The Forum of Young Romanians Abroad (FTRP), now in its sixth edition, opens its works on Friday at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, in the presence of President Nicusor Dan. Over 150 young people from Romania and the diaspora will participate, for six days, in activities dedicated to identifying concrete solutions to the problems that concern them.

The event is organised by the Romanian Youth Forum Federation, the League of Romanian Students Abroad and the Romanian Students' Union, under the project 'Far from home, close to Romania', funded by the Department for Romanians Abroad.

The opening ceremony and the conference in the Union Hall of the Cotroceni Palace, which will take place on Friday, will be dedicated to the process by which a proposal for legislative change can be put into practice, from the formulation of the idea to implementation.

On Saturday and Sunday, participants will take part in training sessions in the field of public policies and advocacy activities, and then they will work in teams, together with facilitators, to develop concrete proposals on topics relevant to young people, from education and the labour market to justice and the relationship with the diaspora.

The work of the working groups will be carried out on the premises of the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Sociology and Social Work.

Also, on Monday and Tuesday, the participants' proposals will be analysed, together with experts in public policies and young people will improve their solutions and prepare for the final presentation.

The sessions will take place at the headquarters of the National Youth Foundation, The Youth and Zborhub Politehnica.

On Wednesday, on the last day of the Forum, the participants will present their proposals to representatives of civil society and the business environment, who will have the opportunity to evaluate the initiatives and express their interest in supporting and implementing them.

The event will take place at the National Center for Art in Bucharest.

'For five editions, the forum has been centred around students. This year we have chosen to open it to all young people, because the problems do not stop at the university gates, and the solutions do not stop at the university gates. We want every participant, from the country or from the diaspora, to leave here with information, knowledge, ideas, but above all trust in Romania,' says Cristian-Alexandru Ghiurca, chair of the Romanian Youth Forum Federation and FTRP project manager.

In her turn, the president of the League of Romanian Students Abroad, Bianca Radu, underscores the importance of the participation of young people from the diaspora in the debates on the future of the country. 'We are glad that the diaspora has a seat at the table at which the future of Romania is discussed this year as well,' added Bianca Radu, quoted in the release.

Initiated in 2021, 150 years after the Putna Student Congress in 1871, the project ran until 2025 under the name of the Forum of Romanian Students Abroad (FSRP), being dedicated to Romanian students in the country and abroad. Starting with this edition, the project expands and becomes the Forum of Young Romanians Everywhere, addressing all young people, regardless of whether they are students, employees or entrepreneurs.

The organisers show that the change marks a new stage in the development of the forum, both by expanding the category of participants and by a format more directly oriented towards identifying and supporting applicable solutions.

The simulation of the activity of government institutions is replaced by collaboration with civil society organisations, representatives of the business environment and non-governmental organisations, so that the proposals of young people can be developed and represented beyond the framework of the event.

From the first edition until now, the forum has brought together over 600 young people from Romania and the diaspora. AGERPRES (RO - editing by: Alina Novaceanu; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)