Like many other events, the Federal Youth Session could not take place as planned due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The project team - in consultation with the volunteers - had already worked out a detailed concept in spring, which provided for different protective measures depending on the scenario. With this background, the decision was made at the end of August to reduce the number of participants to 100. Working in smaller groups would have made it possible to ensure compliance with the regulations and respecting the distances. In addition, measures were taken to enable a more extended contact tracing and to prevent the mixing of participants from different working groups as much as possible.

However, in the middle of October, the epidemiological situation in Switzerland rapidly escalated.
In view of the situation, the Youth Session project team - in consultation with the volunteers and SNYC management - felt responsible to cancel the Youth Session in Bern and to offer an alternative programme online instead.

Afternoon programme
The programme opened with a welcome word by Luc Oggier, representing the Polit-Forum. Immediately afterwards, there was a hour long discussion on the topics of "Covid 19" and "climate/environment" with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga.
A short break was followed by a panel discussion between the three nominees for the Prix Jeunesse 2020: Barbara Gysi, Ursula Schneider Schüttel, and Hans Stöckli. The Prix Jeunesse is awarded annually in rotation to an organisation, project or person who has shown particular commitment to young people. The participants chose Barbara Gysi as this year's winner of the Prix Jeunesse. Making political processes more participatory is a major concern for her. According to her, democratic co-determination is also needed in schools and in the world of work. It is important that all participants are involved in decision-making processes.

Normally, at the Youth Sessions, the youth section of political parties and youth organisations are given the opportunity to set up stands in the Federal Parliament and to present themselves. Unfortunately, this was not possible this year. Instead, they were allowed to submit short presentation videos, which were played in the live stream. Afterwards, a representative of each organisation was given the opportunity to answer some questions from the audience. This year, thirteen organisations participated: Campus for Democracy, DSJ, JCVP, JEVP, JGLP, JSVP, Junge Grüne, Jungfreisinnige, JUSO, Operation Libero, WWF Youth, y-e-s and the Swiss UN youth delegates YouthRep. The Youth Session ended with a recorded speech by Isabelle Moret, President of the National Council.