Venue: Espacio The Sixty
Monday, 26th October 2026, from 16:00 to 18:10 h. CEST (UTC+1).
The European Union has grappled with a succession of crises that have put its future at stake for years. Against this backdrop, major strategic debates have come to dominate much of the EU’s political discourse and agenda, pushing some of the everyday concerns and needs of its citizens, including those of young people, into the background. Yet discussing the future of the European Union inevitably means discussing the future of its youth.
With the support of the Hablamos de Europa programme, promoted by Spain’s Secretary of State for the European Union, the Elcano Royal Institute launched an initiative last year aimed at fostering intergenerational dialogue on the future of the EU. This year, the Institute is continuing this work by focusing on how to improve young people’s living conditions and participation in Europe through the seminar “Living and participating in Europe: the future of European youth”.
The seminar will consist of two sessions exploring two sides of the same question: what the European Union should do to address the needs and concerns of its young people, and what the EU, in turn, needs from younger generations to strengthen its future as a political project.
The added value of this event lies in placing young experts from different sectors of Spanish society at the centre of the discussion. They will bring their perspectives and proposals to a debate on Europe’s future in which young people should not merely be the subject of discussion, but also active participants in shaping the conversation.
Hashtag: #HablamosDeEuropa #GeneraciónEuropa
Programme
Welcome remarks:
- Charles Powell, director, Real Instituto Elcano | @CharlesTPowell
Roundtable ‘What Europe owes its youth’:
- Victoria Cuesta, reporter and European Climate Pact Ambassador, Espacio Media Incubator | @TheESPACIO
- Clara Virós, PhD candidate at Universidad Pompeu Fabra and visiting researcher, Amsterdam School of Communication Research
- Carlos Victoria, assistant professor, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid | @UAM_Madrid
- Ponente pendiente
- Moderator: Paula Oliver, research assistant, Real Instituto Elcano | @rielcano
Roundtable ‘What the European Union needs from its youth’:
- Elsa Arnaiz, president, Talento para el Futuro | @elsaarnaizchico
- María Rodríguez, advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation | @SpainMFA
- Irene Guirado Muñoz, youth delegate for Spain at the United Nations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation | @SpainMFA
- Jorge Tamames, fellow, Elcano Royal Institute | @Jorge_Tamames
- Moderator: Fernando Gijón, research assistant, Elcano Royal Institute | @rielcano
Closing remarks:
- Ignacio Molina, senior fellow, Elcano Royal Institute | @rielcano
Organized by:
With the support of:
– The event will be held in Spanish without simultaneous translation.
– If you would like to attend in-person, please send RSVP to actividades@rielcano.org
Image: European Union flag with people walking. Photo: NiseriN / Getty Images.
