Organised by the Europäischen Akademie Nordrhein-Westfalen und EUNET, the conference „European Challenge“, held in Bonn, brought together more than 50 representatives from organisations who provide extracurricular educational work and information concerning the development of Europe its political, social and economic dimensions. The participants, who came from 15 different nations enjoyed a programme varied in its technical content and its social interaction.

Cornelia Schmitz (Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung) and Wico Bunskoek (Kontakt der Kontinenten) explained their experience, in particular dealing with technical content and financial matters, this included projects supported by the European Union.

Their explanation was based on a wide range of experience including applications for bookkeeping to those of cross-culture learning, all by cooperating with partners from all over Europe. Both positive and negative experiences were covered and of particular interest where the new approaches now being taken on how to communicate to the enlarged European Union. Much interest was shown by the conference members in the topic topic of gender mainstreaming.

Olivier Bertrand (Council of Europe) gave a motivating and forward-looking speech about the „European Year of Citizenship through Education“ in 2005. Detailed information about the conditions and materials were combined with fundamental explanation about the importance to include civil society into the political process.

New insights and ideas were immediately put into practice. Methods on communication and project development had been the centre of attention at the workshop chaired by Nina Nørgaard (IUC Europe). Chaired by Tomáš Sedlák (Europský Dum Jihlava) and Andreas Handy (Europäische Akademie Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), the second workshop was focused its attention on the “white spots“ on the map of where little or no European educational facilities are available. This group intend to continue their work holding future meetings and by the exchange of examples on best-practice for recruitment and selection criterion.

To guarantee the continuation of the work of the European Network for Education and Training e.V. – EUNET with more than 40 members and growing shows it is necessary to have an organisational framework that is capable of co-ordinating the educational work and to provide information to the citizens.

Through its own events, by joint projects with its members providing information and further education, inside and outside the European boundaries. The European citizens shall be an inclusive part of the process of European integration. The best way to be successful in this is to bring together those who are committed and can communicate the European vision to reach all the citizens at all levels.

The whole conference was framed by the exhibition „europe-works“, an unusual traveling exhibition about „The enlargement of the European Union“. It was formally opened on Saturday evening by Horst Naaß, mayor of Bonn.

Willibald Richter, Thomas Heckeberg, Major Horst Naaß, Richard Stock, Wico Bunskoek	Richard Stock, Hanns Christhard Eichhorst and Thomas Heckeberg during a conference break

The newspaper "Bonner Generalanzeiger" reported briefly about the opening. The conference was supported by the European Movement Germany, the German Foreign Ministry and the European Commission.