YOUTH FORUM
The Youth Forum was organized as part of the Three Seas Local Government Congress in cooperation with the Youth Regional Assembly of the Lublin Voivodeship, non-governmental organizations, academia, and public institutions.
The Forum was officially opened by Adam Andruszkiewicz, Secretary of State and Deputy Head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, and Piotr Breś, Deputy Marshal of the Lublin Voivodeship, who emphasized the importance of young people’s involvement in public life and the Forum’s role as a forum for dialogue and cooperation in the Three Seas region.
Panels addressed the role of young people in decision-making processes, the importance of student representation, and the need for active participation of the young generation in public debate at the national and international levels. The day’s substantive partners were the Civic Development Initiatives Foundation, the Student Parliament of the Republic of Poland, and Nowa.org.pl. Speakers included Dr. Marcin Gołębiowski, Vice Mayor of Starachowice; Julia Bednarska-Leśniak, Chairwoman of the Student Parliament; Mateusz Kopaczyński, Ombudsman for Students’ Rights; and Giuseppe Adamo, member of the Nowa PL Program Council.
The second day of the Forum was devoted to topics related to professional development, education, the labor market, and the functioning of young people in the information space. Particular emphasis was placed on retaining young talent in Poland, developing future competencies, and the challenges associated with the dynamic development of technology and media. The substantive partners included Our Future Foundation, the Warsaw Institute of Banking, and the Youth Regional Assembly of the Lublin Voivodeship. The speakers included: Prof. Paweł Droździel, PhD, DSc, Eng., Vice-Rector for Student Affairs at the Lublin University of Technology; Rev. Rafał Pastwa, PhD, DSc, journalist and media expert, member of the Polish Society for Social Communication (WNSiT KUL); and Jakub Staniewski, President of the Polish Youth Association.
Another important element of the program were panels held as part of a side event – the Eastern Congress of Young Leaders – organized by the European Meeting Center – Nowy Staw Foundation. These panels covered international cooperation and the importance of non-formal education in the context of contemporary geopolitical and digital transformations. The event attracted over 150 international participants, including those from Poland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and New Zealand.
The event was complemented by a power speech by Julia Szeremeta, olympic vice-champion in 2024, world vice-champion and silver medalist of the World Cup in Brazil, which inspired participants and emphasized the importance of engagement, personal development, and active participation among the younger generation.