Let me share with you my pleasure on holding this Conference. I would also like to thank the organizers, the United Nations and Portuguese government, for arranging this gathering.

As a consequence of accepting "The World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond", the Czech Republic set up state policy guidelines towards the young generation. Currently, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic is finalizing those proposals and the government will discuss it in a short time.

The Czech Republic can contribute to ten issues defined in the World Programme of Action for Youth by sharing some experience gained in preparation process of setting up the state policy guidelines.

In spite of its good traditions - as was and is proven by a high level of students knowledge - the Czech educational system has experienced considerable positive changes after 1989, especially in wider span of secondary school and university opportunities. Unfortunately, in a part of children and youth population we are unable to reach the educational goals. Even though being a tiny part of population in some ethnic groups in particular, these children lack even the basic education with being a core of unqualified youth who thus becomes an easy target for criminality and other negative phenomena. In the Czech Republic we resolve the situation through means like establishing prep classes for children before they enter the first grade of elementary school. through reducing the pupil/teacher ratio and establishing a position of "a teacher's assistant". Also education and awareness raising in families play an important role.

Besides its educational ftinction, the school plays an important role in the primary social prevention and in guiding to the healthy life style, as well as in the awareness raising on human and children rights and fostering a feeling of own responsibility. I am happy to announce that the illiteracy problem has been resolved in the Czech Republic and the prep classes are being arranged for children with a language barrier before they enter the elementary school. An emphasis is given to the education of excluded groups such as Gipsy children and youth.

The active participation of the Czech Republic in the Socrates and Leonardo European educational programmes and, as concerns the leisure time, Youth for Europe programme, is very important to our education.

As a result of some processes within the economy reform, the Czech Republic has not yet so far experienced serious problems with youths finding their position in the labour market. In its progress, the reform however brings some changes such as decreasing demand for young managers and economists; on the other hand, young industrial workers and both secondary school and university graduated technicians are missing.

As a consequence, a part of young people entering the labour market usually the ones whose vocational training does not correspond with the requirements of the market - is disadvantaged to other age groups. These young people are usually regarded as a risk youth group, considerably endangered by socially negative phenomena. So far, youth unemployment has been relatively very low in the Czech Republic. Through its social network, the state tries to help young people who have problems in finding a job. There is a wide span of training paid by the state for more demanded professions, one-year stays for graduates, establishing of public welfare jobs and vacancies of public and community interest.In any district, the Information and consultancy centers exist to help to choose the appropriate profession. Schools also play significant role by informing their students about the situation in the labour market.

We try to solve partial lasting issues by development of schools and school authorities' cooperation with employment offices to ensure that the vocational training corresponds to the situation in the labour market. Such an active employment policy helps as a prevention in reducing the negative phenomena risks.

The situation in drug abuse is however vexy discomforting one. In this, the Czech Republic unfortunately has made up for the other developed countries very soon. The number of children and youth experimenting with drugs has increased considerably, while the age when they start is falling, partly due to the- affordable price of drugs. The children within the age range I I - 15 are seen to be the most endangered group. The drug and other negative phenomena prevention concept adopted under the name "School Free of Drugs" tries to promote a higher share of school and school-like institutions in such prevention. Also NGOs are playing a considerable role. Similar problem, which we strongly feel, is juvenile criminality.

The best way to prevent all socially negative phenomena is, as we regard it, promoting a reasonable way of spending the children and youth leisure time. This field has been supported by several sectors in the Czech Republic. The activities are being implemented by state institutions and/or NGOs supported through funding by the state.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic promotes support for children and youth leisure time centers, which has been established by the state and/or communities, and other relevant public institutions in this field. NGO's offer wide range of activities for leisure time. The state supports activities of several thousands of NGOs of various scope of interests, such as spoM culture, youth and environment. Over than 10 per cent of the young generation is orimnized in -children and youth associations approximately 50 per cent of youth is active in sport clubs. The Ministry also supports NGOs' activities through its grants (as a part of its Children and Youth Support and Protection Programmes).

In these days, a conception of future closer cooperation between the state, regions and communities in children and youth leisure time is being completed. It should set up legal and economic tools for its implementation. We intend to adopt laws on a responsibility that communities should have for their children and youth and on the duty to accept and communicate with the young generation. The Czech Republic will continue in establishing the living environment for non-profit organizations and for their providing the public with an offer of leisure time activities - those of ad-hoc nature in particular - for children, youth and their parenis, affordable enough even for poor families.

There is some space for flu-ther improvement of active participation of youth in the life of society and at the decision-making of issues they are concerned with. This right is individually realized through the voting right in schools. Young people can set up student councils, they may become members of the School Boards. The Academic Senate plays a crucial role at universities. At the central level, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports is cooperating with civic associations in the youth field through advisory bodies such as the Youth Chamber and Youth Mobility Commission.

The topics discussed at the First Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth Issues are - in my view as the minister responsible for youth - regarded very carefiffly in the Czech Republic. In the current situation of the Czech Republic, the point is now to find efficient forms to meet the requirements of Child Rights Charter, Declaration on Children Survival, Protection and Development and the World Programme of Action for Youth. In spite of the fact that those individual topics belong to scope of different ministries, we plan to set up the Governmental Council for Children Rights in near future.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me thank again to the organizers of this Conference for organizing this event. Let me also express my conviction that the prepared Lisbon Declaration will improve and develop future programmes for children and young people worldwide.

Thank you for your attention.