National Conference
Once a year we hold a 3-day National Conference with many international guests and delegations following the program of an International Session. Swiss students have the possibility to get to know the EYP atmosphere and are selected to attend an international EYP event in the future.
A delegation, taking part at the conference, consists of 6 students and an accompanying teacher. Similar to an International Session the delegates are allocated to different committees and spend most parts of the conference with their fellow committee members. The committees elaborate a resolution to a given topic about current political, social and econom ic issues of a global, European and/or national scale.
The Program of a National Conference
The delegates participate in the committee of their choice in three stages during the National Conference:
Teambuilding:
For many delegates this is the most enjoyable aspect of the session. Delegates spend the evening in their committees taking part in challenging activities and games designed to break the ice, foster team spirit and have some fun while developing cooperation and mutual respect within their committees
Committee Work:
In committee work delegates discuss their topic and decide what
action might be taken to improve the
situation. In committee work the emphasis lies not solely on arguing your
point but also in cooperation and reaching a consensus while respecting confl
icting
points of view. The aim of committee work is to produce a resolution, a formal
written document which outlines the committee’s vision of a solution to their
problem. The committee’s chair will be on hand to facilitate discussion and
guide the delegates through this engaging process.
General Assembley:
This is where all the participants in the session come together to discuss the resolutions produced. Here the diversity of topics ensures lively debate with the discussion ranging from subjects such as agriculture to sport, from education to space exploration. Each committee in turn has the opportunity to present and explain their proposals before discussion is opened up to the General Assembly.
The committees are observed by a jury consisting of experienced EYPers from Switzerland and abroad, which judges the schools on their language skills, their ability to debate, their knowledge of the assigned topic, etc. On Sunday afternoon, the jury announces which schools have been chosen to attend an international EYP event in the future.
To take part in a national conference and to spend an exciting weekend, we recommend meeting the following requirements:
- You like to meet new people and share ideas and visions for the future
- You have an open-minded and creative approach to a topic and to other peoples views
- You are able to work in a team
- You are enthusiastic about European issues
- You can communicate in English and French
- You should be between 16 and 22 years old
For any further questions please contact Nadine Pfiffner at nadine.pfiffner@eyp.ch.
