The Ministry of Education and Science of Russia plans to sign the Framework Program of Cooperation with the Council of Europe in the field of youth policy until 2023

The draft document was agreed upon and approved at the meeting of the Steering Committee for Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe in the field of youth policy. The event was held on the premises of MIREA – the Russian Technological University with an online connection from Strasbourg (France). Elena Druzhinina, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, chaired the meeting.

Special attention in the new Program was attached to the development of measures for training of the personnel and developing the competencies of young employees and youth leaders; strengthening interaction between representatives of youth non-governmental organizations and government bodies in charge of the implementation of policies in this area at the federal, regional and local levels; informing young people about the possibilities to get education in human rights in accordance with the generally recognized international standards. Draft Framework Program for Cooperation between the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe in the field of youth policy for 2020-2023 was finally agreed upon and approved by the parties to be signed through diplomatic channels.

They also summed up and assessed the implementation of the activities under the Action Plan for 2020 approved at the meeting of the Steering Committee in Strasbourg in 2019. The Plan was developed in accordance with the Framework Program of Cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and the Council of Europe in the field of youth policy for the period from 2014 to 2018. The program was extended to 2019.

The 2020 Action Plan included a series of joint events and measures to improve interaction in the field of youth policy and international expert seminars. The meeting participants recognized the cooperation of the parties as effective, and noted the growing interest in joint events among Russian and European youth despite the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Apart from that, a working Action Plan for the Framework Program for 2021 was approved. The events dedicated to the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the membership of the Russian Federation in the Council of Europe were specially noted. Among them are the International Training Seminar for Youth on the Preservation of Historical Memory in Europe – “The Memory and Lessons of World War II”, projects and programs aimed at promoting peace, human rights, and enhancing intercultural dialogue. So, in the Plan for 2021 – the International Youth Camp “Dialogue” aimed at increasing the role of youth organizations in the fight against discrimination and for strengthening peace.

On the Russian side, the meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the Council of Europe, the Association of Public Associations National Council of Youth and Children’s Associations of Russia. On the part of the Council of Europe, representatives of the Directorate General for Democracy and the Joint Council for Youth Affairs of the Council of Europe took part in the meeting.