Slovak Human Rights League is a non-profit and non-governmental organization established in 2005 by lawyers and advocates involved in the legal counselling provided to refugees, asylum seekers and foreigners from non-EU countries in Slovakia. Our aspiration is to support building of transparent and responsible immigration, asylum and integration policies respecting human rights and dignity. Our initiatives aim to support self-empowerment of foreigners and refugees.

www.hrl.sk

Pedro is an MA student in International Relations, at the moment writing a thesis on 21st century Portuguese Foreign Policy, its party cleavages and the lack of its democratic accountability. A great deal of his academic background was focused on intercultural communication and civic and political participation; he was President of NERI-FLUP [International Relations Student Group, part of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Porto] until last year. He now holds the following positions: students representative in several managerial bodies of the Faculty; he is also a Young Global Advocate for justice and citizenship being a member of the project “Challenging the Crisis” – Promoting Global Justice and citizens’ engagement in a time of uncertainty, run by the NGO IDEA and financed by the EU. Pedro is or has participated in projects, intensive courses and summer schools on the European integration process, democracy, civic and political participation, global education, development cooperation, both in Portugal and abroad.

Originally from Poland, Olga Lenczewska is currently studying Philosophy and Italian at the University of Oxford. Her academic interests include the philosophy of Kant, aesthetics, international relations, and social justice. She has conducted research for the Italian National Research Council’s Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies. She is the editor of New East Platform, an organisation that provides commentaries on the Eastern European affairs, and of The Culture Trip, a digital platform for global culture and travel.

Barbara is a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow from the 2013 French Programme and the 2014 Pat Cox Fellowship where she has been assistant of a MEP. She is currently working as European Project and Advocacy Officer in a French NGO supporting asylum seekers and refugees. Promoting migrants’ and asylum seekers’ rights as well as welcoming societies is her main target, both as a young professional and as an activist. She graduated with a Master degree in International relations and development from the Institute of Political Sciences in Lyon in October 2014. She loves travelling, initiating new projects and meeting people from around the world.

During the last years Leonie’s main field of political work has been immigration policy with a special focus on EU and national refugee and asylum policy. She has been active in several groups in multiple places. Having worked and studied in France, the Netherlands, Greece and Morocco has broadened her horizons and made her value transnational links in activist work.

The vision of the European Youth Forum is to be the voice of young people in Europe, where young people are equal citizens and are encouraged and supported to achieve their fullest potential as global citizens.

The European Youth Forum (YFJ) is the platform of youth organisations in Europe. Representing 99 youth organisations, both National Youth Councils and International Non-Governmental Youth Organisations, we believe youth organisations are the tool through which we empower, encourage, involve, represent, reach out and support young people. The Youth Forum brings together tens of millions of young people from all over Europe, organised in order to represent their common interests.

The Youth Forum works to empower young people to participate actively in society to improve their own lives by representing and advocating their needs and interest and those of their organisations. In the current uncertain political and social context that affects young people, they can be powerful catalysts for positive change and contributors of innovative solutions to Europe’s problems.

www.youthforum.org

Cristian Gherasim is the editor for The Week in Europe section of Katoikos.eu. He did his postgraduate studies in Political Science and Public Administration, and has been working as public affairs consultant, communications officer and social media expert in his native Romania, as well as in Hungary and Poland. Cristian has also contributed articles to the EU Reporter and Half Tidy Ltd.

www.katoikos.eu