The Right to Stay: a dialogue between cities and rural areas in Europe

The European Youth Forum intends to organise a panel discussion on the ‘right to stay’, exploring how territorial inequalities and brain drain continue to push young people to leave their communities in search of better opportunities, services and living conditions. The debate will assess how EU cohesion policy can support youth retention and territorial development. To ensure a strong local perspective, the panel will include representatives from True North (Tromsø, European Youth Capital 2026) and the Committee of Parma (European Youth Capital 2027), both working closely with their municipalities to create opportunities for young people and strengthen the attractiveness of their territory.