What is the European Year for Development?
The motto ‘Our world. Our dignity. Our future.’ is to be understood as a call to dare to change for a sustainable world and to actively help shape it. First and foremost, this includes raising awareness of the EU's development policy and the role it plays at global level.
As EU citizens, you should find answers to questions such as ‘Why is development aid important?’, ‘What added value does the EU create as a global player?’ and ‘What contribution can I make?’. In addition, you will be specifically involved in the discussion and reflection on development cooperation so that your awareness of the benefits and importance of EU development cooperation grows. In this way, your understanding of sustainable global development, which takes account of our shared responsibility for nature, climate and resources, should be strengthened. The EYD should motivate you to participate politically and enable you to take an active part in national and international decision-making processes.
In order to promote this active participation, many development organisations are calling for hands-on activities as part of the EYD. GERMANWATCH has launched a picture frame campaign and a student competition. A specialist event on the European Year for Development is also planned for the autumn.
Germanwatch has organised a creative competition and invites all pupils to think about European development policy in groups, as a class or on their own: ‘What is important to you? What would you like to see? What needs to change?’
Their own demands and ideas can be visualised in text and/or image form (e.g. collages, photos, printed or painted material). The five most original submissions will be published and honoured on this homepage in October. As a prize, the five winning classes will receive a Germanwatch climate or raw materials expedition ‘into space’.
With our picture frame campaign, we are calling on people to take a critical look at European development policy. Your own demands, criticism or wishes for sustainable development can be formulated as a slogan and literally placed in the blue European frame.
Numerous participants have already made their opinions known. Now it's your turn: come to one of our events and have your picture taken with your slogan in the EU picture frame. Don't miss the chance to share your slogan with us and the world!
Funding information
This site has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. Germanwatch e.V. is solely responsible for the content; the positions expressed here do not reflect the views of the European Union, Engagement Global gGmbH or the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
