MIJARC Europe

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
NameMIJARC Europe
Logo
MIJARC Europe Logo
Official Formation1996 (1996)
PurposeUmbrella organization of international youth organizations
HeadquartersBrussels,  Belgium
Number of membersmore than 170,000 members
PresidentAdeline Zhiyanski
TreasurerIsabel Rutkowski
Legal RepresentativeIonuț Dochianu
Websitewww.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

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

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

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