The future of Europe is its young people: their ambitions, sensibilities and values are the major foundations on which European development will be built. Young people are living in a world of immense and increasing complexities, a world that is changing faster than at any time in history. In planning for the future, national governments have an interest in enabling young people to participate in these changes positively and constructively. This note argues that it is essential for governments to frame coherent policies and programmes to support the creative and cultural development of all young people, and it identifies the central questions and issues which will define these policies and the principles on which they might be based.
