Rural Youth Europe (RYEurope) is a European Non-Governmental Organisation for rural youth. Founded in 1957, it is an umbrella for European youth organisations working in rural areas. It was established as “European Committee for Young Farmers and 4H Clubs” in Rendsburg, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 in 1957; the name “Rural Youth Europe” was adopted in 2004.

Membership

the group has 26 member organisations in 23 countries and over 500,000 youth participants who are members of Rural Youth Associations, Young Farmers’ Clubs and 4H organisations.

Aims

Rural Youth Europe aims to educate and train young and create an awareness of rural and social issues. It also actively encourages rural populations and industry and supports the development of new rural youth organizations.

In addition, Rural Youth Europe wants to take an active role in the development of environmental and agricultural issues and policies and network with other European NGOs. It lobbies and highlights the problems and needs of rural youth to focus the attention of international and national bodies, as well as the general public.

Government

The Board consists of representatives of the regions, (United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, Central Europe, Scandinavia

Scandinavia

Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...

 and Eastern Europe), a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson. The members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of 2 years.
The Secretariat is located in Helsinki

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

, Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

.

Leadership

The Chairs of the organisation have been

Michael Schwab	Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	2010-
Robin Swann Robin Swann Robin Swann is an Ulster Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland who was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2011.He is North Antrim born and bred, educated locally, he lives in the constituency with his wife, Jennifer and baby daughter...	Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...	2008–2010
Delme Harries	Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...	2006–2008
Franz Frensl	Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...	2004–2006
Linda Steele	Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...	2002–2004
Dace Gigele	Latvia Latvia Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...	2000–2002
Neil Sands	Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...	1998–2000
Erling Mathiasen	Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...	1996–1998

The Secretary Generals have been:

Amanda Hajnal	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	2008-
Eija Kauniskangas	Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...	2006–2008
Sabine Klocker	Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...	2003–2006
Kaspar Poter	Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	2001–2003
Claudia Merk	Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...	1997–2001

Activities

Rural Youth Europe arranges yearly seminars, educational courses and a rally to discuss and share knowledge on topics such as rural development, youth participation, intercultural dialogue, leadership and human rights

Human rights

Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...

.

European Rallies

Year	Venue	Theme
1960	Zuidlaren, Netherlands	1st Rally
1961	Ulster, Northern Ireland
1962	Vestfold, Norway
1963	Rendsburg, Germany
1964	Aberystwyth, Wales
1965	Barmeveld, Netherlands
1966	Edinburgh, Scotland
1967	Bergamo, Italy
1968	Gormonston, Ireland
1969	Wien/Klagenfurt, Austria
1970	Päivölä/Sääksmäki, Finland
1971	Münsingen, Switzerland
1972	Odense, Denmark
1973	Germany
1974	Maidenhead, England
1975	Amot, Norway
1976	Santiago de Compostela, Spain
1977	Trento, Italy
1978	Satila, Sweden
1979	Greenmount, Ulster, Northern Ireland
1980	Netherlands
1981	Scotland
1982	Barau, Bern, Switzerland	Nutrition and conservation of nations food supplies
1983	Horsens, Denmark	Local Community Prospects- Young Peoples Function in Rural Districts
1984	Termonfecking, Co. Louth, Ireland	Self Help
1985	Aberystwyth, Wales
1986	Quern, Schleswig Holstein, Germany	Women and Girls in Society: Yesterday- Today- Tomorrow
1987	Turku, Finland	Learning and Earning trough Nature
1988	Hampshire, England
1989	Greenmount, Antrim, Northern Ireland	A Celebration Of Rural Skills and Traditions
1990	Gothenburg, Sweden	Nature and Human Being
1991	Edelhof, Austria	Protecting Environment and nature it to protect ourselves
1992	De Glind, Netherlands	Europe 1992- It’s just a beginning
1993	Melsom, Norway	Rural development and cultural identity
1994	Drogheda, Ireland	Emigration and Migration
1995	Edinburgh, Scotland	Qualities of Life
1996	Zollikofen, Switzerland	Limits-Encounters
1997	Triesdorf, Germany	Keeping Diversity – Forming Europe
1998	Horsens, Denmark	Give and take from your youth organisation in Europe
1999	Warsaw, Poland	Youth unites Europe – chances, opportunities, perspectives
2000	Llanfairpwll, Wales	Back to the future
2001	Nurmes, Finland	Nature – Source of creativity
2002	Salzburg, Austria	Water – Source of life
2003	Flekke, Norway	Ocean of Opportunities. Coastal, cultural and social value
2004	Antrim, Northern Ireland	Conquering Conflict Across Cultural Divides
2005	Perth, Scotland	Expanding Horizons: One Europe – Many Cultures
2006	Druva, Latvia	Pearls in Contrast – Multicultural Aspects of Rural Youth
2007	Bad Sassendorf, Germany	Future under construction – Youth at work in Europe
2008	Landquart, Switzerland	Nature and technology - the challenge for youth in Europe to find the balance
2009	Jäneda, Estonia	Beware - Active Youth!
2010	Halmstad, Sweden	DIY in the countryside: think global, act local, be vocal!
2011	Ruše, Slovenia	Be active – get better opportunities in life!