YO!Fest 2017, taking place on 7th February, will be held in Maastricht, in the Netherlands. The festival will see thousands of young people debating with each other and politicians on how to change Europe for the better. In the run up to the event, the key partners for YO!Fest got together for a preparation meeting in Maastricht this weekend (21st-23rd October 2016).
The 8th Edition of YO!Fest (Youth Opinion Festival), the annual political youth-led festival organised by the European Youth Forum, will be a space for young people to discuss their vision for Europe. The event will be run in partnership with the City of Maastricht and Province of Limburg and will be a key event for the “Europe Calling” celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty.
The meeting brought together 37 YO!Fest partners (15 international youth organisations plus over 22 local partners) and the Youth Forum to design and prepare the YO!Fest together. During the meeting the partners, a very diverse range of youth organisations, discussed their needs and expectations, so that the programme can be designed based on those needs.
Together, the Youth Forum and all the partners developed and peer-reviewed ideas for the YO!Fest in order to create a common vision for the event and a framework for the various programme elements. The partners preparation meeting was also a great oportunity to identify potential synergies and encourage co-operation between YO!Fest partners in order to carry out activities.
The YO!Fest 2017 will combine political debates, thematic workshops, educational activities, live music and artistic performances, creating a unique and meaningful experience for young people attending. European decision makers, such as Members of European Parliament and European Commissioners, will also be in attendance to discuss the future of Europe with young people.