MIJARC Europe (Mouvement International de la Jeunesse Agricole et Rurale Catholique, or International Movement of Catholic Agricultural and Rural Youth) is the European continental branch of MIJARC. It is the platform or umbrella organization, representing the catholic, agricultural and rural youth movements in Europe. It has member movements and contact movements in Portugal (JARC), Spain (MJRC and JARC Catalonia), France (MRJC), Belgium (KLJ), Germany (KLJB), Hungary (KIM), Austria (KJÖ), Poland (EiR), Bulgaria (YMDRAB), Armenia (FYCA), Georgia (Umbrella), Italy (Futuro Digitale), Malta (Innovative Youth), the Netherlands (Stichting Euromove), Slovakia (ADEL) and Romania (APSD-Agenda 21), representing around 150 000 rural young people aged from 12 to 35 years old. At world level, MIJARC represents more than two million young people from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe.

MIJARC Europe
Name MIJARC Europe
Logo
Official Formation 1996; 28 years ago (1996)
Purpose Umbrella organization of international youth organizations
Headquarters Brussels,  Belgium
Number of members more than 170,000 members
President Adeline Zhiyanski
Treasurer Isabel Rutkowski
Legal Representative Ionuț Dochianu
Website www.mijarc.eu

Officially registered in 1996 as non-profit organization, based in Belgium,[1] MIJARC Europe strives to implement and raise awareness about sustainable agricultural, rural and international development, European citizenship, youth policies, gender equality, environmental protection, interculturality and human rights, by facilitating inter-cultural exchanges, camps, seminars, campaigns and non-formal learning opportunities in a sustainable and culturally sensitive manner, considering the Christian values. MIJARC Europe is driven by Christian values, advocating tolerance, respect, solidarity and peace. MIJARC Europe supports the empowerment and personal development of young people through educational activities, with the aim of creating opportunities for the development of thriving rural communities. Its various activities (summer camps, seminars, training courses, study-sessions and non-formal learning opportunities) empower young people to participate actively in society to advocate for the interests of their organisations and communities on a local and European level.

MIJARC Europe is a member of the European Youth Forum (YFJ) and the European Coordination La Via Campesina (ECVC) and has a participatory status in the Council of Europe, with a representative in the Advisory Council on Youth.[2]

Structure

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MIJARC Europe member movements have a "bottom-up" structure, starting at the grassroots level. Rural young people gather in local groups. Their leaders gather in regional (diocesan) boards, and some regional representatives gather at the national level (national board).

MIJARC Europe itself is run by the Executive Board or European Team, composed of three to five elected representatives that can be proposed by member movements.

The European Team is observed by the European Coordination, which is composed by one elected representative from each member movement, called European coordinator.

At the top of decision-making is the General Assembly which is represented by each member movement. Every four years is led an "Orientations General Assembly" which prepares and decides the action plan of MIJARC Europe for the next four years. The next one is scheduled for 2021.

Working topics

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MIJARC Europe's Action Plan for 2017-2021 includes specific objectives on the topics of:

  • Human rights
  • A European vision towards an interconnected world
  • Environmental protection
  • Youth participation
  • Food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture in Europe
  • Holistic quality of education and lifelong learning in rural areas (with special emphasis in the recognition of non-formal and informal education)
  • Solidarity based economy

Current Board

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The board consists of five members and is elected for a mandate of three years at the General Assembly. The board members act on the same hierarchical level.

Name Position Nationality Member Organisation Member of the Board since
Adelina Zhiyanski President   Bulgaria YMDRAB 2022
Ionuț Dochianu Legal Representative   Romania Agenda 21 2022
Isabel Rutkowksi Treasurer   Germany KLJB 2022

Former Board members

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Name Nationality Mandate
Enya Putignano   Malta 2021-2022
Sophie Fromentin   France 2020-2022
Sara Neagu   Romania 2019-2022
Jannis Fughe   Germany 2020-2022
Armine Movsesyan   Armenia 2020-2021
Cristiana Palma   Portugal 2017-2020
Daniela Ordowski   Germany 2017-2020
Claire Perrot-Minot   France 2017-2020
Arman Grigoryan   Armenia 2017-2020
Anastasia Cârjan   Romania 2015-2016
Alexandru Hanny   Romania 2015-2016
Jeroen Decorte   Belgium 2014-2017
Veronika Nordhus   Germany 2014-2017
Thibault Duisit   France 2014-2017
Jan Vanwijnsberghe   Belgium 2013-2015
Anna Caryk   Poland 2012-2014
Lyubomir Todorov   Bulgaria 2009-2014
Olivier Dugrain   France 2011-2014
Florian Aurbacher   Germany 2011-2014
Claire Quin   France 2009-2012
Jürgen Westermann   Germany 2009-2012
Gaëtan Vallée   France 2006-2009

References

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  1. ^ Belgian Chamber of Commerce, search "MIJARC Europe"
  2. ^ "Members 2012-14" (pdf). Council of Europe. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
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