“Germany and Greece are closely connected, so I am delighted that today we have agreed to take this important step towards a closer cooperation on youth policy,” commented Federal Youth Minister Dr Katarina Barley at the ceremony. “I would like to see this Youth Office become just as significant for the youth work community as the German-Polish and German-Franco Youth Offices.”
The German Federal Government has provided financial support for German-Greek youth exchanges since 2016. So far, more than 200 such non-school exchanges have been funded under a special programme. “Individuals who travel to other countries and meet other people extend their horizons. If you take part in an exchange, you learn to see the world from a completely new angle. Today, it is more necessary than ever to encourage young people to develop an enthusiasm for the European ideal and become true Europeans,” said the Minister. The establishment of a German-Greek Youth Office is a major political project for the German Federal Government and is given special mention in the European policy section of the Coalition Agreement.
In addition to building these formal structures, the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) is stepping up its commitment to youth exchanges with Greece by means of various instruments, activities, and the budget earmarked for the new Youth Office.
Source: Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
Image: BMFSFJ
