Galway students from three secondary schools had a day to remember recently when they learned all about the benefits of being EU Citizens at a workshop run by Junior Achievement Ireland (JAI).
Pupils from Presentation College Athenry, Coláiste an Eachréidh and Coláiste Iognáid attended Europe4U, where they were told ‘the EU’s future is your future and your future is the EU’s future’.
The workshop was opened by Minister Ciaran Cannon, who emphasised the many benefits of the European Union for EU citizens.
Addressing the students, he said: “We are stronger together, using our combined strength to help to shape the future – your future.
“Being an EU citizen also gives you something to be proud of. It tells the world something about you.
“It tells them that you are part of a community that has come together on the basis of peace, freedom, democracy and equality.
“The European Union should matter to you. It is constantly evolving and changing. And, in order for those changes to reflect your wishes, you must be part of making that change.
“You must be involved. Because the EU’s future is your future and your future is the EU’s future. So I encourage you to learn from today and to use it as a stepping stone for becoming involved.”
Europe4U is designed to inform second level students of the advantages of being an EU citizen and what rights are drawn from their citizenship.
Comprising a number of interactive activities, Europe4U helps students and participants to gain an understanding of the benefits to the individual and wider community that EU citizenship brings.
The students’ teachers and volunteers from local businesses such as SAP, Oracle and Arm were also actively engaged in the event, as they gave up their time to bring the activities to life.
Students learned that as an EU member, Irish people are eligible to work in any other EU country – from Luxembourg to Latvia, Poland to Portugal – without obtaining a Visa.
The entire continent is open to these young people to study, live, work and explore in the coming years.
