The 4^th African University on Youth and Development took place in Mindelo, Cape Verde between 13-20 July 2012.

This activity was organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, under the Joint Management Agreement between the European Commission – EuropeAid Co-operation Office and the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, in partnership with the Cape Verdean Youth Federation, the Portuguese National Youth Council, the Pan-African Youth Union, the European Youth Forum, the Youth Forum of Portuguese Speaking Countries and the Portuguese Institute for Development Support.

This University was developed as a follow up of the Africa-Europe Youth Summit that took place in Lisbon in 2007, as a way to promote the contribution of Youth for the implementation of Africa-EU Strategic Partnership. Since the development of Africa-Europe Youth Platform, in 2011, the University (and its consolidation) has been defined as an annual and permanent feature of the Africa-Europe Youth Cooperation.

The University aims at creating a space for debate and reflection; affirmative youth action and the promotion of youth policies; global education and awareness raising for development; training and non-formal education; as well as intercultural and inter-regional dialogue in the context of Euro-African and Global Youth Co-operation.

The African University on Youth and Development is part of the Network of Universities on Youth and Global Citizenship, together with the University on Youth and Development (13^th edition in September 2012, Mollina-Spain) and the University on Participation and Citizenship (that held its ninth edition last February in Uruguay).

This edition gathered more than 100 participants (youth workers, trainers, youth leaders, institutional representatives), from 4 continents and 35 nationalities and had 3 working languages (English, Portuguese and French).

This year the African University had four activities taking place at the same time:

• 8th Africa Europe Training Course for Youth Organisations (organised by the NSC-CoE, in partnership with PYU and YFJ);
• 4th School of Young Leaders of CPLP (organised by the Portuguese National Youth Council, in partnership with the Youth Forum of Portuguese Speaking Countries Community);
• Training Course on Youth Work (Cape Verdean Youth Federation);
• Training Course on Cooperative Learning Together (Cape Verdean Youth Federation and Liga das Associações Juvenis de São Vicente).

Apart from the different activities, participants came together several times during the week for the joint programme moments (such as opening, roundtable, visits to local organisations and closing). The joint theme of this year was “Youth Rights” (topic defined for 2012 by the Network of Universities).

Mr. Denis HUBER, Executive Director of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and Mrs. Janira Hopffer ALMADA (Minister of Youth, Employment and Human Resources Development) were two of the speakers in the Opening Ceremony.

As to the roundtable about Youth Rights, the speakers were Ivo Santos (Secretary General of Youth Forum of Portuguese Speaking Countries Community), Peter MATJASIC (President of European Youth Forum), Dennis NGOGA (African Union Commission) and Petra Lantz (R.C. of United Nations in Cape Verde).

The closing gathered representatives of the organisers as well as from the European Youth Forum, the Pan African Youth Union (Tendai Wenyika) and the Minister of Culture, Mr. Mário Lúcio SOUSA.

The 13^th University on Youth and Development will be held between 16-23 September in Mollina, Spain. This sister University will continue the work developed in Cape Verde regarding the joint theme “Youth Rights”.

For more information, please check www.nscentre.org or contact us: nsc.africaeurope-youthsummit@coe.int