Representing the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO), Juan Luis Vidal, lecturer and director of the Office of International Relations (ORI), together with Cristina Méndez and Leticia Díaz, members of the office, attended the ‘Youth Dialogue on Europe’, accompanied by students from the university. The event was organised by the Parliament of Cantabria.
The ‘Youth Dialogue on Europe’ forms part of the local dialogues promoted by the European Committee of the Regions, which aim to bring Europe and its policies closer to the regions. It is also supported by the Directorate-General for European Funds of the Government of Cantabria. This initiative helps to highlight young people’s concerns and perspectives on the current situation in Europe.
The opening ceremony was led by the President of the Parliament of Cantabria, María José González Revuelta, and Isabel Urrutia, Regional Minister for the Presidency, Justice, the Interior and Administrative Simplification of the Government of Cantabria.
The day was structured around two round-table discussions, moderated by Sara Rodríguez. The first featured María Victoria Madariaga, a UNEATLANTICO representative and student on the Master’s in General Health Psychology, who addressed the relationship between mental health and difficulties in accessing housing, highlighting the impact this has on young people’s independence.
Meanwhile, in the second round table, Paula Díaz-Velarde, a fourth-year Journalism student, analysed the housing crisis from a media perspective. During her presentation, she raised the question of which stories are left out of the news coverage, whether there is a potential media fatigue surrounding the issue, and whether current narratives help to highlight the problem or, on the contrary, encourage polarisation.
The closing ceremony was led by Marta García, Director-General for European Funds at the Government of Cantabria, and Marta González, Director-General for Local Administration, External Affairs and Casas de Cantabria.
Initiatives of this kind help to enrich students’ education, enabling them to gain first-hand insight into how European institutions operate and to understand the importance of their role in creating opportunities for young people.