Yesterday, I spoke at the Mock Council of the European Union, organised by the Welsh Government and held in Cardiff Bay. It was the fourth event of its kind and involved students aged 16-18 from 27 schools across Wales, as well as two students from Silesia, in Poland. My colleague Christine Chapman, the Labour Assembly Member for the Cynon Valley and a member of the EU Committee of the Regions, chaired the event, which also featured a speech from Jonathan Scheele, European Commission Representative for the UK.
The Mock Council provides students with an opportunity to debate with peers from other schools and colleges and vote on key issues affecting the European Union. It is one of a number of events that we hold each year to raise awareness of EU issues in Wales with stakeholders and the wider public. During my speech, I highlighted the advantages of being part of the EU, from peace and stability, to trade, climate change, international crime and opportunities to study abroad.
The Mock Council provides a great environment for young people to consider these issues; make links between what is personal, local, national and global; engage in culturally-diverse experiences; critically evaluate their own values and behaviours; and develop skills that will enable them to challenge injustice, prejudice and discrimination.
During my speech I was pleased to highlight that Wales is at the forefront of teaching global citizenship and we are one of the few countries in the world to have placed sustainable development and global citizenship at the heart of our curriculum. I hope that the students involved in the Mock Council benefitted from their experience, gained a firmer grasp of how the EU works and continue to take an interest in EU issues in the future.
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