KNŻ calls for 5+5 youth summit; special focus on opportunities for disadvantaged youths

As the international 5+5 summit came to a close last Saturday, KNŻ, the Maltese National Youth Council, expressed its satisfaction on the outcomes reached by the ten states, particularly for focusing on youth and their education.

In the past months, both European and the North African countries have experienced a number of challenges. As a result this has had a direct impact on young people and their future prospects. The 5+5 summit, remarked the KNZ, seems to have taken note of such issues. The decision of the ten states to agree to put youth at the core of the Malta declaration, the Council affirmed, was a positive step forward towards enhancing the youth’s potential in the Mediterranean region.

KNŻ welcomed amongst others the initiative to support a Euro-Mediterranean qualifications framework, based on the recognition and transfer of skills and qualifications amongst the ten members. Furthermore, the council noted that the Malta declaration has also placed emphasis on multi-cultural dialogue among the disabled and socially disadvantaged youth through active citizenship, self-determination and equal rights.

Emphasis was also given towards enhacing the employability of youth by developing vocational educational sytems and through reinforcement of cooperation in the areas of science, technology and innovation policies and R&D activities.

As a national body represeting the local youth society in Malta, the council believes that the 5+5 summit is the right forum where this discussion can take place while strengtheing cross cooperation between youth in both Europe and the North African countries.

Having said this, the council now calls upon the ten states to assist the respective youth councils to hold the first 5+5 youth summit that will allow space to engage the national youth councils of each state, along with other key stakeholders in discussion. This would certainly be an opportunity for all states to consolidate their potential to provide more opportunities for the younger generation.