On 25 February 2009, as the culmination of its 'You are Europe - Europe 2020' essay competition, the British Embassy in Vienna held a Prize Giving and 'Speed Debating' event at Ambassador Simon Smith's residence.

More than 70 students from Vienna schools participated in the essay competition, in which they were asked to outline their vision for Europe in 2020, in the form of a speech to be given on Europe Day 2020.

The EU's role in the wider world

The embassy launched the competition in September 2008, with one eye on the Global Europe agenda and another on record levels of Euroscepticism in Austria. In thinking about the year 2020, students were encouraged to consider the EU's role in the wider world and how it could deal with issues such as climate change, terrorism, economic crisis and the challenges presented by globalisation.  

Most wanted the EU to focus on 'real' issues that mattered to them - education, jobs, tackling climate change, managing enlargement and creating a safer and more peaceful world. In a strongly Turkey-sceptic country, a significant number of essays explored the benefits (as well as the challenges) of Turkish EU accession.

Debates with experts

At the embassy event, over 60 Austrian students aged between 16 and 19, all of whom had submitted essays to the competition, took part in a series of 7-minute debates on themes that had emerged from their essays. They were joined by Ambassador Simon Smith together with experts from the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs, the European Commission Delegation and the European Parliament. Each group, prompted by a selection of quotations from the essays, debated four themes: Climate Change and Energy, Economic and Social Affairs, Enlargement and Foreign Policy, and 'You Are Europe'. Experts were asked to change group every 7 minutes, before summarising their impressions of the lively debates.

After the speed debating and some well earned tea and cake, the students (some of whom had been overheard practising their Oscar-like acceptance speeches) gathered to hear the names of the 6 winners of the essay competition.

Pictured above is Ambassador Smith 'speed debating' with students.

Winner to attend Wilton Park Atlantic Youth Forum

A judging panel made up of embassy staff selected the best 6 essays, which received prizes ranging from cinema tickets to book vouchers to a weekend at a 'Cube' hotel in Austria. The overall winner, Katharina Widerhofer of the Vienna Business School Hamerlingplatz, will receive a trip to the UK in August, to attend the Wilton Park Atlantic Youth Forum.

Each student took home a CD of a slideshow containing extracts from each essay