Active and Passive Representation in European Political Institutions
The ACC Berlin Committee organised a 14 day event from August 14th - 26th 2005 in Hannover. Young people from 10 countries (France, UK, Czech Rep., Denmark, Italy, Latvia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Turkey) met at the Stephansstift in Hannover (Germany). This Active Citizenship Project brought together young adults to learn about - and understand - the system of the European political institutions and their actors. The aim was to bridge the gap between those who are represented, and those who represent.
Through lectures and workshops the participants were introduced to political institutions. The participants gave a presentation of the political representation in their countries. In Berlin the participants met with politicians from Berlin during the visit to the Abgeordnetenhaus. In Berlin the participants also visited the office of the EU commission and the Reichstag.
A simulation game put the participants in the shoes of the European heads of state, as they "played" EU summit and tried to come up with solutions to the current crisis in the EU. The simulation gave the participant a glimpse of the complexity of a decision making process.
A task for the week was to compose a Code of Conduct for Members of the European Parliament. The participants worked with this in workshops and plenary sessions.
The Representations Community College is taking place in Hannover in August 2005. It is carried out by the ACC Berlin Committee lead by Anna Littke and Erik Jentges (board representative) together with Allan Siao Ming Witherick, Emma Yeoman (board representative) and Marzia Pistolesi.
