Italian Group about "Your New Mission"
Interview of Pietro Ruberto from Italy after the Training Course "Your New Mission" in Torremolinos.
Can you give us your opinion about the project “Your New Mission“? What do you understand for "European Identity"?
I think the project is an innovative and revolutionary in its format especially for a young people like me, working as volunteer for a small NGO and looking for experience to learn something new outside his own country. This project teaches to be in a group, makes you learn many things and deals with different issues such as immigration in Europe which is constantly increasing nowadays, and above all young people must be aware of it, and thanks to this project all this is possible. It opens you up mentally because it is a mix of different knowledge that makes a person grow up above all. This project explains Europe in itself, how it was born, what are the programs for young people and not, and helps you grow a little as a person. Most important to me is that it helps you to be with other people you've never seen before, and introduces you to the traditions of other countries. Then, for me European identity means stay together with people of different EU countries and overcome all stereotypes and prejudices that we have for creating something that will contribute to the wealth of Europe and our societies.
What should be the EU priorities in the field of youth and in what the EU should
improve ?
As for the EU, in my opinion, the priority must be the "future of young people", in the sense that it must always be one step ahead with innovative things for young people especially who are about to enter the world of work and lack the required competences and skills. In fact, these Erasmus+ projects are exceptional not just for people working for some youth NGO but also for any people who wants to acquire experience and become a better person. The top priority must to eliminate the poverty in all Europe and avoid that young people who don’t have the necessary competences are marginalized by the rest of the society. EU should work for improving the life of young people and for avoiding new economic crises affecting their future prospects of success in the society. More importantly, the EU should try to reach equality among all young people living in Europe and leave no one behind.
What will you do at local level to promote EU iniciatives and explain to other young people what is the EU ?
At the local level in the NGO where I am a volunteer, I will organize courses to explain what the EU is, how it is organized, how EU decisions affect the life of young people and what are the EU priorities. The main thing I would do especially for young people is to explain that these Erasmus+ courses are done thanks to the EU, explaining that through these courses European people can acquire new competences, travel and know new culture, new people, new countries and especially make new friends. I will also invite and help disadvantaged young people to participate European projects and so have an opportunity of grow and empowerment that in normal conditions they could not afford. So, especially disadvantaged young people will stop hate the European Union and see all the opportunities that EU is offering to them.