YOUNGSTERS from 25 countries will arrive in the North-East today for the 45th annual European Youth Parliament.
More than 250 people aged 16 to 22 will spend a week in the region debating political issues, including human rights, child obesity and immigration.
The event will be launched on Monday at The Gala Theatre, in Durham City, and the participants will stay at Hatfield College, part of Durham University.
Debates will be held at Newcastle Civic Centre next Friday and Saturday, and there will also by seminars and sightseeing visits.
Britain's representative in the parliament will be a school from Liverpool, Merseyside, that won the national final of a debating competition.
During their stay, the youngsters will attend the North-East heat of the competition to decide who will attend next year's parliament.
The nine schools bidding for that honour include Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College, Woodham Community College, Newton Aycliffe, and Wolsingham School and Community College, all County Durham.
"Normally it would be held in a capital city so it is lovely to think that some of these 250 young people from all over Europe, who haven't been to the UK before, will get their first sight of it in the North-East,'' said Amy Davison, policy and communications officer for the North-East Assembly.
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