11 and 12 June 2008

Maribor

One of the important themes during the Slovenian Presidency was also be the issue of youth. The European Commission issued a Communication Promoting young people's full participation in education, employment and society  which provides the basis for a continued debate on the issue of youth and the future development of the European Social Fund, especially how the fund can most effectively contribute to permanent and efficient addressing of the issues the young face nowadays, namely the transition from the level of education to labour market, raising the level of education and qualification of youth, lowering the level of early school leavers and the social inclusion of youth. 

Conference on European Social Fund - PROGRAMME

PRESENTATIONS:

Plenary session 1 – Young in the EU
Marko Starman, State Secretary, Government Office for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy, Slovenia - Chair
Jože Mencinger, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Mateja Sedej, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, Slovenia
Claude Denagtergal, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Heikki Suomolainen, Business Europe

Plenary session/Session I: Young and Employment – ESF Contribution
Marjan Senjur, Professor, Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia – Chair
Valli Corbanese, International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Henk Kool, Committee of the Regions (CoR)
Rita Nikolai, Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB), Germany
Juliane Bir, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Jure Snoj, Employment Service of Slovenia

Plenary session/Session II: More and Better Education – ESF Contribution
Ana Krajnc, Professor, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia – Chair
Thomas Bender, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, European Commission
Andreja Barle Lakota, Education Development Office, Ministry of Education and Sport, Slovenia
Polona Miklavc Valenčič, University of Ljubljana,  Slovenia
Alenka Sagadin Mlinarič, Adult Education Centre Maribor, Slovenia 

Plenary session/Session III: Social Inclusion of the Young – ESF Contribution
Angelca Ivančič, Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia – Chair
Andy Biggart, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom
Jozef Niemiec, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Dušanka Lužar Šajt, HRD Fund - Economic Institute of Maribor, Slovenia
Marija Purgar, PLYA – Adult Education Centre Radovljica, Slovenia

Young and Their View – Strengths, Fears and Expectations in the New Community
Monika Kirbiš, Director, Government Office for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy, Slovenia - Chair
Tomaž Frelih, Students Organization of Slovenia
Matej Cepin, National Youth Council of Slovenia
Jasmina Šubic, PLYA – Adult Education Centre Radovljica, Slovenia
Jana Urbanija, PLYA – Adult Education Centre Radovljica, Slovenia
Klas Preželj, PUM - PLYA – Adult Education Centre Radovljica, Slovenia
Magda Dokl Založnik, Temidia s.p.

David Coyne, Director, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, European Commission  
Ivan Žagar, Minister, Government Office for Local Self-Government and Regional Policy, Slovenia

PRESS RELEASE