On Monday Committee Work kicked off and the delegates brainstormed, discussed and dove deep into their topics. Interactive modules between the committees helpedeveryone to gain a better understanding of what the other committees were working on.
Meanwhile the organisers were preparing for the Opening Ceremony in La Fermata in Falera, a village close to Laax.
The Forum Event took place just before the Opening Ceremony and was organized in collaboration with the social enterprise euforia. During this event the participants had the chance to listen to a TED-like conference where three speakers. The participants then took part in a World Café where they could exchange about inner purpose and actions to change the world. The Forum Event was an innovative project that was never done before in EYP.
Our most prominent guets and speaker at Opening Ceremony was Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, who honoured us with his visit to Falera. He addressed the participants with an inspiring speech, talking about why we need the youth and what the challenges are, that our generation will have to face and solve. Watch him address the participants of Laax 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqwMDWCm0tQ
It was a great honour to welcome him at our Opening Ceremony and we thank him for his support and belief in our generation.
Our other speakers were Anna Zellweger, president of EYP Switzerland, Caroline Gourisse from the European Savings Banks Group, Christian Schütz, deputy mayor from Falera, Christopg Schmidt from the Weisse Arena Gruppe, André Gisler from Flims Laax Falera Management AG, Nora, our head-organiser and Franziska Maier, Session president officially declared the 83rd International Session of the European Youth Parliament Laax 2016 as open.
The evening was rounded off with a nice dinner in Falera.