Culture and education

The 2012 Nobel Peace Prize might have been awarded to the EU, but EP president Martin Schulz made very clear who the honour really belonged to: "This Nobel Peace Prize is for all EU citizens." He duly accepted the prize during the official ceremony in Oslo on behalf of everyone in the EU. You now have to chance to see your prize up close in Parlamentarium, the Parliament's visitors centre in Brussels, where the medal will be displayed until 6 October.

Implanting identity chips in EU citizens: are you for or against? Don't worry, this is not a new EU proposal, but a topic for debate in a role-playing game designed to teach students visiting Parlamentarium, the EP's visitors centre, about what it is like to be an MEP. As Europe Day is celebrated on 9 May, take a look at our video to see how young people are learning about the EU, the democratic process and the art of compromise.

Spanish youth media project Europe on Track picked up the first prize at the 2013 Charlemagne Youth Prize ceremony on 7 May in Aachen. Second prize went to the Polish photo contest Discover Europe, while Estonian youth exchange project the Story of my Life came in third. The Charlemagne Youth Prize is awarded every year to projects that foster a shared sense of European identity and integration among young people.

The role of journalists as democracy's watchdogs is proving increasingly hazardous. Not only have thousands of them lost their job due to the crisis, but they are also at risk of being arrested, kidnapped or even killed in the line of duty. To ensure the freedom of the press and access to information, Parliament is currently working on new initiatives. As today we mark Freedom of the Press Day, find out about the challenges facing journalism in our infographic.

Dozens of languages in Europe are not much lost for words as short of speakers with some 120 believed to be dying out. The EP's culture committee discussed the problem with experts on 20 March. However, MEP François Alfonsi believes the final word on these languages has yet to be said. The French member of the Green group is drafting a report on what can be done to support them. Is there still time to save languages such as Lombard, Polesian and Saterlandic?

Pope Francis was presented with an open invitation to address the European Parliament on his first day as head of the Catholic church. EP president Martin Schulz, who attended the inaugural mass in the Vatican Tuesday morning, said the new pope would always be welcome in Strasbourg: "I look forward to welcoming Pope Francis soon, to convey a European and universal message about our fundamental values that we need more than ever."

The search is on to find the 2013 winners of the European Charlemagne Youth Prize, which recognises projects that promote Europe among young people. You can take part if you are aged 16-30 and are, or have been, involved in organising youth events or web-based projects with a European dimension.

Making it easier to find work elsewhere in the EU by simplifying and speeding up the recognition of professional qualifications is the aim of a proposed update of the current directive. French Social Democrat Bernadette Vergnaud,who is responsible for steering the plans through Parliament, wrote a report with recommendations, which was approved by the internal market committee on 23 January. We spoke to her about the benefits of those new rules.

With unemployment now affecting nearly one in four young Europeans, the EU is looking at ways to get them working again. This Monday Parliament will debate a youth guarantee schemes that entitles young people to either work, training or education after having been unemployed for four months. It has been proposed by the Commission, which during Monday's debate will provide MEPs with more information on how it would work and how it would be funded.

Starting this month Marseille and Košice will have one year to show people why they were chosen as 2013's European capitals of culture. Over the years the initiative has proved a popular way to discover the charms of cities across Europe. Last year It was the turn of Guimarães in Portugal and Maribor in Slovenia, but in 2013 it is up to the two cities in France and Slovakia to seduce visitors with a wide range of cultural events.