This application concerns the national conference 2016 of the Model European Parliament in the Netherlands.The Model European Parliament (MEP) is a simulation of the European Parliament, in which young people aged 15-18 fulfil the task of a 'Member of the European Parliament'. By participating in activities at one of the over 125 schools in the Netherlands, with the participation of around 2500 students in total, young 'MEP's' can qualify for one of the 14 provincial/regional conferences. At these preliminary conferences around 165 students are selected to participate in the national MEP-conference. This conference is an extracurricular activity.After the national conference, the participants may further qualify for an international conference (this is either a conference of MEP Europe, MEP Western Europe or the MEP Baltic Sea Region.During the national MEP conference students are introduced to the complex and democratic political processes surrounding the European decision-making. They learn to actively participate in democracy and understand the importance of cooperation between different EU Member States. Further more they learn to handle intercultural differences in cooperation with their peers and gain substantive knowledge as they together search for solutions to complex topics.Through simulation and in a safe environment, the MEP allows young people to develop skills that enable them to develop into active, socially and politically aware European citizens with insight into the process of European integration and the European Union. In the simulation of the MEP they debate with policy makers, become actively engaged in the process of political decision-making and learn to cooperate respectfully and to contribute to democracy. Various moments of reflection in the programme support the students in this development. Those who have participated in earlier years, are involved in training sessions.Students from the last years of Dutch VWO-high school, in the age of 15 to 18 years, participate in the MEP.In total, around 165 students and 30 coördinators participate in this conference:- around 150 students as delegates,- around 15 students as committee presidents (these young people have been delegates in the previous year and qualified for the position of president during the provincial session);- around 20 coördinators organising the provincial/regional conferences;- around 10 young coördinators (former participants, who are now university students in the age of 19-25 year) who assist the MEP press and play a role in preparing the students selected for the European Conferences, in the areas of reflection and intercultural aspects of a European conference.The first part of the conference week is held in 5 different provincial cities, where the participants stay in host families. The 10 committees in which delegates and committee presidents have seats are divided over these cities. The first day the students get to know each other through a team building programme. During the two following days, committee meetings are held in the local city halls or province halls. These committee meetings start with a meeting with a real member of the European Parliament or other policy maker. During the committee meetings, resolutions on EU subjects will be drafted, with an emphasis on youth policy such as youth unemployment and radicalisation, but also topics such as refugee issues and migration.Halfway through the week, all participants gather in The Hague, where they stay in a youth hostel together with their coördinators. The official opening is held in the First Chamber of the States General (the Dutch senate), followed by delegation meetings to discuss the resolutions, and to lobby for their own committee. The last two days the resolutions are to be defended and voted about at the General Assembly, hosted in the conference hall of the Second Chamber of the States General (the Dutch House of Representatives). After participating in the MEP, the students become part of the alumni network. Many alumni remain actively involved in organizing MEP activities, both within their provinces and at a national level (and since 2015 also at the European level). They are involved in trainings and preparative sessions for future participants and committee presidents, organize events for MEP alumni and assist in organizing MEP conferences. In more and more regions and provinces, alumni take up nearly the entire organisation of MEP activities, even involving own foundations and executive youth boards, always supported by some teachers.The achieved results lead to: 1) public speaking and debating skills.2) social competences, awareness, personal development and (self)reflection.3) insight into politics, the European Union and democratic processes.4) passing on gained knowledge.5) youth empowerment.