MONTCLIMA project will participate at the European Youth Event, an event organised by the European Parliament, and that will take place in Santander in October on November 14th to 16th. In the framework of the European Year of Youth, the EYE Santander will provide a collaborative platform for young people from all parts of Europe to meet and share their main challenges and proposals for change for the near future. The event will host 700 young people in Santander and other 3,000 more online.

MONTCLIMA project

MONTCLIMA project is co-funded by lnterreg Sudoe with a budget of 1.4 million euros and is focused on the fight against climate change in the mountains of Southwest Europe: This area is significantly affected by natural hazards and this is problem expected to increase in the coming years due to the effects of climate change.

In order to respond to this challenge, MONTCLIMA offers a transnational strategic framework for the prevention and management of natural risks in mountain areas for South-West Europe by developing 4 pilot projects:

- Innovation in vineyard cultivation to prevent soil erosion;

- Adaptive forest management to prevent fires and improve resilience to droughts;

- Improving the protective role of forests;

- Monitoring of river basin dynamics to reduce the risk of torrential floods.

Amongst other things, one of the project's main tools is a cartographic viewer with information on vulnerable areas, a history of disasters in mountain areas and a compilation of good practices.

On the other hand, the following partners are part of the MONTCLIMA project: CTP, CREAF, Neiker Tecnalia, cesefor, Ipb, CIMO, Office National des Forets, Forespir, Cerema, Andorra Recerca + Innovacio and CMIRL.

European Youth Event (EYE)

The European Youth Event (EYE) is a biannual event organised by the European Parliament at its headquarters in Strasbourg, bringing together European youth aged 16-30 to interact, being inspired and exchange views with experts, activists and policy makers. This year, for the first time, local editions of this event will be physically held in two European cities chosen by the European Parliament, with Santander hosting the first one. For this reason, this event has the support of the Government of Cantabria and the Santander City Council.

Throughout the event, MONTCLIMA will be present thanks to the presence of Paty Nakhle, young volunteer in the project in the framework of the "Interreg Volunteer Youth" initiative (IVY). Paty will participate in a round table entitled 'A Green 'European Way of Life': moving towards the EU to a sustainable present?' scheduled for Saturday morning, 15 October, in the Chamber of Commerce of Cantabria, with the participation of two other speakers: José Ramón Bauza, MEP and member of the Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament; and Estefanía Liaño, member of the Fridays for Future Movement in Cantabria.

Within an open framework, each participant will have time to explain how, from their areas of work, they contribute to promoting a model of sustainable and integrated life with the resources of our territories, especially betting on solutions to the challenge of climate change, which affects young people.

The event is organised by 6 leading European youth organisations in our country: Erasmus Student Network España (ESN España), Jóvenes del Consejo Federal del Movimiento Europeo en España (CFEME), Talento para el Futuro, Federación de Asociaciones Jóvenes Europeístas de España (JEF España) y Equipo Europa, as well as Consejo de la Juventud de España (CJE).

This year, for the first time, local editions of this event will be physically held in two European cities chosen by the European Parliament, with Santander hosting the first of them.

The rest of the event's agenda will be co-created by young people themselves and will feature more than 70 activities (debates, panels, cultural and leisure activities, sports, etc.). This local edition of the EYE is a unique opportunity for young Spaniards. In the framework of the European Year of Youth, EYE Santander will provide an exceptional collaborative platform for young people from all over Spain and Europe to come together and jointly identify their main challenges and proposals for changes for the future.

What is the European Year of Youth?

The European Year of Youth is the ideal moment to move forward with confidence and hope from a post-pandemic perspective. As announced on the website portal created for this event, there will be many opportunities to:

• Renew positive perspectives for young people by highlighting the ecological and digital transition.
• Support young people, especially those with fewer opportunities, to become active and engaged citizens.
• Support young people to understand and promote the opportunities available to them for their full development.
• Mainstream youth policy in relevant Union policy areas in line with the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027.