Inclusive​ ​education​ ​to​ ​empower​ ​minority​ ​youth We as Youth of European Nationalities, umbrella organisation of 37 national ethnic autochthonous minorities in Europe have observed increasing obstacles to social inclusion, particularly​ ​for​ ​minorities,​ ​marginalised​ ​and​ ​vulnerable​ ​groups​ ​in​ ​Europe. Education is both a human and an individual right and an essential tool in the realization of other human rights. As a law aimed at empowerment, education is the main instrument which economically and socially marginalized adults and children can use to overcome​ ​poverty​ ​and​ ​gain​ ​the​ ​means​ ​to​ ​participate​ ​fully​ ​in​ ​their​ ​communities. For minorities, their own language is important part of their identity. Mother tongue education and parallel acquisition of both minority and majority language through the education system is vital for the preservation of identity and personal growth for a member of a minority group. It fosters the preservation of Europe’s linguistic diversity and creates equal educational​ ​opportunities. In order to empower minority youth through a more inclusive education, YEN would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​emphasize​ ​the​ ​following: ● To achieve equality between minority and majority populations through the implementation of the right to education and the protection of language, the state institutions and legal bodies should take all necessary measures to make education for minorities equally accessible, attainable, and reasonable, and give every minority the​ ​right​ ​to​ ​use,​ ​care​ ​for,​ ​and​ ​pass​ ​on​ ​their​ ​own​ ​language. ● According​ ​to​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​each​ ​minority,​ ​minority​ ​language​ ​should: ❖ be the language of instruction in preschool and elementary school while​ ​the​ ​majority​ ​language​ ​would​ ​be​ ​taught​ ​as​ ​its​ ​own​ ​subject. ❖ be represented in a substantial part of the secondary school curriculum. ● Including minority studies as subject in the education system and improvement of teacher education regarding minorities would have a direct impact on having more inclusive societies. Having the teachers educated in minority issues and teaching young people from early age about minorities would create mutual understanding and​ ​respect​ ​towards​ ​the​ ​other. ● The holistic organization of the formal and non-formal education systems would better reflect changes in society and promote active participation, which are not sufficiently considered in various formal education systems. Non-formal education and the expertise of NGOs should be better recognised and supported as an important​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​learning.