“YOU WERE CALLED TO JUSTICE” (Galatians 5:13)

Activity and Development Report 2013

ECUMENICAL YOUTH COUNCIL IN EUROPEConseil Œcuménique de la Jeunesse en Europe aisblRue Brogniez 44, B - 1070 Bruxelles, BELGIUMTel. +32 2 510 6171 Fax +32 2 510 6172 E-mail: general.secretary@eyce.org Website: www.eyce.org

Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe aisbl | Conseil Œcumènique de la Jeunesse en Europe aisbl

Rue Brogniez 44 – 1070 Bruxelles – BelgiumPhone: +32 2 5106171 – Fax: +32 2 5106172 – E-Mail: general.secretary@eyce.org – Web: www.eyce.org

Bank details: KBC Bank, Argence Marnix – BIC/Swift: KREDBEBB – IBAN: BE30 7340 0440 4011

Ecumenical Youth Councilin Europe aisbl

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 3

2. EYCE’s activities .................................................................................................................... 4

Street action "Photo with a Neighbour"........................................................................................ 4

1000 days to go............................................................................................................................ 4

Workshop during 34th German Protestant Kirchentag "As Much Freedom as You Need!".......... 5

Stewards programme for 14th Assembly of Conference of European Churches.......................... 5

EYCE seminar "Be the generation of Peace!"................................................................................ 6

EYCE Campaign to Promote Ecological Justice........................................................................... 7

3. External Relations .................................................................................................................. 11

4. EYCE structural development ............................................................................................... 17

2

1. Introduction

The year 2013 has been a busy year for EYCE, especiallyin terms of structural developments. EYCE had theprivilege to increase its expertise and build capacity inthematic fields it is frequently addressing - Human Rights,ecological justice and social justice. The expertise of EYCEhas been valued highly by the partner organisations, givingEYCE opportunities to extend its work in those areas.

On the other hand, 2013 has been a challenging year forEYCE as due to financial and fundraising challenges wewere able to implement only one international thematicevent - the seminar "Be the Generation of Peace!" which took place in August in Serbia. However, thisseminar helped EYCE to broaden its target group and extend it to participants from Lebanon, who havebeen very actively engaged in the ecumenical youthwork afterwards. Thanks to this activity, EYCE alsomanaged to develop a fruitful and meaningful partnership with United Methodist Church, both globally and inSerbia.

The year 2013 was the final year of EYCE's Campaign to Promote Ecological Justice. Having the focus onthe sustainability, including sustainability in the work of EYCE itself, the campaign activities focused much oninvolvement of the EYCE member organisations. Local visits were carried out, as well as a Be Eco-Hero!project launched, which allowed the EYCE office and the member organisations to evaluate their impact onenvironment and take necessary actions to mitigate the effects. Three of the member organisations wereawarded the Eco-Hero Certificate!

During the 2013 EYCE's work focused substantially on structural development and external relations. Duringthe 39th EYCE General Meeting we had the pleasure to welcome a new member organisation - EuropeanMethodist Youth and Children (EMYC), which will greatly enrich the work of EYCE. Also, the cooperation withother ecumenical organisations, such as World Council of Churches (WCC), Conference of EuropeanChurches (CEC) and Church and Society Commission of CEC took different turns and dimensions. EYCEgot actively involved in the work of the WCC Working Group on Climate Change, using its expertise inecological justice, gained from the campaign. Also, the important issue of youth unemployment and role ofyoung Christians in society were addressed through active involvement in the work of Church Action onLabour and Life (CALL Network). EYCE actively defended the rights of young people to be fully andindependently involved in ecumenical structures by raising its voice during the 14th Assembly of CEC. Thishas lead to transformation in the discussion and cooperation with CEC.

It must be noted that despite of many challenging situations faced, this year has brought many new ideas,developments and partnerships, which certainly will blossom in the future! Having elected a new ExecutiveCommittee in the General Meeting in October, EYCE looks even more assured ahead! The ExCo and EYCEoffice are looking forward to strengthen the weak aspects of EYCE's work in the future and hope to maintainthe development oriented work also in the years to come!

EYCE is grateful to all the volunteers in its network - ExCo, members of various committees, officevolunteers and many more - for their commitment, enthusiasm and creativity, thus greatly enriching the workof EYCE!

3

2. EYCE’s activities

Street action "Photo with a Neighbour"7th February 2013Amsterdam, The NetherlandsOn the 7th February 2013, in the framework of WorldInterfaith Harmony week EYCE organised a streetaction in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The action was organised together with youngactivists from Christian and Jewish communities inAmsterdam. The aim of the street action was to raiseawareness of different religious communities presentin Europe, offer the possibility to understand, to askquestions and discuss, thus increasingunderstanding, tolerance and inclusion of all. Themain message of the street action was thateverybody is a human being, no matter how differentwe are, and that at some points in life we all mightfeel like aliens. For this reason solidarity andinclusion are crucial.The activists explained to the passers by about the special occasion and context of the action and offered totake a photo, using head designs of people belonging to various religious traditions, holding simplestatements, showing the humanity of everybody, e.g. "I like football" or "I love my mum". In addition,inspirational quotes from different religious traditions were shared with the participants to the action.The activity was a success and created open, warm and inclusive atmosphere.

1000 days to go5th April 2013Pan-European action5th of April 2013 marked 1000 days left to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). On thisoccasion EYCE, together with its German member organisation aej, organised a pan-European awarenessraising action, in order to recommit young people around Europe and take concrete action to ensure that theMillennium Development Goals are achieved by the 2015 deadline.In the framework of this action, an introduction and explanation of MDGs was offered, alongside an offer toengage into a variety of activities on the 5th of April 2013, e.g. a Global Twitter Campaign, create a streetaction in your town/city, discuss in one's own youth group and among friends. Detailed explanations andinstructions were given for each of the activities, as well as relevant materials provided on EYCE's websiteand Facebook page.For example, the participants could use hashtag: #1000DaysToGo to show their support to the MDGs andreach 2 million tweets & re-tweets on the 5th of April, specifically also addressing the decision makers on thenational level (#1000DaysToGo @Angie_Merkel) to make an impact. Alternatively, the participants couldorganise a street action highlighting one of the specific MDGs, raising awareness by posters or other visualmaterials and discussing with the passers by about the importance of the MDGs. It was also proposed to the participants to organise a documentary screening and discussion with their youthgroup or friends, offering a list of relevant documentaries and materials for discussion.

4

Workshop during 34th German Protestant Kirchentag "As Much Freedom as You Need! " 30th April - 1st May 2013 Hamburg, Germany

In the framework of the 34th German Protestant Churchday(Kirchentag) 2013, EYCE together with other ecumenicalyouth organisations, organised a two day workshop onreligious freedom. This activity was organised the generalthematics of the Kirchentag - As much as you need -specifically highlighting the issues of religious freedom anddiversity in Europe. The meeting brought forward a messageof hope that there is enough, as much as one needs, spacefor different traditions and beliefs in a shared Europe.

The workshop brought together more than 20 young peoplefrom different geographical, social and religious backgrounds,

sharing their experiences and learning from each other. In the framework of religious traditions and beliefs,several other issues were discussed, e.g. sustainability, consumption, expression of one's religious beliefsetc. Participants were asked: What does freedom mean to me? What am I committed to? Together they triedto find ways to live the diversity together now and in the future Europe, despite our different identities,shaped by various contexts in our countries, concepts of society, culture and religion.

Participants worked in groups to discuss the different questions offered, as well as engaged with two storytellers from Norway, coming from a Lutheran and Muslim backgrounds, which has been an enrichingexperience.

Finally, after the end of the programme, the participants had the opportunity to visit the great variety of theprogramme of the 34th German Protestant Kirchentag.

Stewards programme for 14th Assembly of Conference of EuropeanChurches1st - 8th July 2013Budapest, HungaryFrom 1st - 8th of July EYCE, together with other youth organisations, organised a Stewards programme forthe 14th Assembly of Conference of European Churches. This programme aimed at giving ecumenicalformation to young people, offering to them a possibility to witness one of the major ecumenical events inEurope. In addition to this, the young people could improve their various skills through providing logisticalassistance to this meeting. The programme consisted of two parts. The first part offered to the participants ecumenical formation, teambuilding, and information and training for the General Assembly. Part of this programme was conductedjointly with the preparation of the youth delegates to the assembly, thus providing the young participants ofthe stewards programme to discuss with the young delegates and transmit their opinions on the tendenciesin the ecumenical movement.During the second part of the stewards programme the participants worked in teams with specific tasks,assisting staff in the smooth running of the Assembly. depending on the interests and skills of participantsthe tasks varied from assisting in the assembly office (e.g. information desk, administrative etc.),organisation of the plenary hall (preparing the hall and group rooms for sessions, welcoming delegates,distributing materials etc. ), media and press (assisting journalists) and worship, where the stewards assistedWorship committee in preparation of worship sessions.

5

The whole stewards programme took place in an ecumenical and inter-cultural environment, thus offering tothe participants a possibility to improve their inter-cultural communication skills.

EYCE seminar " Be the generation of Peace!" 18th - 25th August 2013Novi Sad, SerbiaFrom the 18th to the 25th of August 2013EYCE gathered young people from all overEurope for the seminar "Be the Generationof Peace! A seminar for young Europeansto enhance the participation andcontribution of young people to peaceprocesses", which took place in Novi Sad,Serbia.

The seminar aimed at emphasizing the roleand possibilities of young people in peaceprocesses in today's Europe throughreflecting and fostering the engagement ofyoung people in peace building and conflictresolution in local and global contexts.

In order to achieve this aim, several objectives were developed: • to study and analyse European security and foreign affairs policies; • to study religious, ethical and philosophical texts on peace and security; • to explore concepts of peace and security in various cultures through concrete examples from

participant's countries; • to give an overview of concepts of peace building and conflict resolution; • to show examples how churches and Christian communities are involved in conflict resolution; • to equip participants with knowledge and skills in conflict resolution and negotiation processes; • to empower them to become involved in peace building in local and global contexts;

• to develop a statement on the involvement of young people in peace processes today together withthe participants; to provide a safe atmosphere for intercultural exchange and sharing.

Altogether 32 participants and team members from various countries in Europe and beyond, as well asdifferent social and cultural backgrounds, attended the seminar. The seminar was prepared andimplemented by a team of volunteers from EYCE’s network. The team was coordinated by two members ofEYCE’s Executive Committee. A great practical and thematic support was received from the local partner forthis project - Methodist Church in Serbia.

During this seminar, thirty young people, actively engaged in their communities and coming from EYCE’snetwork, shared and reflected on peace & conflict issues. They were coming from 12 different countries. Halfof participants was coming from EU countries, the other half was coming from Georgia, Iceland, Lebanon,Russia, Ukraine and of course Serbia. Therefore, the group of participants represented a high diversity ofcultural, social and denominational backgrounds.

The main aim of this seminar was to emphasize the role and possibilities of young people in peaceprocesses in today's Europe through reflecting and fostering the engagement of young people in peacebuilding and conflict resolution in local and global contexts.

6

By using non-formal education methods (simulation games, group discussions, creative presentations,artistic activities, practical workshops...), the seminar offered insights on concepts of peacekeeping,peacemaking and peacebuilding, as well as conflict resolution and on European security and foreign affairspolicies. It also offered to analyse concepts and cultural perspectives on peace and conflict, to studyreligious and philosophical texts on peace, to give concrete practical examples on peace, security andconflict resolution and on how churches and Christian communities can get engaged in peace building andconflict resolution.

An International Planning Committee (IPC), gathering volunteers from EYCE‘s network, prepared,implemented and developed the programme and methodology of the seminar, to accompany participants intheir reflection and to maintain the friendly, tolerant and open-minded mood of the event. The seminar alsowelcomed two guests speakers: Damian Jackson (Irish School of Ecumenics), and Tamara Grdzelidze(World Council of Churches), both professionals involved in peace & conflict issues.

Intercultural learning was an integral part of the seminar. In many sessions participants were encouraged toshare their experiences, knowledge, and examples from their countries and local contexts. An InternationalBanquet and the Serbian cultural evening were organised at the beginning of the week to give participantsthe opportunity to experience various cultures and traditions. Those activities were a great success, andallowed the young participants to get to know each other better.

A quite emotional moment was the visit to the Methodist and Orthodox churches in Novi Sad and to EHO, anecumenical humanitarian organization working with elderly, Roma communities, disabled persons, andpeople struggling with HIV/AIDS and cancer and raising ecumenical issues in Serbia.This intense week of the seminar ended with a practical workshop on the use of theatre as a tool for peacebuilding, animated by Ms. Hanne Vervaele, from Pax Christi. She introduced the Theatre of the Oppressed.This form of theatre aims at fighting injustice, unfairness and oppression, by staging real-life problems indirect interaction with the audience. After this workshop a presentation made by participants took place in thecity centre of Novi Sad, following the concept of the Theatre of the Oppressed. It was aiming to build a silentdialogue on peacebuilding with the population of Novi Sad by creating an exhibition of “human sculptures”.Participants in small groups had to interpret a “sculpture” responding to the answer: “How can we buildpeace?” Some participants were playing the role of guides to encourage inhabitants to enter into theexhibition and to ask for their opinion/reflection on it.On the last day of the seminar, participants developed a statement together on the involvement of youngpeople in todays peace processes. It is reflecting the experiences, views and knowledge of the participants,thus giving an insight into the work and interests of young Europeans regarding peace processes. Thestatement will be disseminated within EYCE's network and with partners active in this field.

EYCE Campaign to Promote Ecological JusticeThematic focus 2013: sustainability

In 2011 EYCE launched a 3-year Campaign toPromote Ecological Justice, which lasted from 2011 -2013. The Campaign was built upon the strongparticipation of young people coming from variousdenominational backgrounds from all around Europe -sharing best practices, working on the grassroots level,as well as on an intensive cooperation with otherecumenical/church/environmental institutions and/ ororganisations, who work on similar issues, e.g.European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN),

International Young Nature Friends (IYNF) and others, thus creating a stronger network to address issues of

7

ecological justice.

In the first year of the campaign (2011) the basic concepts of ecological justice were explored. The topic wastackled from theological and political perspectives in order to find motivation, solid rationale and ajustification for responsible treatment of the Creation. During the second year of the campaign (2012) thebroader and deeper understanding of ecological justice has been explored. Being the year of the Rio+20conference, the links between ecology, economy and politics were analysed and a deeper understanding ofthe complexity of the relations between consumption and ecological justice has been enhanced. The thirdyear of the campaign (2013) was focused on the topic of sustainability and on the future. Solutions andchanges needed for improving the situation have been searched for.

Within this framework a number of questions were dealt with during the third year of the Campaign: What arethe measures for sustainability? Is the work of European youth organisations sustainable enough? How canit be made more sustainable? What can young individuals on the grass-roots level do to promote the ideaand practices of sustainability in their contexts, as well as through participation on various levels of decisionmaking? Following these questions, the main aim of the third year of the campaign was in line with theoverall aim of the campaign: To commit EYCE and its Member Organisations to act responsiblytowards the Creation and enable the young people fr om this network to do so.

A set of activities was carried out to achieve this aim.

Awareness raising and promotion materialsThe most significant awareness raising and educational outcome of thecampaign was the two editions of the on-line magazine The Leaf. In 20135th and 6th issue were published. Both issues were focusing on sustainability– either by sharing good practices how young people get involved inimproving the situation or shaping their political environment or byintroducing theoretical and inspirational articles. Besides The Leaf, other promotion materials - campaign leaflets,sustainable bottles (100 pcs.) and lavender bags (50 pcs.) were createdand distributed. The main purpose of the bottles and lavender bags was notonly to raise awareness about the campaign itself, but to create anddistribute practical things which would raise awareness and remind peopleof the importance of ecological thinking and actions, as well as and helpthem to actually change their daily habits. The bottle was made of abiodegradable plastic with a leaflet attached to explain impact of usingdisposable plastic bottles on nature, health etc.. The lavender bag was

made of organic and locally produced materials and by protecting the owner’s wardrobe from insects andthus increasing the life-time of their clothes, raided the awareness of the excessive consumption and effectsof clothes production on nature and people.

Social media campaignFacebook and social media, as another awareness raising tool, were employed in the campaign. In 2013,posts informing on serious news, political debates and statistical data were published along with lightercartoons, jokes and videos as well as practical tips. This strategy helped to attract attention of the audience.In the occasion of the international Earth Day, the followers were encouraged to take a picture of theircommunity or just themselves with a sign that they care about the planet. In addition, there were ready madepractical activity outlines available on EYCE's website. Also a global initiative Youth Climate Action Day waspromoted through social media by what young people were encouraged to conduct a practical activity.

8

Sustainability journey: 4 cities in 4 days!

From the 4th – 8th of October 2013, theCampaign Coordination Team (CCT) ofEYCE’s Campaign to Promote EcologicalJustice has visited the three Baltic countries-Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia -, and thenFinland during its project “Sustainabilityjourney: 4 cities in 4 days!” .

Members of the CCT were stopping in Riga,Vilnius, Tartu and Helsinki, to meet localyouth, raise awareness on environmentalissues and spread the message of theEYCE’s Campaign to Promote EcologicalJustice.

At each stop interactive workshops were organised to learn and share about ecological justice andenvironmental issues on global, local and personal levels. A special focus was put on personal habits: howcan we protect the environment in our daily life, by being aware of impact of our consuming, eating andrecycling habits, as well as being ready to change them.

At each stop valuable conclusions were reached:“Education is the easiest and fastest way for meanin gful change.”In Riga, the activity and discussions focused on analysing the particular context in Latvia regardingenvironmental and sustainable issues, as well as on possibilities for bringing a change. The main conclusionmade was that the key for changing our personal habits is education.

«Changes can be brought by changing just a little, what and how we consume!»In Vilnius, four practical workshops took place: two dedicated to upcycling – creating wallets from juice boxesand lamps from plastic bags , and other two experimenting with raw food for a healthy and nutritiousbreakfast, and making eco-friendly detergents from simple and harmless ingredients. The workshopsinduced great discussions about our consumer habits and how can we change them in a greener way.

”In achieving sustainability also small steps count! !!”In Tartu, discussions were focusing on environmental and sustainable habits, such as recycling and thepreservation of nature. The lack of recycling infrastructures in some areas were pointed out, but alsoexamples of a good initiatives were given: the "Let's do it!" project in Estonia. It is an international projectorganising clean-ups in forests, parks and other places shared by the whole society.

“Some solutions are coming from political decisions, but most of them are coming from ourselvesand the way how we are willing and able to change o ur habits!!!”In Helsinki, a text study on international environmental policies and on the so-called Conference of Parties(COP) was used as a basis of debate and put in relation with the specific context in Finland. Then aninteractive Bible study took place, where the participants had to listen to a Bible verse from Genesis,describing the flood, with their eyes closed and then in small groups play a scene, interpreting the verse andportraying different characters described there. Results were very different from one group to another!Discussions pointed out the responsibility of decision making structures to make green choice easier andmore affordable.

To conclude, debates and discussions were passionate and highlighted the lack of infrastructure in someplaces to help people to be more involved in environmental issues (recycling practicalities, affordable greenmaterials, more eco-friendly alternatives…). It could be solved by a better political involvement and

9

education on environmental issues. However, most of the time we can directly, through our personal habits,act and raise awareness around us by being a good practical example, by being an eco-hero!!

Be Eco Heroes!During the last year of the campaign, the CCT conducted a sub-project under its framework called Be EcoHeroes with an aim to make EYCE and its member organisations more sustainable. At first, variousapproaches of implementing sustainability measures in organisations were studied (including EMAS andsystems based on that such as eco-parishes European Christian Environmental Network), then a three-stepsystem of self-evaluation, implementation and re-evaluation was put in place. In February 2013 EYCEpublished “A Manual for EYCE Member Organisations to Become More Sustainable” which is considered asa first step of the project Be Eco Heroes! By this venture, EYCE called to its member organisations to self-evaluate its impacts on the environment, set achievable goals and bring about positive changes in theiractions. After achieving self-identified goals, successes were shared with the other member organisations at the 39th

EYCE’s General Meeting in October 2013 in Brno, the Czech Republic. On this occasion, the memberorganisations who joined the project were awarded a certificate as an acknowledgement of their effort andwillingness. As tangible outcome, EYCE’s General Meeting in October 2013 adopted a policy paper which states bindingrule for running the council aimed at mitigating environmental impact of its actions.

Sustainability street actionOn 14th of December 2013, theCampaign Coordination Team (CCT) ofEYCE’s Campaign to Promote EcologicalJustice set out to accomplish their finalactivity within the framework of thecampaign.The members of CCT went to the Grandplace in Brussels, Belgium, where theyasked the passers by about what theythought our planet will look like in 2050,as well as challenged them to make agreen resolution for 2014.The members of CCT met teenagers andyoung adults, coming from all around theworld – UK, France, Canada, Thailand,Tunisia, Spain and Italy. Participants werethanked for their contribution with one ofthe EYCE’s eco-friendly campaign T-shirtsor a sustainable bottle! All the testimonies

were recorded to be used in a video, which will summarise the outcomes of EYCE’s campaign to PromoteEcological Justice.

Regarding the future of our planet, most of the respondents were quite optimistic. They thought that themankind will manage to change its way of living and that the Earth in 2050 will be in a better shape thantoday. Some were more pessimistic. They thought that the pollution will increase and that the mankind willhave to face many challenges, regarding energy for example.

Most of the people were receptive to the ecological concerns and were willing to change their personalhabits, in order to live in a greener way in 2014. People wanted to reduce their impact on the environment bychanging small things in their habits, such as cycling to work, saving electricity and water, recycling properly,buying fair-trade and/or eco-friendly products. To use the words of one: Karim, a traveller from Italy, we must“use better the things we have”.

10

Alongside the commitment to change their behaviour towards the environment, everyone recognised that wecannot keep going the way of ignorance. Everyone, who CCT spoke with, agreed that there is a need formore environmental awareness and that the future of our planet is in our own hands!

3. External Relations

General Assembly of European Baptist Federation, Yo uth & Children11th - 16th of January 2013, Prague, Czech RepublicFrom 11th - 16th of January 2013, EYCE Executive Committee member Mr. Benjamin Mlynek attended theGeneral Assembly of European Baptist Federation (EBF). This visit was a follow up from the previous ex-change between the organisations, i.e. the visit of the EBF representative to the EYCE's National Corres-pondents meeting in Warsaw in 2012. At the EBF assembly Mr. Mlynek presented the work and activities of EYCE, as well as took the opportunityto discuss the potential future cooperation between the two organisations. This meeting has lead to the fur-ther discussion regarding the potential membership of EBF to EYCE.

Church Action on Labour and Life (CALL)18th - 19th of February, Brussels, Belgium Following the 3rd Assembly of Church Action on Labour and Life (CALL), which took place from 8th - 10th ofOctober 2012 in Brussels, Belgium, the cooperation with the CALL Network has been continued in severalmeetings, both within CALL Coordination Team and Working Group on Youth Employment. EYCE GeneralSecretary Kristine Jansone took part in the meetings mentioned.

There were two meetings of the CALL Working Group held in Brussels, Belgium in 2013, first from 18th -19th of February and the second from 18th - 19th of September. Gathering representatives from variouschurches and organisations, coming form different generations, the working group sought to determine therole, which can be played by European churches and church related organisations to overcome the dramaticsituation young people today are facing, as well as to secure better inter-generational dialogue and coopera-tion within society. During the first meeting the working plan of the group was outlined in detail, as well as planned the potentialworkshop to discuss the youth unemployment in Europe. During the second meeting concrete plans weremade regarding the conference "Youth employment in Europe - a challenge for Churches?", to be held from24th - 26th of March 2014 in Brussels, Belgium.

There were also two meetings of the CALL Coordination Team in 2013. From the 3rd - 5th of June 2013 the Coordination Team of CALL Network met for their first meeting in 2013in Rome, Italy. During this meeting the Coordination Team members reviewed and evaluated the work thathas been done by the network, since their last meeting in December 2012 in Brussels, as well as furtherdiscussed the activities, structure and identity of the CALL network. The agenda of the meeting included avariety of issues, starting with reviewing the results and outcomes of the work of different working groupswithin the network, to discussing the possibilities to increase ownership and expanding the network,discussing the role and future of CALL in the process of restructuring of CEC, as well as possiblecooperation with different ecumenical and diaconal organisations, working on similar issues as the CALLNetwork. The second meeting of the CALL Coordination team took place from 28th - 29th of October 2013 in

11

Brussels, Belgium. One of the most important discussion points of the Coordination Team was the identityand function of the CALL Network. What are its functions in the environment of European churches? Whatare the main tasks and issues to be addressed? What is the added value of such network? Based on idea ofChurch as socially active entity with a call to be involved in various socio-political challenges the society isfacing today, the coordination team developed three main principles of the work: exchange of informationand positions, sharing and mapping good practices in the area, providing an opportunity to find partners forsimilar initiatives.

Consultation Churches Together for Human Rights7th - 8th of March 2013, Helsinki, FinlandFrom 7th - 8th of March 2013 a consultation on Human Rights, organised by Church and SocietyCommission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC CSC) took place in Helsinki, Finland. Thisconsultation brought together representatives from various churches and church related organisations inorder to discuss churches' role in promotion of Human Rights. Several specific issues relevant to churchenvironment were discussed, such as human dignity and Human Rights, individual and collective rights, fromtheological and legal perspectives, as well as instrumentalization and politization of Human Rights andHuman Rights as a political tool.

EYCE was represented at this consultation by its Treasurer Ms. Sini Tyvi. This was a good opportunity topresent the work and discussions within EYCE regarding Human Rights and Human Rights Education.

Council of Members of Youth Forum Jeunesse19th - 20th of April 2013, Brussels, Belgium From 19th - 20th of April 2013 the Council of Members/ Extraordinary General Assembly of the Youth ForumJeunesse (YFJ) took place in Brussels, Belgium. This meeting was a good opportunity for EYCE to networkwith other youth organisations in Europe. EYCE representative Mr. Jakub Niewiadomski and GeneralSecretary Ms. Kristine Jansone attended the meeting. The Council of Members itself was dedicated to discuss different thematic issues, such as youthemployment, expiration of Millennium Development Goals, voting rights of young people etc. In addition, theelections of members to CoE Advisory Council on Youth took place. Mr. Niewiadomski was put forward as acandidate on behalf of EYCE, but was not elected at this election.For EYCE the engagement in YFJ is important, as it allows good networking and cooperation possibilitieswith other youth organisations in Europe, thus strengthening the voice of young people.

Working Group on Climate Change of World Council of Churches16th-18th of May 2013, Bossey, SwitzerlandEYCE Executive Committee Member Benjamin Mlynek took part in a meeting of the Working Group on Cli-mate Change of the World Council of Churches (WCC), which was held to plan and synergise next steps inclimate change advocacy. The meeting took place in the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey, Switzerland. Fifteen representatives from various churches and Christian NGOs from Africa, Asia, South and NorthAmerica, Europe and Pacific evaluated work on climate change done by the working group so far.In addition, several new actions to be implemented were discussed. During the meeting a decision has beentaken to work on an e-platform to share good practices related eco-justice, climate change etc., which arecarried out by churches and Church related organisations. The working group meeting was preceded by a one day conference on Eco-Theology, discussing the caringfor creation today and building a sustainable world for tomorrow. The participants studied a paper on eco-theology to understand better the underlying need for churches to engage into climate actions.

12

In addition, Mr. Mlynek took the opportunity of being in Switzerland, where the headquarters of the WorldCouncil of Churches (WCC) are based, and met with the officer of WCC Youth Desk Ms. Faautu Talapusi.The meeting contained discussion regarding the former and potentially future financial support to ecumenicalyouth structures, youth representation in WCC and ecumenical movement, as well as the further cooperationon programmes of both organisations.

European Youth Forum Academy 201317th - 23rd of June, 2013, Antwerp, BelgiumThe annual European Youth Forum Academy took place from 17th - 23rd of June in Antwerp, Belgium. Itoffered a good variety of activities to strengthen the capacity of the member organisations of YFJ, startingfrom Press and Communications meeting, to fundraising workshop and peer meeting of the Secretary Gen-erals of different organisations. EYCE office volunteer Ms. Pauline Rosselin took part in the meeting addressing communications within ayouth organsiations, in order to strengthen her capacity to work with communications in the framework ofEYCE's Campaign to Promote Ecological Justice. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss and de-velop communication strategies and concrete tools to be used in the communication of the organisations. EYCE Treasurer Ms. Sini Tyvi took part in the Fundraising Workshop in order to improve EYCE's fundraisingstrategies and discuss the challenges EYCE is facing. This meeting provided good ideas and strategies foracquiring new funding sources and developing new approaches to donors.In addition, EYCE General Secretary Ms. Kristine Jansone took par in the meeting of Secretary General's,which brought together colleagues from organisations based in Brussels and elsewhere. The main discus-sion and exchange focused on human resource and volunteer management. The participation in all those activities was essential for EYCE for exchanging new ideas and practices withother organisations, as well as for establishing better contacts with other member organisations of YFJ andYFJ itself.

"Life. Justice. Peace" Pre-conference to WCC Assemb ly18th - 20th of June, 2013, Hofgeismar, GermanyIn order to prepare European youth delegates for the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches(WCC) in Busan, Korea in November 2013, a pre-conference took place form 18th - 20th of June 2013 inHofgeismar, Germany, on the theme "Life. Justice. Peace”. The future youth delegates, stewards andmembers of the Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI) gathered in Hofgeismar to preparethemselves for the global ecumenical highlight of the year in November 2013.They identified key issues for the assembly and learned from the insights of youth participants from pastassemblies. But they were not only coming from Germany; other youth participants and guests from theCzech Republic, Sweden, Greece, Switzerland and even Ghana joined the conference, representingLutheran, United, Reformed, Mennonite and Orthodox churches and traditions.EYCE was represented in this meeting by the member of the Executive Committee Mr. Benjamin Mlynek.This was a good opportunity to present the work of EYCE, especially regarding the Campaign to PromoteEcological Justice, as this was identified as one of the burning issues for the global ecumenical movementtoday.

14th Assembly of the Conference of European Churche s3rd - 8th of July, 2013, Budapest, HungaryFrom 3rd - 8th of July 2013, the 14th Assembly of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) took placein Budapest, Hungary. EYCE was represented at this assembly by Mr. Felix Beck from its German memberorganisation. The Assembly was held to conclude the revision process of CEC which was started by the 13thAssembly in 2009 in Lyon. A “Revision Working Group” was mandated to develop a vision for a future CEC

13

and to draft a new Constitution to reform the organisation. The revision process of CEC culminated in theBudapest Assembly in July 2013, where a new constitution of CEC was adopted. Based on the decisions taken during the assembly and the lack of transparency in the process, EYCE mem-ber organisation decided during the General Meeting in October 2013 to withdraw from the list of the Organ-isations in Partnership until further notice. In addition to the revision process, a new Governing Board of CEC was elected. EYCE Vice-ChairpersonAdriana Florea was elected to the Governing Board of CEC, thus using her expertise in youth work topromote the role of young people within CEC. Three more young people were elected to the GoverningBoard, which now consists with 25% young people of its members.

General Assembly of European Methodist Youth and Ch ildren26th - 30th of September 2013, Stuttgart, GermanyFrom 26th - 30th of September 2013, EYCE Chairperson Ms. Catharina Covolo attended the General As-sembly of European Methodist Youth and Children (EMYC). This meeting continued a successful coopera-tion started already during the EYCE's General Meeting in 2011, which was followed by continuous presenceat one another's decision making meetings by both of the organisations. This had eventually lead to a mem-bership application of EMYC to Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe.At the EMYC assembly Ms. Covolo presented the work and activities of EYCE, as well discussed the mem-bership application of the EMYC to EYCE, which has been submitted to be approved by the General Meet-ing in October. Ms. Covolo explained the procedure during the General Meeting, as well as discussed therole of the member organisations and National Correspondents in the structures of EYCE.

Churches' Voice on Human Rights30th of October - 1st of November 2013, Palermo, It alyFrom the 30th October - 1st November 2013 participants and speakers from various European Churchesand associations were guests in the Waldensian diaconal centre “la noce” in Palermo (Sicily). The Churchand Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches organised a training course on the veryvolatile issue of social, economic and cultural rights in the euromediterranean region. EYCE's Vice-Chairperson Ms. Lisa Schneider took part in this training course on behalf of EYCE to share the experiencesand perspectives you young people.In the first sessions the presentations addressed current Human Rights challenges. The Lampedusa tragedyand refugees arriving not only in Italy but also in Greece and other countries in the Euromed region were onefocus. Especially Ms Vivi Akapo, coming from Togo and representing the All Africa Conference of Churchesenriched the discussions with her perspective. An unusual but not less valuable contribution for a Churchevent was delivered by two NATO representatives. They also presented what NATO calls the comprehensiveapproach and is supposed to implement humanitarian and social aspects in military activities. Furthermore,they encouraged the audience to get involved and qualify the existing interaction between NATO and NGOs.For cooperation between NATO and Churches there might still be a long way to go. But convergence anddialogue may be worth trying.On the second day Prof Dr Vassiliki Stathokosta (Church of Greece) and Rev. Luca Baratto (Federation ofProtestant Churches in Italy) drew the link between Human Rights and the Bible in their presentations andintroduced the transition to Churches’ responsibility and what Churches can and must do. Dr MohammedAmin Al-Midani (Arab Centre for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Education) explained thedifference between promoting and protecting Human Rights and presented the different traditions in Europe,Africa and the Middle East. Mr Klaus Lörcher who is also a lawyer specialised on fundamental social rights,focused on European Instruments and how Churches can make use of them. The audience gained from hismany years of experiences in working with trade unions and the European Committee of Social Rights. More concrete were the presentations about existing approaches in churches. Especially Ms Carolin BuenoCalvo’s speech about the current situation of protestant churches in Spain and their efforts with regard toreligious freedom and equality was very inspiring.

14

For EYCE it t was a good occasion to strengthen the continuous contact with Churches and Churchnetworks. EYCE’s contribution to the training course was well received and there was much interest aboutwork of EYCE.

Faith Actors Working Towards Climate Justice18th - 20th of November 2013, Warsaw, Poland On the 18th and 19th of November 2013, member of EYCE’s Executive Committee Mr. Jakub Niewiadomskiand EYCE office volunteer Ms. Pauline Rosselin attended the International conference on climate change:Faith actors working towards climate justice co-organised by CIDSE, Caritas Poland and the Cardinal StefanWyszynski University in Warsaw. The conference took place in Warsaw, Poland. This conference wasgathering representatives of many faith-based organisations, representatives of NGOs, experts on climatechange and politicians, all coming from all around the world.Organised in parallel to the Conference of the Parties (COP19) climate negotiations, the aim of theconference was to share testimonies on how climate change is already affecting people, to discuss the roleof the faith-based organisations in facing consequences of the climate change, and to organise acooperation between faith communities.

The conference was opened with the greetings from the co-organisers of the event and with dedication tothe victims of the typhoon in Philippines. During the main panel discussion, speakers from various backgrounds and fields of expertise reminded thatthe most vulnerable people affected by the climate change and environmental challenges are also thepoorest and the weakest people, who are already facing the economic and social crisis, in many parts of theworld.An assessment was made regarding the outcomes of the former COP negotiations, such as in Rio, Kyotoand Copenhagen, as well as the future challenges of the upcoming COP in Lima (2014), and in Paris (2015)were regularly mentioned.Debates were fed with scientific data, so that the participants had solid basis of the criteria to evaluate theclimate change, e.g. sea-level, average temperature, etc. This expertise was brought to the conference bythe Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Professor of the LouvainCatholic University, Mr. Jean-Pascal van Ypersele. To highlight the specific context in Poland, the Presidentof the Institute for Sustainable Development in Poland, Mr. Andrzej Kassenberg, presented the “2050.pl : thejourney to the low-emission future”, a report showing the long term benefits for Poland of turning from coalbased energy to renewable energy.Testimonies from various places in the world (Ie.g. India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Scotland) brought input ofhow people already deal with climate change. Many initiatives were presented, showing strongcollaborations between different faith-based organisations. Rev. Ireneusz Lukas, director of the PolishEcumenical Council presented the “Appeal of Polish Churches for the Protection of Creation”, a statementon the respect of the integrity of Creation, co-signed by the Polish Baptist union, the Evangelical church ofthe Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) in Poland, he Evangelical Methodist church in Poland, the EvangelicalReformed Church in Poland, the Polish Catholic church, the Old Catholic Mariavite church in Poland, thePolish Autocephalous Orthodox church and the chairman of the Polish Episcopal Conference of the RomanCatholic church.During discussions, it was highlighted that not only the environmental crisis is linked to the current economicand social crisis, but also with the crisis of values. It was pointed out that this is where faith-basedorganisations have an important role to play, and that collaboration between denominations and religions isabsolutely required. The role of Christian communities in relation to climate change and environmentalissues was discussed, e.g. lack of emphasis of the Christian background within Christian environmentalorganisations was pointed out.The second day of the conference started with a mass, where the prayers were related to the protection ofCreation and support to the weakest.This was followed by the workshops on two themes: Civil society work for climate justice and Best practiceexamples and interreligious dialogue. Both of EYCE representatives attended the interreligious dialogue

15

workshop. The work started by the inputs from Somboon Chungprampree, Executive Secretary ofInternational Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB), illustrating their work regarding climate change andenvironmental issues, and their cooperation with Christian organisations. In the following discussionrepresentatives from the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox church, Brahma Kumaris, Lutheran WorldFederation (LWF) and many others took part. The conclusion of the workshop was that faith-basedorganisations need to find a strong common voice as a global faith community to face climate changeconsequences. In addition to this, the LWF youth representatives talked about their action during theCOP19: “Fasting for the climate change”. They shared their dream that all the religious leaders will meet innext COP meeting in Lima in 2014 and bring their voices together regarding climate change.To conclude the conference, participants agreed that the faith-based organisations have to come together ina single movement to bring the human and spiritual side of climate change to the negotiation table. Their roleis to support and help the most vulnerable people facing the climate change. There is a need for leadershipfrom faith-based communities in order to inspire people, politicians and civil society to respond to climatechange in a sustainable way, and to not allow for the weakest to be left out of the negotiations.

Council of Members of Youth Forum Jeunesse21st - 23rd of November 2013, Thessaloniki, Greece From 21st - 23rd of November 2013 the Council of Members of the Youth Forum Jeunesse (YFJ) took placein Thessaloniki, Greece. This meeting was a good opportunity for EYCE to network with other youthorganisations in Europe. EYCE Executive Committee member Mr. Jakub Niewiadomski attended themeeting. Among other discussions and networking meetings, a meeting between faith based memberorganisations (JECI-MIEC, MIJARC, EUJS, YMCA, YWCA etc.) of YFJ took place to strengthen thecooperation of these organisations and bringing joint input to the work of YFJ. The Council of Members itself was dedicated to discuss different thematic issues, as well as discussing andadopting statutory changes of the Youth Forum Jeunesse.For EYCE the engagement in YFJ is important as it allows good networking and cooperation possibilitieswith other youth organisations in Europe, thus strengthening the voice of young people.

CSC Church and Society Secretaries Meeting21st - 22nd of November 2013, Brussels, BelgiumFrom the 21st - 22nd of November the annual Church and Society Secretaries meeting took place inBrussels, Belgium, organised by Church and Society Commission of Conference of European Churches.During the two days long meeting, several topics related to the issues of church and society have beendiscussed. Firstly, a reflection was offered to the participants on how has the work on Church and Societyissues changed in the churches over the last years, including a reflection on the time of crisis in Europe.Deepening the discussion on the crisis in Europe, the EU instruments to overcome it were presented andanalysed, and finally it was discussed what churches can do to address the current situation in Europe andwhat could be the concrete measures. EYCE General Secretary Ms. Kristine Jansone was invited to participate in a panel discussion in theframework of this meeting. The main purpose was to describe, if the target group of EYCE is in a wayaffected by the crisis situation, as well as present the ways EYCE has worked on programmes and projectsto find ways out of the crisis or to address the crisis and its consequences. Ms. Jansone presented her conclusions regarding the tendencies within the EYCE target group - youngChristians. It could be pointed out that the impact is two folded - on one hand there is less trust towards thestakeholders and governments, as well as more serious attitude towards their own future and much moreindividualism, which leads to less community involvement, which directly affects the work of EYCE. On theother hand also there is much more solidarity to be witnessed. She also presented EYCE's work inaddressing the crisis, mainly through awareness raising and Human Rights education and advocacy work. Inaddition, non-formal education was pointed out, offering to young people a great variety of skills andknowledge, which then can be used in labour market.

16

4. EYCE structural development

Executive Committee Meeting8th - 10th of February 2013, Amsterdam, The Netherl andsFrom the 8th - 10th of February 2013 the Executive Committee (ExCo) of the Ecumenical Youth Council inEurope (EYCE) met for their first meeting in 2013 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The ExCo also took theopportunity to meet young people from Amsterdam to promote EYCE and its work.

In addition, directly prior to the ExCo meeting, on the 7th of February, an interreligious street action "Photowith a Neighbour!" was organised on the streets of Amsterdam in the framework of the World InterfaithHarmony Week. The action aimed at raising awareness of different faith communities present in Europetoday and the necessity of a peaceful coexistence and cooperation between them.

During their meeting EYCE Executive Committee members reviewed and evaluated the work that has beendone since their last meeting in October 2012 in Warsaw during the National Correspondent's meeting, aswell as started initial preparations for EYCE's 39th General Meeting.

The agenda of the meeting included a variety of issues, such as cooperation with the partners and EYCEinvolvement in the work of European ecumenical and youth organisations, participation in the GermanKirchentag and the contribution to the revision process of the Conference of European Churches.

In addition, the ExCo revised the work plan of the council, including upcoming events and representations forthe year 2013, especially paying attention to the constitutional deadlines regarding EYCE's 39th GeneralMeeting. The ExCo worked on the outline for the main themes and events in 2014, outlining the first threeevents of the year, which will focus respectively on youth employment and youth participation, poverty andthe mechanisms behind it, as well as fair distribution of natural resources.Also, the ExCo developed a proposal for the new campaign to be implemented in the years 2014-2016,focusing on the poverty and its various aspects, such as mechanisms behind the poverty, the way how itaffects people in various social groups, as well as the impact that EYCE and its MOs can give to eradicationof poverty. The proposal will be presented fro discussion to the EYCE 39th General Meeting in October2013.

The great deal of the ExCo meeting was also dedicated to financial situation of EYCE and especially toexploring new funding possibilities and new approaches to fundraising.

Meeting with a Member Organisation3rd of June 2013, Brussels, BelgiumOn their annual visit to Brussels, among other organisations and EU institutions the group of delegates fromEYCE’s German member organisation aej met with EYCE's General Secretary. During this meeting the workof EYCE was presented to the young delegates, specifically highlighting the initiatives regardingsustainability and involvement of the member and young individuals in these processes. From the side of aejdelegates, there was a special interest in EYCE's involvement in youth politics, as well as the mechanisms,how to emphasize the impact of EYCE and its member organisations to the legislative and decision makingprocesses with regards to the matters related to young people.

Meeting with a Member Organisation12th of June 2013, Paris, FranceOn the 12th of June 2013, EYCE General Secretary Ms. Kristine Jansone visited EYCE member

17

organisation in France - Protestant Federation of France (FPF), Commission of Youth upon their owninvitation. Ms. Jansone met with several representatives of the member organisation, in order to strengthenthe involvement of the organisation in the work of EYCE. The current work of EYCE was presented andpossible ways of involvement discussed. Importantly, the challenges of both, EYCE and FPF and potentialways to support one another in overcoming these challenges were discussed.

Executive Committee Meeting10th - 13th of July 2013, Berlin, GermanyFrom the 10th - 13th of July 2013 the Executive Committee (ExCo) of the Ecumenical Youth Council inEurope (EYCE) met for their regular meeting in Berlin, Germany. The ExCo also took the opportunity to meetwith donor organisations and potential partners located in Berlin, as well as with EYCE's NationalCorrespondent in Germany and young people that have been involved in EYCE's work.

During their meeting EYCE Executive Committee members reviewed and evaluated the work that has beendone since their last meeting in February 2013 in Amsterdam, as well as planned the work of the council forthe coming months. Great part of the meeting was dedicated to preparations for the EYCE's 39th GeneralMeeting, which will take place in Brno, Czech Republic, from 14th - 20th of October 2013. The meeting willbe hosted by the Hussite Church in Czech Republic.

The agenda of the ExCo meeting included a variety of issues, such as relation to partners and EYCE'sinvolvement in activities of World Council of Churches (WCC), CALL network and European Youth Forum(YFJ). Special attention was given to reviewing the 14th Assembly of Conference of European Churches(CEC) and the future of EYCE in this context. During their stay in Berlin EYCE ExCo also met withChairperson and Regional Secretary of the World Student Christian Federation to discuss the collaborationbetween the organisation and their common response to the challenges of the ecumenical movement.

The ExCo also started the initial preparations for the activities in 2014/2015, particularly preparingfundraising plans and scheduling the events, strategically and thematically linking them together. This willprovide a substantial support to the work of the new Executive Committee to be elected in October.

Special importance at the meetings was given to the financial situation of EYCE and especially to exploringnew funding possibilities and new approaches to fundraising. To seek new partners in fundraising, EYCE's ExCo visited the new building of the Protestant Agency forDiakonia and Development in Berlin, where they met Mr. Christopher Selbach, the Head of EcumenicalPartnership, Inter-Church Aid and Europe Desk at Bread for the World. The meeting was very fruitful andinspiring, bringing new ideas and developing further EYCE's upcoming campaign to address poverty.Another successful meeting was during the visit to Berlin Mission, where new possibilities for partnershipsand thematic cooperation were discovered. EYCE Chairperson Ms. Catharina Covolo and EYCE Vice-Chairperson Ms. Adriana Florea were warmly greeted to discuss future cooperation.

During the meeting the ExCo also took the opportunity to officially welcome the new office volunteer, Ms.Pauline Rosselin from France, who will be working with EYCE's Campaign to Promote Ecological Justice.

Meeting with a Member Organisation6th of September 2013, Brussels, BelgiumOn the 6th of September 2013, the Advisory Board of EYCE’s German member organisation aej visitedBrussels, especially different ecumenical and youth organisations, among them EYCE. During the meeting inEYCE's office a fruitful discussion was held about the visibility of EYCE within the member organisation, aswell as the responsibilities of the proactive involvement of the organisation itself. An important part of the discussion was focused on structured dialogue and how EYCE and its member

18

organisation should get involved more in this process.

Meeting with a Member Organisation6th of October 2013, Tallinn, EstoniaOn the 6th of October 2013, in the framework of the local visits of EYCE's Campaign to Promote EcologicalJustice, EYCE Chairperson Mr. Benjamin Mlynek visited EYCE member organisation in Estonia - EstonianCouncil of Churches (EKNN). Mr. Mlynek met with the Chairperson of EKNN Ms. Lemme Aulis to discuss thechallenges regarding the involvement in EYCE EKNN is facing. The current work of EYCE was presentedand possible ways of strengthening the involvement of EKNN were discussed. EYCE is hoping for the goodresolution of the situation and active re-involvement of EKNN!

39th EYCE General Meeting14th - 20th of October 2013, Brno, Czech RepublicThe 39th General Meeting of the Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe took place from 14th - 20th October2013 in Brno, Czech Republic and brought together more than 20 young people as delegates, guests andstewards to the General Meeting.The General Meeting was hosted by Czechoslovak Hussite Church and EYCE’s Czech memberorganisation, the Youth Committee of Ecumenical Council of Churches in the Czech Republic. EYCE isdeeply grateful for the support, care and endless energy invested in welcoming delegates and guests ofEYCE’s 39th General Meeting.EYCE was specially grateful to the stewards during the General Meeting – Kristyna Mlynkova, HilaryKeachie, Pauline Rosselin and Valentin Graeter.During the 39th General Meeting Executive Committee elections took place and the following people havebeen elected to the EYCE Executive Committee – Benjamin Mlynek (Hussite, Czech Republic) as theChairperson, Lisa Schneider (United Protestant, Germany) as the Vice-Chairperson and Sini Tyvi (Lutheran,Finland) as the Treasurer, as well as Peter Demuth (Lutheran, Romania) and Jakub Nieviadomski(Reformed, Poland). The delegates and the whole EYCE network warmly welcomed the newly elected ExComembers to the EYCE community and wished many blessings for the term they will serve for EYCE.EYCE also thanked the Executive Committee members, who did not continue their work with the council –Catharina Covolo, Adriana Florea, Zofia Kozlowska-Socha, Andrea Aprile and Slavi Spasov, for theircommitment to EYCE and all the work they have done during their term with EYCE! We wish all the best fortheir future and activities outside of EYCE!EYCE was happy to welcome many guests to its 39th General Meeting from the organisations in partnershipwith EYCE, such as the European Youth Forum (YFJ), the World Student Christian Federation Europe(WSCF-E), European Baptist Federation (EBF), Fellowship of Orthodox Youth SYNDESMOS andConference of European Churches (CEC), as well as special guest - bishop of the Czechoslovak HussiteChurch Juraj Dovala. During the 39th General Meeting EYCE also welcomed a new member organisation - European MethodistYouth and Children (EYMC).During the week of the General Meeting the thematic work of the past two years was evaluated and theupcoming work planned. Through many interesting and challenging discussions, and long working hours,new strategic approach to the work of EYCE in different areas, such as programmatic work, externalrelations and youth politics, finances, and quality and membership support was introdouced. The new approach to the work aims at yet closer involvement of EYCE's member organisations in its work,as well as initiating different approaches to planning, evaluation and addressing the needs of the targetgroups of EYCE's activities.Special attention was paid to revising the EYCE work programme for the upcoming two years, especiallytaking into account the upcoming campaign to address poverty and social injustice "Break the Chains!"EYCE is looking forward to the new challenges and new commitments in its work, especially throughstronger commitment and contribution by its Member Organisations!

19

Meeting with a Member Organisation21st - 24th of November 2013, Berlin, GermanyParticipating in the annual meetings of EYCE member organisations is an important part of staying informedof what is happening and how could EYCE and the member organisation benefit from each other the best.EYCE Treasurer Ms. Sini Tyvi visited the EYCE member organisation aej in Germany at their annualmeeting. She met with aej board members and participated in a working committee on ecumenical andinternational youth work. Many fruitful discussions and new ideas were shared during this meeting. Ms. Tyvialso shared the visions and plans of EYCE for the coming year.

Volunteer ProgrammeJanuary - December 2013, Brussels, BelgiumEYCE’s Volunteer Programme aims at providing training for young people as youth leaders/workers involvedin European/ national organisations. It also provides an opportunity for young people to work in aninternational organisation and get involved in intercultural learning.

In 2013 EYCE was privileged to host two long-term volunteers in its office in Brussels.Ms. Alicia Hamet (France), EYCE's office volunteer in 2012, finished her voluntary service in the beginning ofFebruary, contributing to finalisation of the second year of EYCE's Campaign to Promote Ecological Justice,which had been the main focus on her voluntary service. The placement of Ms. Hamet was arranged incooperation with the YMCA in France.

In June 2013, Ms. Pauline Rosselin, another volunteer engaged through the cooperation with YMCA France,started her voluntary service, which lasted until end of February 2014. The main focus of the voluntary workof Ms. Rosselin has been the final year of the EYCE's Campaign to Promote Ecological Justice. She hasbeen coordinating the Campaign Coordination Team, researching the resources and developing the publicitymaterials relevant to the campaign, as well as organising meetings and events in the framework of thiscampaign. Ms. Rosselin also took part in several international meetings relevant to the work of thecampaign, e.g. the "International conference on climate change: Faith actors working towards climatejustice".In addition, Ms. Rosselin has been working to prepare the first EYCE's thematic activity for year 2014, thetraining course "Looking for a Brighter Future", where she has been part of the International PlanningCommittee preparing and implementing the programme, as well as coordinating the practical arrangements.

In September 2013 EYCE started a cooperation with Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (ASF) Belgium ,engaging a young volunteer from Germany, Mr. Valentin Graeter. The voluntary service of Mr. Graeter wasforeseen to continue until September 2014. The main focus of the work of Mr. Graeter was the upcomingEYCE's Campaign to Overcome Poverty "Break the Chains!", which was foreseen to be launched in January2014. The volunteer focused on thematic research on the different thematic areas of the upcoming campaignand regarding possible campaign materials, as well as prepared the meeting of the Campaign CoordinationTeam, which took place in December 2013.

In the beginning of their voluntary missions, an introduction and training was provided for the new volunteersby EYCE General Secretary Ms. Kristine Jansone. During this introduction and training following issues werediscussed: the personal aims and learning goals of the volunteers, their expectations and fears, introductionto the structures of EYCE and the role of the volunteers in them. Also, the main working areas of EYCE,especially highlighting the special working focus of the volunteers were discussed, as well as integration oftheir personal aims and expectations into the volunteering process. The former EYCE volunteer Ms. Vera Kockler was engaged as a mentor for volunteers, i.e. a person theycould turn to in cases of difficulties and challenges.

20

In addition, during her voluntary stay Ms. Hamet underwent several special trainings, e.g. first aid training byRed Cross France, as well as special training for volunteers coordinated by YMCA France.

The work of the Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe has been supported by the European Commission and the Council of Europe. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and neither the European Commission, nor Council of Europe cannot be held re-

sponsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

21