“Do the major crises of the 21st century require a change of system?” was the overarching topic of this year’s Youth Parliament of the Alpine Convention, hosted by the Liechtensteinisches Gymnasium Vaduz. The delegates from ten schools from seven Alpine countries met online from 14 to 17 March 2022 to discuss this daunting question.
As a special occasion delegates from Liechtenstein and the YPAC schools nearby presented the results of the intense week to politicians and experts in Vaduz in person on Friday 18 March.
Over four days the youth delegates explored this existential question through four sub-topics: government, economy, society, and mobility. They pondered what a different economic and mobility system could look like, what kind of governance and rules are needed to avert current crisis such as the war in Ukraine, a pandemic, or the climate crisis, and how we want to live in our societies in future.
On Wednesday, the Youth Parliament organised a World Café, which offered the delegates an opportunity to present their ideas and speak to experts and politicians. The World Café allows the students to gather professional opinions and suggestions with which to rethink, reformulate or improve their postulations.
The prepared postulations on each of the sub-topics were then presented, intensively discussed, and finally voted on in the General Assembly at the end of the Youth Parliament.
The delegates voted for eight postulations which made up the resolution. The postulations included calling for countries to establish youth political organisation to foster political participation and youth engagement, setting up a new energy sharing network in the Alpine region to share renewable energy between Alpine countries, and can be found here.
“The YPAC is a place for young people to voice their wishes, exchange ideas, learn about new ideas and fight for what they believe in. For me, this is one of the greatest strengths of the Youth Parliament. Not only does it connect young people with the mission and goals of the Alpine Convention. It also gives them a place to express themselves,” said Alenka Smerkolj, Secretary General of the Alpine Convention.