LLLWeek 2018 – Host and organisers

Concept / Programme and registrations / Host and organisers / LLLAwards

Official host of the LLLWeek 2017: MEP Jill Evans

“I am honoured to host this year’s Lifelong Learning Week. In a constantly changing Europe, lifelong learning is more important than ever. Most education systems across the EU still prioritize formal education at school and university, and expect this to be sufficient to prepare young people for the world of work. We should be doing more to ensure that after finishing formal education, people can maintain a proactive attitude to learning in order to develop both professionally and personally. In an increasingly digitised and globalised world, this is more important than ever. We are facing unprecedented challenges across Europe, including a demographic challenge, with many countries facing an ageing population. More opportunities should be available to older people so that they can adapt easily to the rapidly changing world in which we live.

I am looking forward to hearing new ideas about how we can improve lifelong learning over the course of this week – it looks to be a very interesting week.”

Jill Evans is a Member of the European Parliament representing Wales. She is member of Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, which belongs to the Greens/EFA group. Jill was first elected in 1999 and was re-elected in 2004, 2009 and 2014. She is a full member of the Culture and Education Committee and a substitute member of the Transport and Tourism Committee. She is also a member of the Delegation for relations with Switzerland and Norway and to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee. Her priorities in the European Parliament include minority rights, language equality, the environment and education. The European Parliament recently adopted her report on ‘Language equality in the digital age’ with a large majority. Prior to her election, Jill worked for the National Federation of Women’s Institutes in Wales for six years before taking up a post as Wales Regional Organiser for CHILD – The National Infertility Support Network. She was a councillor for seven years – on the former Rhondda Borough and Mid Glamorgan County Councils and then Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. She was elected as Plaid Cymru’s Alternate Member of the Committee of the Regions in 1993 and served for four years, and was also the party’s representative on the European Free Alliance, as well as being Chair of Plaid Cymru between 1994 and 1996.