WIREDGOV

Ms Mariya yesterday delivered an opening speech via pre-recorded video-message at the General Assembly of ESN in Zagreb.

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Dear representatives of the Erasmus Student Network General Assembly,

2022, is the European Year of Youth, AND the year that the Erasmus+ programme turns 35 years old.

This year is your year.

First of all, let me thank you for your work: for supporting students; for helping us to implement the Erasmus+ programme; and for promoting the Erasmus+ App in your universities.

Allow me to congratulate you for the successful Erasmus Generation Meeting which took place a month ago in Porto. The energy of over 800 students gathered in one place after the long pandemic was palpable and I hope it will be your driving force for the year ahead. Thank you for recognising the power of the Erasmus Generation and for helping make the Erasmus+ student identity stronger. I really hope this sets the scene for many more gatherings of this kind in the next years.

We all know that mobilities have been greatly impacted by the pandemic. And that is why the Erasmus Student Network is more important than ever. Because we need you to reach out to those who might be a little fearful or reluctant; to those who might think that this is not for them; to those who do not know about the wide range of mobility opportunities that the programme offers. Short-term blended mobilities, traineeships, classical long-term mobilities, mobilities within European University Alliances.

And this year, we wish to do even more. The Erasmus+ programme has almost doubled its budget and we would like to engage with volunteers from the Erasmus Student Network on updating the learning mobility policy framework.

This is key as mobility should be a reality for all. We need high quality learning experiences abroad for a larger part of society. And we need to align our mobility policy framework with a society that is greener, and more inclusive.

All this, we can only do hand-in-hand with you.

While we are all closely following the events unfolding in Ukraine, I know that, as representatives of the 41 national organisations of the Erasmus Student Network, many of you coordinate initiatives to support Ukrainian students and Ukrainians fleeing the conflict. Thank you for your dedication. This solidarity is what the Erasmus+ programme is all about: intercultural exchanges and the values of European unity and peace.  As student representatives, you are the ambassadors of these values and you make us proud.

Let me conclude by wishing you a fruitful General Assembly, and by reiterating my wish to continue our work together.

Thank you very much.

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