The AER launched the competition for the most youth-friendly European Region for the first time in 2001. It offers the European Regions every two years the chance and possibility to make their projects and initiatives in youth issues known to a wider public and to spread the good experience gained in this work.

The AER sees in the competition a means to support, encourage and draw attention to the fabulous work that is going on and to let the good examples of how to improve living conditions for young people and to create understanding for youth work in society as a whole be an inspiration for other regions to start similar processes.

The competition shall also enhance the development of innovative youth work and youth policy with the aim of reinforcing the integration of young people in society and increasing their participation in public life. In a much broader context, selecting the most youth-friendly region is a good way of emphasizing and reminding us that by ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, we committed ourselves to giving priority to childern and the young in decisions that concern them.

The influence of young people on society and local environment is not yet a right for everyone, but a possibility for a chosen few. Raising awareness on this aspect can be a starting point for endeavouring to provide adequate facilities for education, training and leisure.