Famagusta MP Mr. Michalis Giakoumis was elected Vice-President of the OSCE PA Young Parliamentarians Network, during the proceedings of the Assembly's Annual Session taking place in Porto, Portugal.
Mr. Giakoumis’ election to one of the leadership positions of the Network marks the active participation of Cyprus in multilateral parliamentary fora and recognizes his substantial contribution to initiatives that strengthen the voice of young people in the democratic process. He has hosted two thematic workshops for young people in Cyprus, while next September he will host a major regional event for young parliamentarians in Cyprus.
In his statement, Mr. Giakoumis said:
"It is a great honor to represent Cyprus at such a critical time for democracy and youth participation. Young people today are faced with serious challenges that directly affect their lives and futures: the lack of access to decent and affordable housing, the rising cost of living, but also the broader demographic problem that prevents many young people from starting a family or having children.
As Vice President of the Network, I am committed to bringing these concerns to the center of political dialogue, to institutionally strengthen the voice of young parliamentarians and to promote solutions that build real prospects for new generations.”
The OSCE Young Parliamentarians Network was established with the aim of strengthening the presence and role of young people in the parliaments of the 57 OSCE participating States, promoting cooperation, democratic innovation and the exchange of good practices.
The election of Mr. Giakoumis further strengthens the presence of the Cypriot Parliament in international parliamentary processes and demonstrates the recognition of Cyprus' work on issues of youth, dialogue and political participation.
