“With over 2,200 participating teams throughout Europe, we have the proof that the young are able to get mobilised rapidly and in large numbers when initiatives are proposed that enable them to gain a greater awareness of their own rights”, declared Franco Frattini, Vice-President of the European Commission, on meeting a group of 200 youngsters from all over the continent in Brussels on 18 May. The youngsters had participated in the competition “The European Union and the rights of minors” that was announced at the end of March and that invited students aged from 10 to 18 to create a poster on children’s rights. “The aim of the competition was to raise the awareness of young European citizens in the actions promoted by the EU in this sector”. After selection at the national level, the winning teams were invited to Brussels for the final ceremony. Commissioner Frattini explained that in June the Executive would publish a Communication on children’s rights, and would then “launch a strategy of promotion and protection of these rights in all its internal and external policies”.
