Dr. Frigdiano Álvaro Durántez Prados, professor at the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (UNEATLANTICO) and director of institutional relations at the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (FUNIBER), participated on October 30 in the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Ibero-American Convention on the Rights of Young People in Madrid (Spain), organized by the International Youth Organization for Ibero-America (OIJ), the Ibero-American General Secretariat(SEGIB) the Spanish Youth Institute(INJUVE) and the Spanish Youth Council (CJE).
The meeting was attended by experts in human rights and youth; specialized consultants; members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Madrid; legislators; representatives of the Government of Spain and various international organizations; Civil society organizations; the academic sector; youth activists and human rights leaders; as well as the media.
The Ibero-American Convention on the Rights of Young People (CIDJ), signed on 11 October 2005 in the city of Badajoz, Spain, is the first legally binding international treaty on the rights of young people.
Signed by 17 Ibero-American countries, the Convention represents a milestone in international human rights law and in the explicit recognition of the political, social, economic and cultural rights of youth, positioning this segment of the population as a fully-fledged subject and strategic actor for sustainable development.
The meeting was opened by the general secretary of the OIJ, Alexandre Pupo, who stressed the importance of consolidating inter-institutional articulation spaces that allow to design and implement sustainable and inclusive policies. Pupo highlighted the role of the OIJ as a regional platform for sharing experiences, generating knowledge and encouraging youth participation in public decision-making.
The day continued with the central presentation of Professor Jorge Cardona, who highlighted the validity and relevance of the Ibero-American Convention as a key instrument to guarantee the rights of young people in the current context.
Two round tables were then held to discuss the background and development of the Convention, on the one hand, and the political and social challenges facing Ibero-American youth, on the other. Panelists agreed on the need to strengthen regional commitment to youth participation and well-being.
Dr. Durántez’s participation reaffirmed UNEATLANTICO’s interest in contributing to the regional dialogue on youth through education, research and international cooperation. UNEATLANTICO and the OIJ have an institutional collaboration agreement that offers 100 scholarships annually to young Ibero-Americans. These grants will be available for the training programmes offered by FUNIBER, covering areas such as master’s degrees, courses and specializations, all of which are awarded by universities in the Foundation’s international network. Interested parties can contact the next item