MIJARC Europe- International Movement of Catholic Agricultural and Rural Youth – Europe is a non-profit, non-governmental youth led organization gained its independance from MIJARC World in 1996. MIJARC Europe represents the interest of fourteen member organizations, acting at the European level in the direction of Catholic Agricultural Rural Youth, and reaching more than 140.000 rural youth throughout its activities.
Although the young people that MIJARC gathers are no longer massively farmers as it could be the case at the end of the Second World War, the rural young people who participate in the organization activities often work on issues of sustainable agriculture, short supply chains, etc. MIJARC Europe defends a family and solidarity-based agriculture, respectful of the environment, and above all which encourages the installation of young farmers.
At the organization, they try hard to develop awareness of young people about the possibilities of youth participation and they are empowering them to use these opportunities. By empowering rural youth, they make sure that their ideas for improving rural life are not left behind. The future of the countryside and their beliefs and ideas are relevant. Rural areas are facing challenges common to the urban places but also very specific ones. Only if rural youth are involved in the agricultural and rural development policies, rural areas will answer the challenges of the 21st century.
Manon Rousselot-Pailley – MIJARC Europe