Amplifying School Students’ Voices in Europe and Beyond – May 2025

Another month has wrapped up and we are happy to share our latest updates linked to our ongoing advocacy efforts across the various initiatives we follow. 

European Youth Forum General Assembly and Advisory Council Elections: OBESSU is proud to announce that our candidate, ex-Boadie and ex-GSF SC member, Anna Weber – was elected to the Advisory Council of the European Youth Forum! This is a significant achievement, ensuring that the voices of school students are represented at the highest level of European youth advocacy

Europe United: A Citizens’ Celebration:  On Europe Day (9 May), OBESSU joined hundreds of citizens, policymakers, and activists at Brussels’ Grand Place for a vibrant celebration of European values. The event featured a public panel discussion and a lively DJ set, reinforcing the importance of unity, democracy, and youth participation.

Breaking Barriers: Global Citizenship Education for Inclusive Participation: OBESSU participated in SOLIDAR Foundation’s policy roundtable at the European Parliament, focusing on how Global Citizenship Education (GCE) can reach learners from diverse backgrounds. The outcomes will shape future policy recommendations and be presented at the Thematic Annual Conference in December.

ELNE Conference 2025: As one of the organisers, OBESSU joined representatives of menber organisations at the ELNE Annual Conference held in Brussels, themed “Dimensions of Collaborative Leadership.” The event brought together education stakeholders to share best practices and explore innovative approaches to education leadership. 

The Democratic Role of VET in the Digital Age: We were happy to join forcess with EVTA as part of their activity linked to the CoE’s DCE, discussing how to embed Digital Citizenship Education into Vocational Education and Training (VET). The event highlighted the need for digital competencies to ensure inclusive civic participation in the digital era. 

JTP WG on SE & WG on EO Online Meeting: OBESSU remains commited and is happy to be kicking off the process as defined within the Implementation Plan of the JTP WGs. Stay tunned for more update.

Annual EU Budget Conference 2025: OBESSU engaged in discussions on the future of the EU budget, focusing on how funding can support education and youth priorities in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. Take a moment to also check the YFJ’s campaign on the funding for Erasmus+ titled “More Erasmus – More Europe”

Empowering Learners for the Age of AI: Draft AI Literacy Framework Launch: We welcome the launch of the AI Literacy Framework for primary and secondary education, presented during the 3rd week of May. This Framework is a crucial tool for equipping students and educators with the skills to navigate and shape the AI-driven future.

Digital Citizenship Education Forum: Spening a lot of our time in the past few months, we are happy to be attending the Council of Europe’s Digital Citizenship Education Forum, actively supporting efforts to create inclusive and empowering roadmap for digital citizenship education in Europe and beyond.

CEDEFOP 50th Anniversary: This year, CEDEFOP celebrates 50 years of shaping vocational education and training in Europe, recognizing its vital role in skills development and lifelong learning.

During May, we also commemorated:

Mark your calendars: 

  • EVBB – VET House Launch
  • EEA Implementation Talks – Minzatu
  • SIRIUS_2025 General Assembly & Policy Conference
  • MEP Zingaretti_PD Event on Italian Priorities on MFF
  • Peer Learning Activity: Exploring the potential of introducing a European VET diploma/label
  • Webinar I: Understanding Copyright for Teachers, Students, and Educational Institutions
  • Forum on History Teaching by Council of Europe (Budapest) 
  • European Youth Event 2025 (Strasbourg)
  • Training Course on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights and Democracy (Budapest) 
  • Digital Education Stakeholder Forum 2025: Tap into Europe’s Digital Potential
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Welcome to our new Canadian Intern – Paige Russill!!
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