Chisinau, Moldova, has made it to the list of finalists for the European Youth Capital 2027. Other candidates for this nomination are Fuenlabrada and Málaga (Spain), Parma (Italy), and Skopje (North Macedonia), IPN reports, with reference to EU Neighbours East.
The jury consists of several organisations, including the European Committee of the Regions, European Economic & Social Committee, European Parliament (CULT Committee), European Youth Forum, Open Society Initiative for Europe, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the Advisory Council of Youth of the Council of Europe.
The finalist cities now have 11 June to submit a more detailed application outlining an extensive programme of youth-related cultural, social and political events and activities for the whole year 2027.
The finalists will then receive further recommendations on their detailed applications from the independent jury and a focus group. Finally, they will submit their final and updated applications on 1 October 2024.
After that, the finalist cities will have the opportunity to convince the European Youth Capital 2027 selection jury why they should be chosen, at the jury meeting which will take place prior to the official Award Ceremony in November 2024.
IPN notes that the Ministry of Education and Research and the National Youth Agency are implementing a “Youth Capital” national program that follows at country level the European experience and involves the selection of a locality within which, during a year, activities and projects with and for the youth are concentrated.
Any locality in the Republic of Moldova (except Chisinau municipality and localities that held “Youth Capital” title in the last three years since the edition for which they apply) which distinguishes itself in a positive way and presents an ambitious program for youth involvement and development can become the Youth Capital, subsequently becoming a development model for other localities in the country.
At the first national edition in 2011, Ungheni municipality was the youth capital of Moldova and the success was repeated in 2023. Cahul city is the youth capital of Moldova in 2024.
