From 25 to 28 February, over 100 rural youth leaders, representatives of youth-led and young farmers’ organisations and policy-makers gathered in Infiesto, Asturias, for the European Rural Youth Forward Conference 2026, “From Vision to Action”. Organised by Rural Youth Europe in collaboration with EPA! - Rural Youth of Spain, and co-funded by the European Youth Foundation and Erasmus+, the event fostered dialogue to advance rural policy-making centred on the needs and voices of rural young people.

Recommendation on the social, economic and political participation of rural youth (CM/Rec(2025)3) was presented, and Eva Kotnik, Advisory Council on Youth member, and Youth Department Secretariat showcased how the Council of Europe’s co-management system serves as a practice for meaningful youth involvement in policy- and decision-making processes. The EU–Council of Europe Youth Partnership also presented valuable findings on the situation of young people living in rural areas, supporting informed and evidence-based discussions.

The Council of Europe Youth Department organised the "Quality Essentials of International Youth Activities" training course for organisers and facilitators of study sessions and international youth initiatives. The course took place from 4–9 February 2026 at the European Youth Centre Strasbourg, and gathered 30 participants representing 30 youth organisations and networks engaged in partnership with the Council of Europe.

The training aimed to strengthen the capacities of international youth organisations and networks by equipping participants with the tools they need to deliver high-quality, intercultural youth activities related to the main areas of work of the Council of Europe: human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, and linked to the youth priorities, such as revitalising democracy, access to rights for young people, living in peaceful and inclusive societies, and the development of youth work.

23 trainers conducting professional trainings for civil servants and local self-government officials learned more about human rights within the educational and practical course “Participatory Youth Policy”.

The Council of Europe project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase IV” together with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine held the training from 15 to 20 February 2026 in Lviv. The participants of the training represented  20 regional centres of advanced training and higher education institutions from 13 regions of Ukraine.

On 11-12 March 2026, a scientific committee will meet at the European Youth Centre Strasbourg to prepare the concept, scope and priority thematic areas of the upcoming Research Symposium on Young People’s Access to Social Rights (15-17 September 2026).

On 12 March 2026, a roundtable discussion will also be organised under the auspices of the Moldovan presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe: “Youth perspectives in action: A new chapter for youth research in Europe”. The roundtable will explore the youth research agenda around the theme of young people’s access to rights, aimed at harnessing academic and institutional research on this topic to support effective policy development and youth work practice.