EDS 4th Council meeting of the working year 2009/2010 took place from May 5th until May 9th in Vilnius. After almost a decade EDS was coming back to beautiful capital of Lithuania again. The event was hosted by EDS member organisation Jaunųjų konservatorių lyga (JKL).
SPEAKERS
Many distinguished speakers and were invited to talk to EDS members- Andrius Kubilius, Prime Minister of Lithuania; Irena Degutienė, Speaker of Seimas (Lithuania's Parliament), Rasa Juknevičienė Minister of Defence of Republic of Lithuania, Audronius Ažubalis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Lithuania and Radvilė Morkūnaitė, Member of the European Parliament (former chairwoman of Young Conservative League). Since the topic of the event was EU and Russia: A new page in our relationship? the speakers mainly focused on this aspect of external relations of EU and Baltic states but also such questions as implementation the Lisbon treaty, EU relationships with USA, values and traditions were mentioned and actively discussed. The event was concluded with the Farewell dinner and very inspiring, interesting but at the same time controversial speech by Vytautas Landsbergis, Member of the European Parliament, who made participants to think on the role of today`s conservative and Christian democrat politicians in the modern Europe with its challenges and possibilities.
WORKSHOPS
4th Council meeting continued the tradition to have the workshops. This time we had the workshops on higher education with Lithuania’s higher education reform authors and with Student Union’s representatives and workshop on human rights with representatives of Eastern Europe Study Centre and parliament members. On the second session of the workshops participants had the possibility to get very practical knowledge about the organisation of international events and preparing policy documents, including EDS motions.
VISITS
Besides the lectures and workshops participants visited Central Europe Studies Centre at Vilnius University, and European Humanities University- Belarusian University in exile –the real, practical example of regional cooperation and support in the field of Higher education.
PWG/ COUNCIL MEETING
The first half of the Friday was devoted to EDS Permanent working groups (PWG) on Higher Education, Human rights and Policies for Europe. The outcome of the working groups was presented in EDS Council meeting, which took place on Saturday, in the conference centre of the open air museum of the centre of Europe. In the Council meeting EDS adopted several documents: resolution on Youth unemployment and on Bologna process, Youth Position on Europe 2020 Strategy and motion, proposed by MGERB (Bulgaria) on Youth as a significant factor in policy-making and decision-making processes. Also the new membership fee structure and upcoming EDS campaign on Academic unemployment were presented and discussed among EDS Council.
CULTURE
EDS members visited dynamic, modern capital of one of the oldest countries of Europe with an outstanding historical heritage. On Thursday participants had the possibility to visit Trakai- the capital of Lithuania in the Middle Ages which was built and preserved by people of different nationalities- historically, communities of Karaims, Tatars, Lithuanians, Russians, Jews and Poles lived here side by side. However, for all participants was real pleasure to enjoy also current capital- Vilnius city with its outstanding baroque architecture, modern buildings and nice people. At the very last days participants also used the possibility to celebrate Europe`s day in the sunny boulevards and squares of the city.
FUN
As always , participants had great time together also after official pars of the event. The lively city of Vilnius provided a lot of possibilities and at Saturday night dances and fun in the night club was continued until early morning.
SPECIAL FEATURES
We were especially happy that EPP had its Political Assembly (May 9-11) in Vilnius, directly after the closing of the EDS event – it was additional possibility for EDS members participate in EPP events as representatives from their mother parties and EDS bureau and to be present when the EDS resolutions on Youth unemployment and on Bologna process were adopted by the Assembly.
We would like to say a special thank you to our Lithuanian member Jaunųjų konservatorių lyga (JKL) for an excellent organisation and warm hospitality! After this great experience EDS definitely will not wait for a decade to come to Vilnius again!
EDS is a member association of