Eurodesk News April-May 2009

European election 2009: it’s your choice!

This is a new "elections" part of the European parliament site. It has all the information you need to find out about the election in your country and across the EU.
You can find out about your MEPs and their work, take part in online debates and use the multimedia functions. The site also contains a section called "why vote?" which looks at some reasons to get involved in this election.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/elections2009/splash_page.htm

Revamped EURODESK website is now online: www.eurodesk.eu

Eurodesk website offers information on programmes with European opportunities for young people, youth organisations and those working in the field of education, training and youth.
The revamped Eurodesk website highlights these opportunities directly from the homepage, by listing the application deadlines, which are coming up in the next three months.
On the right hand side of the home page, under EU opportunities, you will discover other ways to look for these opportunities: thematic, alphabetic order, or by the promoters.

The section “Youth in Europe” highlights the EU youth policy and Eurodesk's role in this. The “EU Toolbox” is a collection of relevant resources and tools for multipliers such as partner search links or animation tools.

For further information you can join the Eurodesk network in the Discussion Forum.

Find out more: http://www.eurodesk.eu

EUROCREATOR Road Show launches a Pan-European platform

On 12th March, the EuroCreator platform was launched in Dublin in front of a large group that included high profile educators from across Europe and students from Dublin’s own Community Digital Media Centre.

The Road Show event outlined the background to the EuroCreator project and gave a hands-on demonstration of how to create and upload creative media content to the site.
Teachers and educators present were also given a tour of the site that aims to be the home of safe, moderated media content and that will provide participants with certification from Ján Figel', European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth. Chris Miller from the EuroCreator Team described the platform as “everything, in education, YouTube cannot be”.

www.eurocreator.com

Nisi Masa Short film contest 2009

NISI MASA iscalling for European short films on the theme of "food and culture". If your short film is selected, you will be invited to present and discuss your work during a 5-day programme of screenings and culinary events at the Lago Film Fest in Northern Italy from the 24th to 30th July 2009.

Deadline for submissions of the scripts - 15th May 2009.

For more information

StrangerFestival Video making for schools

This is the result of "Stranger", a youth video project of the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, organised by the European Cultural Foundation and developed by communities in 18 EU Member States.
The DVD is addressed at teachers in the field of media and provides ideas and examples on how video can be used as a tool for expression. It features 14 inspiring workshop concepts, portraits of young video makers and interviews with some of the professionals who were behind the "Stranger" project, as well as details of how to participate in the next "Stranger Festival".

To order a free copy:

http://www.eurocult.org/we-focuson/strangerfestival/strangerfestivaldvd

TellBarroso.eu!

This is a simple, web poll site offering everyone the opportunity to participate in European decision making and constructing the future.
From here European citizens can leave their opinion on what should be the priorities of the EU and what the EU can do for them. Participants taking part to the opinion poll might also be selected randomly to meet the President Barroso in Brussels in May 2009

http://www.tellbarroso.eu

The European ombudsman at your service

This is the new interactive guide for complainants available from the website of the European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros. The guide aims to direct citizens, companies, NGOs, associations and other organisations to the body which is best placed to deal with their complaints or information requests.
The Ombudsman's new interactive guide is available in the 23 official EU languages at:

www.ombudsman.europa.eu

Roaming charges: using phone whilst abroad gets cheaper

Charges for mobile phone calls between EU Member State are to be reduced yet again!
From summer 2009 the maximum charge for making mobile phone calls from another EU Member State will fall to € 0.43 per minute. Furthermore, travellers in other EU countries should pay no more than € 0.19 per SMS they send compared to the current EU average of €0.29.