Students to tackle tough issues at Mock Council of the European Union

08 November 2010

The economic and social inclusion of Roma, one of the EU’s largest ethnic minorities, will be one of the issues up for debate next week as students from schools across England take part in a Mock Council of the European Union.

Twenty-nine secondary schools and colleges from across the country will gather in the historic Lancaster House in London on 16 November to debate and make decisions on the future of the Roma community and on the creation of an EU energy market for greater security of the gas supply. Each school will represent one of 27 EU Member States, the European Commission or the Secretariat-General of the Council.  

Roma, the largest ethnic minority in the EU, have historically suffered discrimination and marginalisation from mainstream society, often living in extreme poverty and vulnerable to organised crime. The meeting will look at the main problems faced by Roma and how the countries they live in, and the wider EU, should respond.  

The students will also debate the possibility of the creation of a single European energy market, where shortages in one country can be met from elsewhere in the market and where the EU is supplied with energy as a whole, and not at individual country level.

The event will provide insight into how EU Member States work with each other and with the Commission in order to debate and shape policies which will have global impact. It also gives potential future leaders the opportunity to hone their debating, diplomacy and language skills.

Schools have mostly been selected from participants of the European Union’s Comenius programme, managed in the UK by the British Council. Students will be able to research the countries they are representing through their European school partnerships or through meeting with the relevant Embassy representatives in London.

The event will also give students the chance to hear from guest ministers and other speakers from the UK and Europe, including the Minister for Europe, David Lidington MP; Jonathan Scheele, Head of the European Commission Representation in the UK  and Matthew Rycroft, EU Director at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Students will present ‘their’ country’s standpoint and make alliances with other countries during working groups, before casting their final votes in Council sessions, where they will sit behind the flag of their adopted country.

Minister for Europe David Lidington said: "The Mock Council is an excellent way to  show  young people how the big decisions are made at a European level and at the same time test their debating skills in front of their peers. I’m very much looking forward to meeting the students."

British Council Chief Executive Martin Davidson said: “The British Council works hard to build and ensure cultural understanding between the UK, Europe and countries around the world through initiatives such as the European Union’s Comenius programme. This Mock Council is a fantastic opportunity for these young people, our future decision makers, to gain an understanding first-hand of how democratic institutions work and to hone their research and debating skills."

Jonathan Scheele, Head of the European Commission Representation in the UK, said: "The EU institutions need more British graduates to apply and we hope that events like the Mock Council will give this generation a taste of what working in the EU entails. Even if they aren't inspired to work at EU level, I'm sure they will come away with a better understanding of how the EU works. As chair of one of the sessions I'm looking forward to seeing how the students make their individual country's case and work together to reach an outcome.“

This is the final meeting in a series of Mock Councils being held around the UK and is being held during International Education Week.

Back to press releases

NOTES TO EDITORS

Participating Schools