The European Youth in Parks Day is a commemorative day for Protected Areas across Europe involving young people in their daily work.
European Youth in Parks Day 2024: Fun, accessible and inclusive transport!
The 2024 theme for the European Youth in Parks Day focused on transport in and around Protected Areas. This was one of the top 3 priorities based on the submissions to the EUROPARC Youth Council Youth Dialogue which ran in the first half of this year. Secondly, it is also relevant in two points in the EUROPARC Youth Manifesto under the banner of “Living in rural communities and Protected Areas”:
- Provide Transport throughout the year which is funded collaboratively by Protected Areas, national and local governments, businesses, and tourists.
- Create active travel networks and initiatives to encourage cycling and walking to aid health and wellbeing and offset climate change.
Within the broad theme of transport, there are different challenges in different contexts. depending on your event, you could choose one or more of the following aspects of transport to bring attention to it.
- Fun: being active out in nature through outdoor sports is really good for young people’s physical and mental health. Many youth programmes taking place in Protected Areas allow young people to try out different sports and activities which they might not have been able to experience through their own means.
- Accessible: our natural heritage belongs to all and should be accessible to all. Some people may have difficulties finding transport to parks which is accessible in terms of physical needs such as ramps, accessible information available online, language accessibility, and trained and supportive staff.
- Inclusive: transport should be usable by all in society by being affordable, safe and covering a the whole populated geographical region.
What does fun, accessible or inclusive transport in and around our Parks look like to you?
Summary of Event
Podcast Episode
Top Photos
Bicycle event to a local park in Tirana, Albania
Youth pony trekking to an active travel workshop in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, England
Junior Rangers have a mountain workshop in Retezat National Park, Romania
Map of events:
About the European Youth in Parks Day
Imagine a day when all Parks and Protected Areas come together across Europe, celebrate their successes and declare the value and benefits of working with young people. Well, it is EUROPARC’s European Youth in Parks Day!
After the 2023 pilot event, the European Youth in Parks Day is set to take place on and around the 15th of September every year. It aims to bring young people closer to nature and raise support on the importance of involving young people in the work of a Protected Areas and empowering young people to lead.
The European Youth in Parks Day is made possible through funding of the LIFE Programme. Views and opinions do not necessarily reflect that of the European Commission or of CINEA.