Seminar „Progressive politics from the viewpoint of the young generation“

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung invited a large number of young people from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and other countries to a four-day seminar in Vilnius. The focus of analysis and discussion were current social policy issues, such as gender equality, migration, demographic change, the labour market prospects of the younger generation and human rights. In working groups key topics of debate included the consequences of the #Metoo movement and what measures could be taken to tackle sexual harassment and patriarchal thought patterns and actions. A comparative look was taken at reproductive rights in the predominantly Catholic conservative societies of Ireland, Lithuania and Poland. From a Lithuanian perspective the issues of emigration and the consequences of demographic change for social security systems were particularly important. In this area exchanges of ideas with representatives from Ireland, Italy, Poland and Portugal – in other words, countries with comparable experiences – were extremely valuable.