The youth associationism in the Canary Islands has reached a historic milestone on the international stage. Marcial Francisco Parrilla Socas, a member of the board of directors of the European Youth Press network and representative of Prensa Juvenil Canaria, has successfully concluded his in-person participation in the prestigious EU-Canada Youth Forum, held on June 22 and 23 in Ottawa, the capital of Canada.
This prominent transatlantic meeting brought together delegates from 18 of the most influential youth organizations in Europe and Canada in the Canadian capital with the central objective of co-designing and agreeing on key policy recommendations, aimed at revitalizing and strengthening the democratic engagement of new generations on both sides of the Atlantic.
Under the slogan "Reimagining Democracy", the forum was jointly organized by the Parliament of Canada and the Delegation of the European Union to Canada.
Throughout two intensive working sessions, youth leaders not only developed coordinated policy proposals and exchanged organizational best practices, but also held a direct dialogue with Canadian legislators.
Among the most notable institutional meetings was a debate session in the Senate with Senator Marilou McPhedran, focused on her legislative initiatives for children and youth, among which the federal proposal to lower the voting age to sixteen stands out.
The Canarian perspective in the international framework
Marcial Francisco Parrilla's presence in Ottawa represents an unprecedented projection for the archipelago's associative fabric. By attending as an official representative of European Youth Press —a continental network that in 2026 will bring together 41 organizations from more than 20 countries— the young man has placed the reality, challenges, and vision of Canarian youth at the forefront of the international governance agenda.
"Representing Prensa Juvenil Canaria and European Youth Press in Ottawa has meant bringing the voice of young Canarians to a key transatlantic conversation about the future of our participation in public decision-making," states Marcial Francisco.
"The fact that an association born in Lanzarote has been present at this Euro-Canadian table demonstrates with facts that from the Canary Islands, one can—and should—contribute significantly to the international debate on youth participation and journalism."
A career of more than 13 years dedicated to associationism
Originally from the town of Tiagua (Teguise) and a computer engineer by profession, Parrilla Socas combines his technical profile with a strong social vocation, accumulating more than 13 years of uninterrupted volunteering. His career began at the early age of 15 on Radio Insular de Lanzarote, an initiative driven by the Asociación Prensa Juvenil Canaria itself.
From his beginnings at the local level, where he has coordinated initiatives with strong community roots such as after-school activities or the socio-cultural documentary Tiagua Madre Tierra, his projection jumped to the community level in November 2024, when he was elected a board member of the European network in Brussels. From this body, he strategically combines his engineering experience with social activism, leading the development of technological platforms and the coordination of European projects designed to amplify and empower the voice of media creators and young journalists.
About Prensa Juvenil Canaria
Prensa Juvenil Canaria is a non-profit association based in Lanzarote and operating at the regional level, actively dedicated to promoting communication, citizen participation, and youth journalism. The organization has been a full member of the continental network European Youth Press since 2023.
About European Youth Press
European Youth Press is the umbrella organization and main network of youth media and press on the continent. It brings together 41 national organizations in more than 20 countries, providing coverage and support to a network of over 60,000 young journalists, communicators, and content creators. Run entirely by young people, it actively works to defend press freedom, ethical journalism, and democratic quality.
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