“Youth Policy Dialogue” with Commissioner Piotr Serafin at Collegium Polonicum
“Youth Policy Dialogue” is an initiative of the European Commission aimed at engaging young people in dialogue on EU policies and the future of the European Union. As part of this initiative, on 23 April this year, Collegium Polonicum hosted a meeting between students of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) and Piotr Serafin, European Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration. The meeting was accompanied by an open debate.
The discussion covered a wide range of issues related to the functioning of the European Union and its future. It began with topics such as European integration and the rule of law, including the protection of taxpayers’ money and cohesion funds, as well as the importance of cross-border programmes such as Interreg. The Commissioner also addressed issues related to combating financial fraud and cooperation between law enforcement authorities in limiting criminal activity.
The debate also included questions concerning the situation of countries outside the European Union, including Ukraine, Moldova and Montenegro. Security and the future of Europe constituted another important theme. The Commissioner pointed to the European Union’s growing investments in defence, security, space, and new technologies. References were also made to the achievements of the Erasmus+ programme and the United Kingdom’s return to the programme.
During the meeting, Piotr Serafin, a native of the Lubusz region, shared personal reflections, emphasising the importance of European unity in the face of growing anti-EU sentiment. Referring to his own youth, he encouraged young people to remain open-minded and to think consciously about the future - both within and beyond the European Union. In the context of ongoing conflicts, he noted that “weakness provokes aggression.” He also stressed that despite uncertainty, the future can be a source of both concern and hope, and that Europe remains “the best place to live.”
The visit also provided an opportunity to meet with the authorities of the universities jointly running Collegium Polonicum: the Rector of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Prof. Bogumiła Kaniewska, PhD, DSc, and the President of the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), Prof. Dr Eduard Mühle. As Commissioner Serafin emphasised, Collegium Polonicum is a place that embodies the essence of the European Union - where two universities successfully join forces to build a shared European identity.
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