Dear Members and Friends, 

I heartily welcome you to World Youth Alliance Europe (WYAE)!

The choice to invest in expertise and education, in addition to our Training Program, has been a key component to the strength of the work of WYA. WYA's philosophical training enables many of us to articulate our ideas and make a difference while advocacing at political and cultural levels. This is crucial if we consider the great challenges we have to face in Europe right now.

For instance, at an economical level we have to bear in mind that most young Europeans are confronted with primary concerns like the difficulty of finding employment. Note that five million European people ages 15-24 were unemployed during the first quarter of 2009 (18.3%). This percentage evidences the reality of the very strong economic pressure experienced by our generation which sometimes leads to a negative phenomenon of withdrawal to one's only material and emotional well-being. Since the ethical and spiritual dimension is very often missing from education, we lack a context from which we can understand or critique the values conveyed by the media and culture.

At a political level, the complexity of our governance system and the numerous misconceptions about the role of politics in changing the world give many young Europeans the feeling that they have no chance to voice their opinions to their rulers. I am personally convinced, however, that we all share a common responsibility to embody our human values and ideals through our involvement in both democratic life and daily life, if we want to build free and just societies.

As the new Director, I would like to learn from all of your personal  experiences of human dignity in your life, the respect of the right to life, the family and a social climate favorable to integral development, solidarity, and mutual respect. If you share WYA’s conviction, I encourage you to sign the WYA charter and enroll in our training. I strongly believe your committment will bring you fresh ideas, hope and deep happiness, as well as new friends throughout Europe and the world!

Should you have any further questions, please contact me at europe@wya.net.

Marie-Caroline Leroux

Director

WYA Europe