As part of the ParticipACTION debating contest, the three selected youth groups that were selected for the competition made a compelling two-minute argument for why their policy paper should be the one presented to policymakers in Brussels. The papers covered the three project themes: Migration; Education, Culture, Youth & Sport; and Values & Rights, Rule of Law and Security. The contest brought together 175 people from a total of 10 different countries in an online thematic debate, and each argument was recorded and is available on the project website.
To listen to the recorded pitches, click on the title of each policy paper below.
1. Migration: Bridging the Language Gap: Improving Multilingual Access in EU Public Services
In this recording, a representative of the group presents the case for the Migration policy paper through the personal story of a teammate who arrived in Europe alone, escaping war and discrimination. Unable to understand the language in a mental health session, and unable to afford language classes, he came close to giving up his dream of becoming a social worker. The paper proposes a single European platform offering multilingual access to public services, with translation, information and guidance in healthcare, housing and public administration. It would be developed through cooperation between the European Commission and other actors, and would help migrants and international students. The core message is that when people cannot understand public services, they cannot use their rights, and language should never decide anyone’s access to them.
2. Values & Rights, Rule of Law and Security: Combating Disinformation to Protect European Democracy
This recording presents the Values & Rights paper, which opens by asking listeners to imagine making one of the most important decisions of their lives based on false information. The speakers point out that only a third of people verify what they read online, leaving the rest exposed to disinformation, distorted data and AI-generated content, and they cite the 2023 Slovak parliamentary elections as an example of how a fake audio clip can shape an election. The paper’s main recommendation is to teach digital media literacy to young people and older adults. For students, this would mean teaching them to identify AI-generated content and verify information, integrated into school IT curricula or existing frameworks such as Erasmus+. For older generations, it would mean free training in libraries, community centres and local organisations. The group closes with a call to protect the truth and, with it, democracy.
In this recording, the speaker starts from a striking figure: only 36% of voters under 25 took part in the 2024 European Parliament elections. Presenting this as a lack of civic education and opportunity rather than apathy. The paper recommends an EU civic passport, a voluntary digital credential recognising civic knowledge, democratic participation and digital literacy. Built on the existing Europass infrastructure, it is presented as realistic and cost-effective, and it could offer incentives such as advantages for Erasmus+ opportunities and the European Solidarity Corps. The pitch ends with the message that democracy is not inherited but learned and practiced.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
