Europese BurgerDagen: Mobiliteit, dialoog en participatie: naar actief Europees burgerschap (en)

The European Civic Forum is organising this major event to bring together citizens and association leaders from all over the European Union to promote active European citizenship.

Jean-Pierre Jouyet, the French Minister of State for European Affairs, closed the first day of the 'European Civic Days' that brought together almost a thousand citizens and association leaders from the 27 Member States of the European Union on 4 September in La Rochelle.

This meeting was organised with the support of the European Commission as a high-profile event in the "Europe for Citizens" programme. It is the main event of the autumn for the "Paroles d'Européens!" public debate programme, supported by the Minister for State in the aim of stimulating a real citizenship dynamic by focusing completely on civil society in this event.

What does it mean to be a European citizen today? How can we get citizens excited about Europe and encourage active European citizenship embodying the values of respect, tolerance, solidarity and diversity? How can citizens participate on a daily basis? How do we experience Europe?

These questions were at the heart of the round-table discussions of the first day, which showed the importance of the engagement of the public and all those involved in voluntary associations to promote European citizenship and European values.

Jean-Pierre Jouyet emphasised the cooperation necessary between civil society and national and European institutions to enhance European citizenship. The "European Civic Days" are the best example of this. The Minister of State also reiterated his commitment to extending mobility programmes as much as possible and making young people's mobility in Europe the rule, rather than the exception.

The "European Civic Days" on the subject of "Mobility, Dialogue, Participation: Towards Active European Citizenship" will continue until 6 September. In detailed discussions in workshops, participants from this sector will be able to exchange their methods and best practices, based on their experiences and specific examples. New initiatives and partnerships could emerge to promote active European citizenship and consolidate a major network of voluntary associations at European level.

For more information on the "European Civic Days" and the detailed programme, visit the website of the European Civic Forum: www. civic-forum.eu