Belarus is often branded the ‘Last Dictatorship in Europe’ and has seen violent crackdowns on opposition protesters, many of which are young liberal activists.

The event began with an expert panel giving their take on the situation.  Yarik Kyrvoi, founder and editor of Belarus Digest, began proceedings. His knowledge of day to day life in Belarus was a perfect foundation for later discussions and later his in depth analysis of the political system raised key concerns of the opposition movement in the country.  The audience then heard what efforts have been made in the UK and Houses of Parliament by Jo Swinson MP.  With her experience of being Foreign Affairs Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, it was interesting to learn what efforts have been made to address the issue and her meetings with activists from Belarus.  Her call for a continuation of contact with opposition members was well received by all.

The last to speak was former Programme Coordinator for Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House turned political consultant Alex Nice.  His focus was on the international picture, in particular Belarus’ relationship with the EU and Council of Europe.  It became evident how detached Belarus had become from Western Europe and its reliance upon Russia for stability.  Alex’s points on this aspect were insightful and provoked a healthy debate among those in the audience.

With the speeches finished the event was opened to the floor for the most part of the evening.  Here the forum became informal, allowing anyone in the room to raise questions, add further insight and add to interesting debates.  Interaction between the audience and panel became a great way to learn more and raise concerns.  The audience was a mix of young activists and older members who have had experiences with the country which allowed lively discussions throughout.

At the end of the event it became apparent that Belarus faces a difficult future with no immediate solutions to its political or economic problems.  Both the panel and audience rappelled with the question of how to engage with the country and its worrying relationship with Russia.

Liberal Youth extends specials thanks to Liberal International British Group for their help in organising the event, those who spoke and to Jonathan Fryer for chairing the event.  With the night being such a success, Liberal Youth and Liberal International British Group hope to do similar events in the future.

Specifically set up for young Liberal Democrats, the blogging platform aims to bring together the many talented young minds in our party into one place.

There will be a new post every day for the first week from a different blogger from across the UK.

Check it out here: http://lylibertine.wordpress.com/

It goes into great detail about Mikael’s efforts and is well worth a read, read it here!

Following the resounding success of the Colchester Autumn Conference 2011, the bidding process for the Spring began early and was hotly contested. Liberal Youth Conference Committee have been considering several robust bids for the past week and eventually settled on Leeds earlier today.

The event will be held from 30th March to 1st April 2012.

Liberal Youth Conference is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, gain a wide range of excellent skills and change the shape of the organisation through constitutional amendments and policy motions. Details of how you can get involved will be available soon.

Commenting on Leeds’ successful bid, Events Officer Harry Matthews said:

“Congratulations to Leeds; I’m looking forward to bringing Conference to such a vibrant city. The local branch worked really hard on the bid and I can’t wait to start work with them on producing an unmissable weekend”

Liberal Youth believe the decision to veto a treaty change for all 27 members of the EU will lead to a ‘two-tier Europe’, with Britain excluded from the inner club in which key decisions greatly affecting the UK would be taken.

Liberal Youth urge the Liberal Democrat component of the Coalition government to stay true to one of its fundamental policies: support of a European Union with the UK on the top-table, maintaining the UK’s position as a key international player.

The government must reconsider its position if the UK is to prevent being relegated to international outsiders.

Commenting, Harriet Ainscough and Sam Fisk (International Officers) said:

‘The approach taken by David Cameron is of great concern. Rather than acting in defence of the national interest he has instead pandered to the Eurosceptic elements of his party.

He threatens not only the integrity of the Union itself, but also condemns the UK to existence in the shadows, excluded from many major decisions. We urge Nick Clegg and the rest of the parliamentary party to work flat out to ensure that the UK can remain an important figure in the European Union’

Only a week later, Unge Venstre (NUV), Liberal Youth’s sister party in Norway, held their annual Summer Camp in the similarly quiet setting of Arendal. They would have been forgiven for cancelling the event, but it was a testament to both the spirit of the nation and the professionalism of NUV that the gathering not only went ahead, but contained much of the usual programme.
Youth politics in Norway has a much stronger tradition than in the UK, and it appears to be more ingrained in the national conscience. Although the NUV’s mother party Venstre only holds 2 of the seats in the Norwegian Parliament, there must have been around 100 participants at the Summer Camp, a number that would have been higher had it not been for the atrocities.

I was one of around a dozen international participants present, and the event had a global flavour, with sessions on international governance, EU integration and a very interesting talk on the political status of the Western Sahara. These were accompanied by domestic seminars over such issues as drugs legislation, gender identity and (as evidence of common ground with LY’s struggles) university funding. In addition, various social activities, although curtailed out of respect, still took place, with a football tournament, a quiz and a singing competition relieving some of the occasions inevitable tension.

My grasp of Norwegian was non-existent, but there were plenty of natives on hand to help with the language barrier, although liberalism as a philosophy requires little translation.
Aside from a couple of police cars patrolling the site, it was hard to notice the enforced additional security measures that had been put in place, and there was a quiet determination that the camp should go on as normal.

In the following municipal elections Venstre saw a relative surge in support, and they now share power on Oslo City Council. From a party political perspective, they, like the Liberal Democrats, have a challenge to clearly carve out a distinct identity. The NUV however continue to go from strength to strength, and events such as the Summer Camp, held in such adversity, only serve to augment the need and desire for youth politics.

By Ed Sanderson

If you would like to get involved in Liberal Youth internationally, or would like to find out more about what we do, please contact our International Officers at sam.fisk@liberalyouth.org, or harriet.ainscough@liberalyouth.org

Vice Chair: Supports the Chair in all his activities and Deputises on executive management and strategy. Also acts as Chief Co-Ordinator of Regional and State organisations

Events Officer: Also the chair of the Conference Committee, has overall responsibility for Liberal Youth Conferences and liaison with the Federal Conference Committee and Conference Office.

Non-Portfolio Officer: (1 VACANCY) Responsible primarily for assisting other members of the executive in their duties. Also will fulfil objectives and projects assigned to them by the Chair or else autonomously carry out activities which further the aims of Liberal Youth.

Regional Chair: Responsible for establishing, organising and supporting Branches and Societies in their region, act as a regional point of contact for the Executive, media, campaigns, events and Federal Party purposes. The regions that currently have vacancies are: East of England; London; South East; Yorkshire & Humber

Conference Committe Member: Assisting with planning and on-site activity at Liberal Youth Conference and Events.

If you are interested in any of the above positions, you need to submit the following details to our Returning Officer at  returning.officer@liberalyouth.org

• Consent to nomination “I xxxx hereby consent to being nominated for the position of xxxx in the Liberal Youth co-option process”
• Nomination of two Liberal Youth members (verifiable names, with current membership numbers, email addresses and phone numbers)
• Your Name
• Your Membership Number
• Your Local Party
• The position for which you wish to stand
• Your Email address
• Your Phone Number
• Your Postal Address
• 1 side A5 manifesto or statement to be put to the executive
• Proof of any endorsements used in manifestos (if applicable)

We answer some frequently asked questions below but if you need any further information please email liberalyouthadmin@libdems.org.uk or take a look at our constitution here.

FAQs

How long is the term?

Co-options are valid until the next Liberal Youth Conference, in Spring 2012 (dates tbc), when a bye-election will be held, in which candidates may re-run

Do I get paid?

No, the positions are voluntary. You will be able to claim limited travel expenses related to your work if elected. This is outlined in the financial regulations.

Can I run with a friend?

Yes, jobshares are permitted.

What are any other rules I should be aware of when running?

No expense may be incurred by candidates or on their behalf. Candidates may not use membership lists to assist their campaigns. Candidates may not place advertisements in any party publications. In case of dispute, the Returning Officer’s decision is final.

Who can run?

All members of Liberal Youth are eligible to run. The Returning Officer may seek proof of your age or student status in order to confirm your eligibility.

Youth employment – Almost 3.5 million jobs in the UK are dependent on trade with the EU. Pulling out would lose contract deals and cost companies more to export to the European continent. As the recent economic slump has already shown, when unemployment rises the youth are hit hardest. Leaving the EU would affect the livelihoods of many young people across the country. [1]

Investment in youth – The EU invests large amounts of money into youth projects. Its strategy for ‘investing and empowering’ aims resources at issues of education, employment, counselling, and volunteering. The EU has start up funds for young European businesses, promotes equal access to education, addresses homelessness and many many more. Around 20% of youth are at risk of poverty in the EU. Drawing out now would lose support for struggling young people up and down the country, and ruin the aspirations of young entrepeneurs.[2]

Same opportunities – The EU has created the longest amount of peace and economic prosperity ever in the continent. Its ability to be diplomatic and have free trade has allowed the UK to grow at a fast rate in recent decades. It is not fair for older generations to take away the same opportunities they have enjoyed from younger generations. The British youth should be allowed the same access to European trade as the previous. Remaining in Europe will allow UK youth to be as prosperous, if not more, than older generations.[3]

Study Abroad – The EU allows British students access to study around Europe. Students have access to schools and universities across the continent. For example the Erasmus scheme gives British students access to study for a year of their degree in any EU country of their choosing. The EU programme will arrange these studies and keep the costs down. Furthermore schools can take part in exchange programmes and mature students can benefit from research programmes. British students can enhance their CV through these great experiences and compete for international jobs.[4]

Travel – Thousands of young Brits travels to Europe each year. By being in the EU this has become cheaper and easier. Removing the need for extensive border checks and expensive visas allowing young people to benefit from the experiences travel offers. The EU saves money on your travel each year through reduced taxes as well. It also protects your rights abroad, for example giving you free access to health care in the continent. Recently it ensured refunds were given to many who had their flights cancelled due to the ash cloud. This saves thousands of young Brits money during last summer.[5]

________________

[1] Brian Ardy, Iain Begg and Dermot Hodson, “UK jobs dependent on the EU”, Britain in
Europe

[5]http://europa.eu/travel/index_en.htm