Brussels, 09/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - A conference organised in Warsaw on 5-7 September tackled the theme of cooperation between young people in the European Union and Eastern Europe. The conference brought together around 230 participants from all over Europe, including Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Sport, Media and Youth Androulla Vassiliou, Polish Minister for Education Katarzyna Hall, and the president of the European Youth Forum Peter Matjašiè. For the first time, the EU Youth Conference addressed the topic “Youth and the World”, the newest field of action in the framework of European cooperation in the youth field. “The ability of young people and their active participation in the democratic life, although sometimes may sound abstract slogans, here and now become very concrete, not only thanks to your presence at the conference but thanks to the opinions you express” declared Hall. She emphasised that Poland, implementing the priority in the field of establishing positive relationships with ease, is trying to make people realise the needs and advantages of cooperation with neighbours beyond the eastern border of the EU. Cooperation in the field of youth should constitute a starting point to further integration with this region. A free Schengen visa category for youth workers and a strong independent youth program are among the main expectations that the participants of the EU Youth Conference put forward to the EU and member states. (I.L./transl.fl)