SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct 15 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Parliament of the Canary Islands has hosted this Friday the celebration of the III European Youth Assembly of the Canary Islands (Juveucan), an organization that in its more than two years of life -since the 2019 European elections, hand in hand with the campaign ‘This time vote’- has developed multiple events and initiatives to bring the European Union closer to youth and Canarian society in general.
“It is a pride to see how Canarian youth are interested and actively involved in the debate on the future of Europe, being a very active voice and contributing a lot from our archipelago”, expressed in the opening ceremony the second secretary of the Chamber, Luz Reverón , who considered “an honor” to hold this meeting at the legislative headquarters, under the slogan ‘The regions and their youth for the future of Europe’.
As he recalled, in these years, Parliament has maintained a constant collaboration with Juveucan, with especially outstanding events such as the celebration in this venue of Europe Day, the act for the 70th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration in 2020 or a debate forum on the Future of Europe Conference.
“This Conference is the largest process of citizen participation at a European level in all of history,” he said, and highlighted the fact that last week, more than 4,000 young people, including 18 from Juveucan, participated in the European Event in Strasbourg. Youth, where they discussed different ideas about the future of Europe.
Reverón appreciated the importance of this debate reaching the Parliament of the Canary Islands again today, which throughout this day has been a forum for dialogue, reflection and participation on the role of the islands and their young people in the Conference. “Thank you, Juveucan, for having this House to make it the venue for the meeting, at a time when, let us remember, our Parliament presides over the Conference of Regional Legislative Assemblies of the European Union (CALRE),” he said.
Luz Reverón took advantage of her speech to express the recognition of the Parliament of the Canary Islands to Miguel Pastor, president of Juveucan and whose responsibility is now ending, and his team for the work they have been doing throughout this time at the head of the association. “Thank you for the enormous effort made to bring Canarian youth closer to the opportunities offered by the European Union.”
Finally, the secretary of the Table opted for maintaining the role of the Canary Islands as a key region, with its ultraperipheral condition, in the construction of the European project. “The Canary Islands cannot be understood without Europe,” he stressed.
The inauguration of this forum was given by the Vice President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, through the broadcast of a video. Then Miguel Pastor, outgoing president of Juveucan, intervened to present the dynamics of this assembly, after which round tables were held with the online participation of Gabriel Mato Adrover, MEP of the Popular Party; Juan Fernando López Aguilar, PSOE MEP; Juan Manuel García Casañas, deputy of the Canary Islands Parliament, and Carmen Celaya Martín, incoming president of Juveucan. Moderated by Ruth Martinón Quintero, academic director of the European Documentation Center
Guiomar Gutiérrez Pascual, general director of the European Movement in Spain; Gara Báez García, spokesperson for democracy at Equipo Europa, and Clementina Pinzón Rodríguez, president of AEGEE Tenerife. Joaquín González, incoming vice president of Juveucan, moderated.
