Media

For Immediate Release:
February 2, 2005

Contact: Adrienne Verrilli
at: 212-819-9770 x325

Media Alert

U.S. and European Young People to Meet in Brussels for Youth Advocacy Summit

50 Young People to Explore Reproductive Health Programs and Policies Globally

Washington, DC - On February 15-16, 2005, 50 young people from the United States and Europe will gather in Brussels, Belgium for the first-ever Euro-American Youth Advocacy Summit. The Summit is co-organized by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), Advocates for Youth, Marie Stopes International, and YouAct, the European Youth Network on Sexual and Reproductive Rights.

WHAT:	Euro-American Youth Advocacy Summit
WHERE:	Bedford Hotel & Congress Centre Brussels, Belgium
WHEN:	February 15-16, 2005

As public debate intensifies on both sides of the Atlantic regarding young people's rights to medically accurate sexuality education and access to contraceptive methods and condoms, the voices of youth too often remain absent from the conversation.

In an effort to change this, 50 young people 25 from the European Union and 25 from the U.S. will work for two days on issues concerning young people's sexual and reproductive rights. This conference will be the beginning of an on-going exchange among American and European youth advocates and will result in the development of a Programme of Action to promote and protect young people's sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Those participants in the US delegation who are sponsored by SIECUS were chosen through a national on-line essay contest. Advocates were asked to tell SIECUS in an essay about their efforts to advocate for access to reproductive health education and services, and how that work relates to sexual and reproductive rights and health internationally. Of the nearly 150 submissions, 12 winning essayist were chosen and will be flown to Brussels along with the SIECUS international policy staff.

For interviews with participating young people or with SIECUS' Vice President for Public Policy, William Smith, please contact Adrienne Verrilli at (212) 819-9770 x 325.

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