of a real youth movement through voluntary actions, social interventions, participation and equal opportunities. The main aim is a city of creativity, tolerance and innovation, of cultural and social solidarity. All these issues form the basic frame within which we work on, thus guaranteeing a creative 2014 for all young people across Europe.I