From 5-11 December 2005 the European Youth Week 2005 took place. This Week, which was organised for the second time, the first one being held in 2003, puts young people at the centre of attention and aims at promoting the YOUTH Programme.

Events were organised around Europe, in the 31 countries participating in the YOUTH Programme.

In Brussels the European Commission organised from 5-7 December 2005 an event entitled "Youth Takes the Floor".

In the framework of "Youth Takes the Floor" European Youth Awards were granted to young people for their outstanding projects in the framework of the YOUTH Programme.

The Awards were distributed in five categories, one of which was “The fight against racism and xenophobia.”

In this category it was the project Samferõa from Iceland which won the European Youth Award.

Samferõa is a project of young people centred around the making of an animated film to criticise prejudices based on racism, gender or sexuality.

Altogether five projects were nominated in the category “Fight against racism and xenophobia.” Apart from Samferõa these projects were:

- Culture-Heritage-Life from Hungary, Ireland, Spain and Czech Republic;
- Music is a Language of the Universe from Germany and Poland;
-With Sports against Racism and Xenophobia from Slovenia and UK (Wales);
-MIMU “Migration and Multiculturality” from Spain and Austria.

More information on the awards:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/youth/youthweek/award_en.html

More information on the European Youth Week:
http://europa.eu.int/youth
http://europa.eu.int/comm/youth/youthweek

More information on the YOUTH Programme:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/youth/index_en.html