The Icelandic Youth Council (IYC) will hold an open meeting today, whereby young people can express their wishes to and ask questions of the Minister of Education and other politicians.
In a statement from IYC, they point out that foreign research has shown that the economic downturn is having the most serious effects on those ages 16 to 25, both in terms of long-term unemployment and psychological difficulties. For this reason, they say that politicians need to put this age group at the top of their list of priorities.
Today, in the Gyllta sal in Hotel Borg, from 16:00 to 18:00, young people are invited to attend an open meeting. University of Iceland professor Þórólfur Þórlindsson and director of the Association of Icelandic College Students Hreiðar Már Árnason will give a short introduction. After that, Minister of Education Katrín Jakobsdóttir will formally begin the meeting, taking questions and suggestions from the audience.
The organizers of the meeting hope that the voice of young people, some of them not yet at voting age, will be heard by the minister and other politicians who may present themselves. The IYC describes its aims as “to encourage co-operation of Icelandic youth organizations, to work for their common goals, to encourage and promote youth activities and youth issues, to represent icelandic youth organizations abroad, to have friendly relations with youth organizations all over the world, and to work for international causes of young people.”