Barcelone

New Québec-Catalonia youth exchange program

Monday, July 5, 2010

Society

Under a new exchange program, young Quebecers will be able to complete professional internships in Catalonia, while their Catalan counterparts will be able to do the same in Québec.

Loupe

Left to right : Josep-Lluis Carod-Rovira, Vice-president of Catalonia, Pierre Arcand and Alfred Pilon, Québec World Office for Youth (LOJIQ).

The new program, which will be administered by the Québec-World Office for Youth (OQMJ) and the Catalan Youth Secretariat, will focus on three areas:

Professional internships for young people aged 18-35 in the fields of youth entrepreneurship, arts and culture.

Networking activities and expertise exchanges involving civil society organizations working with young adults.

Dialogue between Québec and Catalan youth policy organizations and specific youth groups.

The agreement under which the new program was created was signed today in Montreal by Alfred Pilon, Director of Québec International Youth Offices (LOJIQ), and Josep-Lluis Carod-Rovira, Vice-President of Catalonia, currently on an official visit to Québec. The ceremony was also attended by Pierre Arcand, Minister of International Relations and Minister Responsible for La Francophonie.

Mr. Carod-Rovira expressed satisfaction with the agreement, which provides additional content and strengthens ties between the Catalan and Québec governments.

During his official visit to Spain in September 2009, Mr. Arcand had discussed the implementation of the new program with Eugeni Villalbi, Catalonia’s Youth Affairs Secretary. Québec-Catalonia cooperation initiatives cover a wide range, including:

Economic affairs
Climate change
Culture
Education

Québec-Catalonia relations
Québec World Office for Youth (LOJIQ)