On May 19 and 20, the MFR Drôme-Ardèche (Mondy & Anneyron) organized with classes of young people at the Maydays festival. The MFRs of Reunion joined us for video restitution times.
Désirée Ristorto, representative of CNAJEP , accompanied by Maxime, a young Provox delegate , and supported by Stéphanie Locqueville from the popular education association L'Etabli, and Sarahi Guitterez from the association Batik International , questioned groups of young people with the following questions: Where have you talked about the environment? Do I feel that the information I have allows me to understand climate change? The feedback from the young people will inform Maxime's advocacy efforts when he speaks to European decision-makers.
Sarahi retains that the specificity of MFR is that young people can apply ecology lessons through projects. MFRs offering courses linked to nature will tackle issues related to the environment and global warming more easily. Young people are confronted with a problem of the reliability of the information they find in the networks. Some may confront the information with the parents or seek out more information. Others feel little concern about climate change or environmental issues, they don't understand the impact on their lives and won't inquire further.
Anna Gasquet, accompanied by two other representatives (Anthony and Axèle) from the Maison de l'Europe / Europe Direct Drôme Ardèche, led a simulation of the European Parliament around the following question: " What key measure should be implemented to include isolated youth (rural areas/French overseas territories) in European democratic life? "
The participants found themselves in the proposals for more information and awareness in relation to the functioning of the EU (institutions, decision-making processes, etc.), more accessibility by setting up more transport in common (bus lines, connections to trains) and regulation of the information available on social networks.
Sarahi notes an evolution in the position of young people during these two days: during the opening plenary, young people expressed their lack of interest in relation to the theme and even expressed their disagreement with the EU. Throughout the activities, the young people actively shared their point of view on current topics on the European agenda. Young people who did not initially feel concerned realized that they were expressing themselves on the political priorities of the EU and taking part in the consultation of the structured dialogue. These days also showed the need to make young people aware of access to reliable information and the functioning of institutions in order to better understand their rights and duties as citizens.
