Youth Section

In this Section, beside the representatives of larger Finno-Ugric peoples, Saamis, Livonians and Ingrian Finns also participated, so we may say with satisfaction that the discussion of youth problems is growing more active. The greatest of these problems is the shortage of information: the youth of different Finno-Ugrians peoples do not know much about each other. A joint periodical is needed to treat exclusively the problems of Finno-Ugric youth. An information centre is needed as well. All participants in the Section got the floor and jointly composed the Resolution of the Youth Section.

Nina Aleksandrovna Nesterova
Section Co-Chair

Resolution of the Youth Section

We the participants in the Youth Section of the 2nd World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples, having discussed and analysed the problems of Finno-Ugric youth and taken into account the experience of youth organisations of Finno-Ugric peoples, can pass this experience to the youth of the next 3rd World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples.

It can be observed that the contact between youth organisations, including regional organisations of the interested states, are growing stronger and the young members of national movements are more often establishing personal contacts. As more young people participate in decision-making on different issues of culture, education and politics, the level of youth activities is improved.

There are a lot of unsolved problems concerning the youth, our progress is slow. More youth and children’s organisations, more co-operation between various art groups are needed. Direct co-operation between students of different universities and institutes must be promoted. These activities, however, are badly impeded by the shortage of finance. Although there are youth organisations in the Russian Federation who understand that solving the problems of Finno-Ugric youth contributes to solving their national problems as well and who therefore render us some support, we still encounter serious financial problems.

It is important to see that in the course of building up the structures of civil society the interests of youth are taken into account. Co-operation in preparing regional educational programmes is essential.

We deem it necessary to establish a youth co-ordination centre in the Udmurtian capital Izhevsk1. Finno-Ugric regions must rapidly develop regional co-operation in education, culture, science and economy. They should do this through various public institutions, foundations and not in the last turn through youth associations. The ways of fund-raising must be developed.

To improve the communication capabilities of Finno-Ugric peoples, first of all of youth, the Consultative Committee should include in its agenda the issue of creating a Finno-Ugric Internet web. Once there was a joint Finno-Ugric youth periodical2; because of financial problems it is no more published, although there is a demand for this kind of edition.

Source: 2nd World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples.
Budapest, 1996 [Debrecen, 1999], pp. 223–224.

Notes
1.So far (by the beginning of 2003) this centre has not been established.
2.The newsletter of the Youth Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples titled The Kinship.

print version