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Howard Williamson

Professor of European Youth Policy,  Wales, UK

Having been involved with the Youth Partnership from the very start, I have seen it grow from an exclusive focus on European level youth worker training (and the ATTE - Advanced Training the Trainers in Europe - course) to work plans that have embraced research, Euro-Mediterranean co-operation, youth policy development in South-East Europe, the history of youth work in Europe, and much more besides. Long before I became involved with the European institutions that oversee the Youth Partnership, I was a qualified and practising youth worker in the UK and closely involved in Uk (and Welsh) youth policy development and implementation, so it is great to see how the Youth Partnership has contributed to both youth policy and youth work development at a European level. Of course, I would like to see more partnership between the European Commission and the Council of Europe in the field of youth - in policy advocacy, practical programmes and research. But, as all politicians say, though there may still be a long way to go, it is important to recognise how far we have come, and indeed where we have come from. Happy 25th birthday, Youth Partnership; as someone who was sometimes the '5th Beatle' (the extra member of the Partnership's professional team) and sometimes the 'No.12' (the substitute when one was needed), I am proud to have been close to you throughout your life. Like me, you have to keep the diet and exercise going if energy is to be sustained, but I believe and hope it will. Congratulations on getting this far. Keep going!

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Adina Marina Serban

Youth Sector Professional - CSCD Romania,  Romania

Dear Youth Partnership,
Thank you for all the great work and for having an essential contribution to the evolution of the complicated youth sector geometry! I am grateful for all the learning opportunities, for the great professional network developed and for the wonderful personal connections developed!
Happy birthday!

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Dr. Frank Tillmann

Youth researcher,  Germany

Young people got a strong voice by the Youth Partnership on the European level. In the future, it is important that they get a (maybe virtual) self-organised space here to attend to their genuine interests as well.

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Dora Giannaki

Political Scientist, Research Associate at the Centre for Political Research, Panteion University,  Greece

To me, the most important achievement of the Youth Partnership was the creation of a very strongly held together community at a pan-European level; a community that promotes intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, the exchange of knowledge and good practices in the youth field and, ultimately, a pro-youth ethos.
 

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Maria-Carmen Pantea

Professor,  Romania

Happy 25th birthday! The Partnership fostered a community specializing in Youth Studies in countries with limited avenues for research on young people. Professionally, I have found a home in the academic-policy environment of the Partnership and feel fortunate to be part of such a unique community. It created a space where researchers could contribute to European policy-making processes and write with purpose. Congratulations on doing this in a way that is constructive, meaningful, and always kind! Happy Anniversary!

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Marzena Ples

Educator, researcher, consultant,  United Kingdom/Poland

Dear Youth Partnership,
On the occasion of your 25th birthday, I wish you further fruitful and meaningful initiatives allowing dialogue and understanding between various stakeholders on topics important in the youth field. It is essential, above all, to listen to and respond to the needs of young people in various countries. Youth Partnership invariably follows this path by preparing projects and publications and researching burning issues.
It is a great pleasure and privilege to represent PEYR at the European Platform on Learning Mobility, coordinated by the Youth Partnership. This network works towards the understanding and raising the quality of learning mobility in the field of youth. Recent conference “SustainMobility”, tackling not the easy topic of sustainability and learning mobility, was a significant achievement and a reflecting point for practitioners, researchers, policymakers and young people.
I wish you continue with successful initiatives allowing meetings and exchanging of the opinions and practices. As well as research that, apart from the knowledge, gives us an impulse for positive change.

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Ana Cristina Fernandes Tavares da Costa Garcia

Senior Office of the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth - Responsabile for the area of programs at the Regional Direction of Lisbon and Tagus Valley, Portugal

25 years of excellent work for youth, with dedication and surrounded by a wonderful team that add smiles and joy to our daily lives. PARABÉNS!

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Sofia Laine

Research Professor, Finland

Happy Anniversary Youth Partnership! It has been a privilege to work with you for many years already! I wish planetary wisdom with global ethics for your bright future - and sustainable living for the future generations whose development your work also supports!

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Ondřej Bárta

Freelance Youth Researcher, Czech Republic

The Youth Partnership is an important player in the youth field, it contributes to research, to education, to creation of knowledge sharing platforms, and most importantly, it brings together people with the same goal: To support young people in Europe. We are now celebrating 25 years of this important body, and I wish the Youth Partnership another 25 years ahead, full of researching, educating, and bringing people together.

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Dan Moxon

Director - People Dialogue and Change, United kingdom

The community and network that the partnership builds cannot be underestimated, they bring together policy focused youth researchers in a way that brings maximum benefit to the work of the youth sector. I hope in the next 25 years these communities double triple or quadruple in size!

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Hilary Tierney

Programme lead Community work & Youth work MAYNOOTH University; PEYR AG    IRELAND 

I appreciate the people who make the Youth Partnership such a pleasure to work with - your commitment and passion shine through - you inspire!