The European Christian Political Youth (ECPYouth) is a political youth organisation that brings together Christian, politically active young people from all over Europe to reinforce Christian politics in Europe. It is the independent youth organization of the European Christian Political Party.
Background
ECPYouth, until 2013 known as European Christian Political Youth Network (ECPYN) was established in July 2004 in Kortenberg (Belgium) by PerspectieF, Youth of ChristenUnie (Netherlands) and other European Christian political youth organisations, such as the Christian Peoples Alliance Youth (United Kingdom). The founding of ECPYouth was one of the results of the International Summer School where young people from all over Europe participated.
Activities
Since the International Summer School in Kortenberg in 2004 summer schools are held annually around a specific theme or political issue and offers participants lectures, workshops and excursions. ECPYN/ECPYouth organized summer schools in 2005 in Lunteren, (Netherlands), in 2006 in Birštonas (Lithuania), in 2007 in Würzburg (Germany), in 2008 in Chişinău (Moldova), in 2009 in Risan (Montenegro), in 2010 in Ohrid (Macedonia), in 2011 in Paris (France), in 2012 in Zagreb (Croatia), in 2013 in Helsinki (Finland), in 2014 in Brussels (Belgium), in 2015 in Cambridge (United Kingdom), in 2016 in Bern (Switzerland), in 2017 in Odesa (Ukraine), in 2018 in Wrocław (Poland), in 2019 in Tbilisi (Georgia), in 2021 in Kerns (Switzerland), in 2022 in Skopje (Macedonia), in 2024 in Bucharest (Romania) and in 2025 in Lisbon (Portugal).
ECPYouth started to organize winter schools in Lviv (Ukraine) in 2011 followed by Esztergom (Hungary) in 2012; and Soest (Netherlands) in 2013. The most recent winter school was the winter school that took place in February 2025 in Rome (Italy).
ECPYouth organises Regional Conferences as well in different parts of Europe. Regional conferences took place in:
- Hellenthal, Germany in October 2008
- Tbilisi, Georgia in October 2010
- St. Vith, Belgium in October 2011
- Amsterdam, Netherlands in December 2015
- Tallinn, Estonia in April 2016
- Tbilisi, Georgia in September 2016
- Paris, France in April 2017
- Madrid, Spain in early 2023.
- Brussels, December 2023
- Berlin, Germany in December 2024
Furthermore, ECPYouth organizes study visits. In 2012 a study visit went to Podgorica, Montenegro to study the situation of minorities, especially the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian groups.
In 2012 ECPYouth started an in-depth training program, the ECPYouth Academy, under the title 'Crossroads – Christian Democratic Political Academy'. The first round took place in Timișoara, Romania; Zagreb, Croatia; Kyiv, Ukraine; and Soest, Netherlands. The program rebranded to Christian Changemakers later on, and still runs nowadays while completing 3 successful editions.
In 2017 ECPYouth started holding bi-annual General Assemblies, instead of annual, one during the summer school and one in February, in the Netherlands. This was accompanied by political cafés, in 2018 on the topic of human trafficking.
History of Board Members
Board Petrechkiv (2023 - 2025)
| Name
|
Country
|
Position
|
| Valeriia Petrechkiv
|
Ukraine
|
President (2023 - 2025)
|
| Victoria Meller
|
Poland
|
Vice-President & Treasurer (2022 -
|
| Jonathan de Koeijer
|
Netherlands
|
Board Member Politics (2023 - 2025)
|
| Ivana Stojanovska
|
North Macedonia
|
Board Member Communications (2023 -
|
| Dominic Potters
|
Belgium
|
Board Member Events (2024 -
|
| Marguerite-Marie du Pontavice
|
France
|
Board Member Secretary (2024 -
|
Board Bal (2022 - 2023)
| Name
|
|
|
|
| Sylvana Bal
|
Netherlands
|
President (2022 - 2023)
|
| Valeriia Petrechkiv
|
Ukraine
|
Board Member Secretary (2022 - 2023)
|
| Victoria Meller
|
Poland
|
Board Member Treasurer (2022 - 2024)
|
| Jonathan de Koeijer
|
Netherlands
|
Board Member Politics (2023 - 2025)
|
Board Ten Napel (2019–2021)
| Name
|
Country
|
Position
|
| Klariska TEN NAPEL
|
Netherlands
|
President
|
| Jan Henric VAN VLIET
|
Netherlands
|
Vice-President, Treasurer and Lobby
|
| Hanna STRETOVYCH
|
Ukraine
|
Board Member Events
|
| Eduard ANDREEV
|
Moldova
|
Board Member Communications
|
| Magdalena VAKULOVA
|
Slovakia
|
Board Member Politics
|
| Giorgi LABADZE
|
Georgia
|
Board Member Secretary
|
Board Hakvoort II (2017–2018)
| Name
|
Country
|
Position
|
| Erik-Jan HAKVOORT
|
Netherlands
|
President
|
| Lizzie FRANCIS
|
United Kingdom
|
Board Member Secretary
|
| Ardjan BOERSMA
|
Netherlands
|
Board Member Communications
|
| Dimitri BLUASHVILI
|
Georgia
|
Board Member Relations
|
| Blazej DUBER
|
Poland
|
Board Member Politics
|
| Gabriela URBANOVA
|
Slovakia
|
Board Member Lobby
|
Board Hakvoort I (2016–2017)
| Name
|
Country
|
Position
|
| Erik-Jan HAKVOORT
|
Netherlands
|
President
|
| Lizzie FRANCIS
|
United Kingdom
|
Board Member Secretary
|
| Ardjan BOERSMA
|
Netherlands
|
Board Member Communications
|
| Dimitri BLUASHVILI
|
Georgia
|
Board Member Relations
|
| Inna PANCHUK
|
Ukraine
|
Board Member Events
|
| Gabriela URBANOVA
|
Slovakia
|
Board Member Lobby
|
[2015–2016]
| Name
|
Country
|
Position
|
| Denys DHIVER
|
France
|
President
|
| Ardjan BOERSMA
|
Netherlands
|
Political Secretary
|
| Andreea Gabriela GAVRILA
|
Romania
|
Director of Internal Communication
|
| Gerrianne PENNINGS
|
Netherlands
|
Director of External Communication
|
| Dimitri BLUASHVILI
|
Georgia
|
Members Support
|
| Inna PANCHUK
|
Ukraine
|
Director of Events, Vice-President
|
[2014–2015]
| Name
|
Country
|
Position
|
| Denys DHIVER
|
France
|
President
|
| Iina MATTILA
|
Finland
|
Secretary, Vice-President
|
| Eunice VATRAN
|
Romania
|
Director of Communication
|
| Gerrianne PENNINGS
|
Netherlands
|
Campaign Manager
|
| Daniel WIŚNIEWSKI
|
Poland
|
Political Secretary
|
| Inna PANCHUK
|
Ukraine
|
Director of Events
|
[2013–2014]
| Name
|
Country
|
Position
|
| Denys DHIVER
|
France
|
President
|
| Iina MATTILA
|
Finland
|
Secretary
|
| Auke MINNEMA
|
Netherlands
|
Vice-President, Treasurer
|
| Eunice VATRAN
|
Romania
|
Director of Communication
|
| Daniel WIŚNIEWSKI
|
Poland
|
Political Secretary
|
| Inna PANCHUK
|
Ukraine
|
Director of Events
|
[2012–2013]
| Name
|
Country
|
Position
|
| Denys DHIVER
|
France
|
President
|
| Nutsa SHAVLADZE
|
Georgia
|
Political Secretary
|
| Auke MINNEMA
|
Netherlands
|
Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary
|
| Maja PAŽIN
|
Croatia
|
Director of Human Resources
|
| Péter DANKU
|
Hungary
|
Director of Communication
|
| Elina FOINSKA
|
Ukraine
|
Director of Events
|
Member organisations
External links
The Brussels Breakdown
In October 2024, ECPYouth launched its own podcast: The Brussels Breakdown. Hosted by Jonathan de Koeijer and Dominic Potters, The Brussels Breakdown airs one time per month on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Every episode, the hosts discuss - together with a guest - current topics in European politics. The first season included several high profiled guests such as former MEP and former Jobbik leader Márton Gyöngyösi and former Deputy-Minister of Justice for Albania and current professor at SciencesPo Teuta Vodo. The first season streamed until June 2024 with 7 episodes in total. Currently, the second season is set to launch during the end of October 2025.
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