Young voices in the country house: First Youth Landtag Upper Austria starts in 2025

Young voices in the country house: First Youth Landtag Upper Austria starts in 2025

In February 2025, the country house Linz transformed into a place for young voices, because then the first Upper Austrian Youth Land Day takes place. This innovative event marks the start for a new initiative, which enables young people to actively participate in political processes and to bring their concerns directly into politics. On Thursday, the starting signal was officially given in the country house, and from now on young people have the opportunity to have their ideas on the website of the Upper Austria. To submit state parliament.

Landtag President Max Hiegelsberger emphasized the importance of this platform to give young people the chance to deal with topics that are important for them. "We need committed voices that contribute to democracy," he explained, inviting all young people to actively represent their views and suggestions and "think out loud".

The schedule

The project is aimed at all young people between the ages of 16 and 20, and important steps are planned at the beginning. Public relations work was started on October 17, 2023, and interested people can submit their ideas at ooe-landtag.at/jugendandtag. In November 1,200 random young people from Upper Austria are invited to take part in the youth state day. In this way, many different perspectives and ideas should come together.

• The "thinking" events are planned for the 10th and 17th January 2025 in all districts of Upper Austria. Here the young people have the opportunity to discuss their concerns together.
• On February 12th and 13th, 2025, the youth state day will take place itself. A group of 56 youth delegates will take part in this event to develop their suggestions and make decisions.
• The follow-up appointment in October 2025 focuses on the status of the applications brought in.

Hiegelsberger explained that the way of working in the youth state parliament is very similar to the processes in the state parliament of Upper Austria. This means that young people learn how to develop sustainable political proposals and at the same time learn how majorities are formed to decide on these decisions.

buddy system for more participation

A buddy system is introduced to facilitate participation, which has already proven itself at the Salzburg Youth Land Day. Every invited youth can bring a person who lowers the inhibition threshold and encourages more young people to act. This system aims to motivate shy participants to bring in their opinions and ideas.

The importance of democracy education was also discussed. AHS state school spokeswoman Sophie Helm pointed out that many young people feel encapsulated by lack of education and understanding. "The youth state day offers us the opportunity to get to know the parliamentary system up close and to develop awareness of our democratic rights," she said.

BMHS state school spokeswoman Katharina Pillinger also demanded that democracy education should be more integrated into the lessons. She advocated her own subject, which deals with the functioning and importance of democracy and promotes critical thinking. "Young people should have the opportunity to actively participate and learn how important their voice is."

Alexander Leutgeb, state school spokesman for vocational schools, added that apprentices often have different perspectives on politics. For them, it is crucial to understand how political decisions influence their everyday life. "The youth state day offers an excellent opportunity to represent the concerns and concerns of the vocational students," he said.

Green youth spokeswoman Anne-Sophie Bauer was pleased with the new concept of the youth state parliament. She emphasized that this should not only be seen as a PR campaign, but as a serious attempt to bridge the gap between politics and young people. "It is crucial that the votes of the youth flow into the political process," she said.

Overall, the youth state day is a promising opportunity to actively involve young people in political decision -making and promises an exciting response to the ideas and wishes of the young generation in Upper Austria. The interest of young people in political issues will have a decisive influence on our dealings with future challenges and opportunities in society. For more information about this exciting process, visit the OÖ website. Landtag and remain informed about the developments around the youth state day. Further details can also be found in the article by www.tips.at