The Group of Senior Officials launched the preparation of the 10th Conference of Ministers responsible for Youth which will take place from 30 September to 2 October 2025 in Malta under the Maltese Presidency.

Established by the European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ) the group will ensure the successful planning, organisation, and execution of the Conference, in line with the terms of reference and objectives of the CDEJ and the features of the co-management system.

The conference will identify priorities of member States, and guide the Council of Europe's youth policy field for the coming years. Following the Reykjavik Declaration, adopted at 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government (16-17 May 2023) the integration of a youth perspective in the work of the Council of Europe and at the level of member States is a key task. It requires a direct and concrete response to initiating solutions to challenges that particularly affect young people today including armed conflicts, climate change, the backsliding of democracy, and limitations to their access to social and economic rights.

Did you know that youth sparks change?

These months the European Youth Foundation is showcasing on its social media and website examples of how youth projects bring a change in young people’s lives and in their communities.

“Youth Sparks Change” is a campaign devised to inspire other young people to engage in youth organisations and in meaningful democratic actions. Learn more through our campaign video.

Check out our first testimonies and follow our social media account for more!

Between 2 and 9 July 2024, the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg hosted the Youth Peace Camp, a transformative event that brought together 80 young participants from regions deeply affected by conflicts, including Cyprus (Greek speaking Cypriots and Turkish speaking Cypriots), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo* (with a focus on Albanian and Serbian communities), South Caucasus (in particular from border regions and ethnic minorities) and both banks of the river Nistru/Dniestr.

A flagship activity of the Council of Europe’s Youth sector, the camp engaged young people and youth organisations from conflict affected regions in dialogue and peacebuilding activities based on human rights education and intercultural learning during and after the camp.

*All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations' Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

Youth workers, teachers, and educators from all regions of Ukraine took part in a national training course on human rights education from 21 to 25 July 2024 in Lviv, the European Youth Capital of 2025.

This Compass national training course was organised by the Centre for Educational Initiatives, in cooperation with the Youth Department of the Council of Europe and the European Wergeland Centre. The Council of Europe's project,  “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III”, provided expert support for this activity.

During this activity, 25 practitioners enhanced their competences in education for democratic citizenship and human rights education in formal, non-formal, and informal educational settings in Ukraine.

From 14 to 19 July 2024, a first residential training seminar of the new long-term training course – a training for trainers in the field of youth took place.

The long-term training course contributes to the implementation of youth projects in Ukraine by developing the competencies of 28 youth workers, youth trainers, young activists, maintaining the quality of non-formal education and training activities in the war and post-war period, and will enable young people to actively support, protect, promote and benefit from the core values of the Council of Europe.

The long-term training course is planned to be implemented during 12 months in a hybrid format. The course includes three residential training seminars, mentoring, online learning elements, training practices, co-operative learning and individual guidance schemes.

On 29-30 August 2024, the drafting group responsible for preparing a Committee of Ministers Recommendation on Rural Youth will meet on-line for the final phase of its work: finalisation of an Explanatory Memorandum to the draft Recommendation. The primary purpose of an Explanatory Memorandum is to provide member States with a clear explanation of the background, reasons and importance of the subject-matter that led to the preparation of the text and of each recommendation proposed in its body.

The draft Recommendation accompanied by the latter is expected to be presented to the Joint Council on Youth for approval in October 2024 and further transmission to the Ministers’ Deputies for consideration and adoption.

The draft Recommendation aims to fill a specific policy gap at the European level by addressing unique challenges and vulnerabilities experienced by young people in rural areas by proposing possible steps and measures that member States could take to address them.

To recall, this group includes members from the youth statutory bodies - namely the European Steering Committee for Youth and the Advisory Council on Youth – scientific experts and one representative of the European Youth Forum.

Roma youth leaders, youth workers, human rights activists, and members of civil society organisations across North Macedonia gathered in Mavrovo for a Compass training course from 24 to 27 July 2024.

The course was organised by the Institute for research and policy analysis – Romalitico Skopje, together with the Association of Citizens “Romaverzitas”, in cooperation with the Council of Europe Youth Department and the project “Promoting good governance and Roma empowerment at local level (ROMACTED II)”.

The activity empowered participants to act as trainers and multipliers for human rights education and antigypsyism within their national and local contexts using the Compass and Mirrors manuals. The activity was an important contribution to the implementation of the Committee of Ministers Recommendation on Roma Youth Participation and the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education.