This intense week was all about direct, active engagement with peace and democracy in its past, present and future forms. Participants attended workshops, meetings with contemporary witnesses and creative sessions during which they developed visions and ideas for a more peaceful world. Many of these young adults had personal experience of living with war, discrimination or political oppression. Their personal commitment, whether to promoting civic education, advocating for human rights or addressing social marginalisation, lent a sense of urgency to their concerns and wishes.
Meaningful highlights
On 8 May the young participants were invited to the Federal Parliament for an event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Afterwards, they sat down with Federal Chancellor Merz in his offices, who subsequently posted on social media, “We want to do more so that young people in our country can participate more.” The Youth4Peace delegation took the opportunity to present Chancellor Merz with their Agenda and to highlight their role as agents of change.
At the concluding event in Berlin’s Centre Français, Federal Youth Minister Karin Prien stated how impressed she was by the work of the young advocates. She acknowledged the significance of international youth work as a key contributor to peace-making, highlighting that “youth exchanges such as Youth4Peace are a way to broaden horizons and connect people across borders. Peace is something that must be fought for and defended by every generation anew.”
Youth exchanges as peace-makers
Youth4Peace was organised by IJAB, the International Youth Service of the Federal Republic of Germany, together with eight other international youth work organisations – all united by the conviction that personal dialogue reduces prejudice, promotes understanding and helps build democratic resilience. “Youth4Peace demonstrates impressively that young people are not just talking about peace, they are making peace. International youth exchanges are a space for them to share their experiences, learn from one another and build common visions of the future. They are cross-border democracy in action,“ said Daniel Poli, Director of IJAB.
During the week, the participants developed hands-on projects to implement in their home countries in their capacity as multipliers for peace, participation and social cohesion.
The Youth4Peace Agenda: Demands and creative messages
One key outcome of the week-long exchange is the Youth4Peace Agenda, which contains 16 statements on issues such as peace, education, inclusion and participation.
Youth4Peace demonstrates that young people are willing to embrace responsibility provided their voices are heard, they are invited to participate, and they are taken seriously. In this context, the meetings with high-ranking representatives of the German Federal Government were not just symbolic – they also sent out a clear message that international youth work is an effective driver of a more equitable, more peaceful future.
Backed by a strong network
Youth4Peace is backed by
- ConAct – Coordination Center for German-Israeli Youth Exchange
- German Federal Youth Council (DBJR)
- Franco-German Youth Office (DFJW)
- German-Greek Youth Office (DGJW)
- German-Polish Youth Office (DPJW)
- IJAB – International Youth Service of the Federal Republic of Germany
- JUGEND für Europa – National Agency for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps
- Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO)
- Tandem – Czech-German Youth Exchange Coordination Centre
