Mock Council of the European Union - Stormont 2006

Parliament Buildings, Stormont was the home of the EU on Tuesday 17 October 2006 when students from across Northern Ireland gathered to take part in a mock meeting of the Council of the European Union. The event was organised by the British Council in partnership with the European Commission Office in Northern Ireland.

During the day students from 27 schools and colleges had an opportunity to take part in debates and vote on topical issues affecting the EU such as the future enlargement of the EU, which is timely given the recent announcement on Bulgaria and Romania's accession in 2007.

Students also heard firsthand from Pat Cox, the former President of the European Parliament, who gave the students a personal insight into the workings of the European institutions. Will Haire, the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Education, was chair of the event ensuring all students had an opportunity to participate.

Colm McGivern, Director of the British Council in Northern Ireland said: "The mock council debate, now in its second year, provided an excellent opportunity for young people to exercise and develop their debating skills on important European topics. The event encouraged students to think from the perspective of other member states, encouraging greater mutual understanding between the UK and other EU countries, which is at the core of the British Council's work."

Head of the European Commission Office in Northern Ireland, Eddie McVeigh, said: "I am delighted that the mock council has had such an enthusiastic response from schools in Northern Ireland and I hope that all the students enjoyed the chance to discuss the future of the European Union. Europe has a big impact on Northern Ireland so it is important that young people get to debate European issues and find out about the working of the EU."

The organisers of this event are not responsible for any of the views, comments or links to this video by a third party.

check out www.britishcouncil.org/nireland

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Mock
• Council
• Stormont
• EU
• European
• Union
• Parliament
• buildings
• Belfast
• Northern
• Ireland
• British
• Commission

[shawk4]

That looked really interesting although I was disappointed to see none of the local schools in my area were present. Am I right in assuming that all schools present were Grammar schools?

[BritishCouncilNI]

Thanks for your interest in the Mock Council. Schools from all 5 Educationa and library boards participated in the day, you may not have seen schools from your local area in the video but this was a 5 minute edit of a full day's activity at Stormont. We would be happy to provide further information.

[divyamont]

gooood.........

[GeoffreyfromParis]

Yeah France=1st nuclear power in the World for production of electricity.

[juliennecaesar]

hey this is like model united nations :D

[dawnrun911]

Ah yes , brainwash them while they are still young! We wouldnt want them questioning the EU!.

[FrigoCoder]

Like the national parliaments are for the people. Har har.

The European Parliament and the European Council are still more effective than their national equivalents. (And if they mess something up, it has a louder echo...)

"Communist liberals". Nice oxymoron. They're the opposites regarding both economical and personal freedom. Next time try to use something more convincing, like "nazi jew" or "atheist priest".

[goodbyelabour]

nice attempt at brainwashing the children, why not give them both sides of the argument and let them discuss it rather than using this brainwashing pro Europe properganda. the only people it serves are fat greedy polititions not the people. why dont you discus how corrupt the EU is and how many billions each year the EU costs us? you wont because you are comunist liberal lefties on an EU brain washing trip.

[FrigoCoder]

goodbyelabour, you must mean an other EU. Last time I checked the ENTIRE EU had serious manpower shortage, low fertility and an ageing population.

[Buarawng]

No one can say that the future leaders of EU are not among these young people. Nice to see your debate.

[danwild6]

Don't count on it. Its looking more and more likely that Scotland is going to become independent from Britain. Soon you will all be ruled from Brussels, that is until America once again comes in to save your lousy euro asses.

[goodbyelabour]

well you will all be soon occupied by a flood of cheap european labour and you wont be able to find a job that will pay your morgage, you will be wishing the brits were back rather than be destroyed by the EUSSR. when you wont have a say in anything at all.