From 1-5 July ECPYN's third annual International Summer School took place, this year in Birstonas, Lithuania. At the International Summer School young people from all over Europe met to discuss topics concerning Christian politics and exchange views and ideas.

At the first International Summer School at Kortenberg, Belgium in 2004 several youth organisations from different countries decided to establish the European Christian Political Youth Network (ECPYN). Since then the summer school has become one of the key ingredients of ECPYN.

The theme of this year's summer school, hosted by the youth-section of the Lithuanian Christian Democrats (LKD Jaunimo Sekcija), was "applying Christian-social teaching in (local) politics". The programme consisted of several lectures and workshops on topics such as "Youth and Christian democracy", "Contacts with the media", "Campaigning", but also "Reproductive Medical Assistance". Furthermore a special training in negotiation was provided by Hinke Pietersma, who in every day life trains diplomats. The programme of this year’s summer school was finally completed with visiting the Lithuanian parliament. Of course there was also some time for informally getting acquainted, discussing all sorts of things and enjoying the lovely countryside and historical architecture with which Lithuania is so abundantly bestowed.

At the summer school it was also agreed upon to meet at the next ECPM congress and to look for ways to make some Europe wide concerted actions of ECPYN participants possible. The political situation in Belarus for example time and again stresses the necessity of such actions. A secretariat will be introduced to make such actions practically possible, whilst the board will concern itself with the 'greater schemes'.

All in all the International Summer School was again a big success and a tradition to cherish and be proud of.