On 8 July 2026, the Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2026)11, calling on member States to strengthen peace education by, with, and for young people.

This groundbreaking text urges governments to develop policies that actively involve young people in designing and delivering peace education, both in formal and non-formal settings.

It also highlights the importance of youth participation and leadership in peace education programmes, and encourages support for youth-led initiatives, the creation of safe and inclusive spaces for young people to engage in peacebuilding, and the recognition of non-formal education and youth work as key elements in fostering a culture of peace. It promotes co-operation among schools, youth organisations, and communities to help embed peace values and intercultural dialogue.

Find out more on the youth sector activities in the field of Peace Education: Home - Youth, Peace and Inclusion.

From 24 to 26 June 2026, young people from across Europe gathered in Strasbourg to contribute to a New Democratic Pact for Europe.

The centrepiece of this initiative was the elaboration of the "Manifesto: Youth Visions for a European Democracy in 2049" which reflects their shared vision for the future of European democracy to empower young people, strengthen participation and ensure that young people's voices guide and inspire those in positions of power.

The Manifesto is one of the first substantial contributions to the New Democratic Pact for Europe produced in an innovative, participatory and collective process. It is showing - once again - the unique role and importance of Youth for our democracies.

You also have until 11 September 2026 to join the consultation process towards the New Democratic Pact for Europe by filling out this short survey.

International Youth Day 2026 recognizes that while young people’s lives are shaped by different national and local realities, their aspirations are remarkably similar. Across countries and communities, young people seek dignity, opportunity, meaningful participation, decent work, quality education, and a sustainable future. This year’s theme places particular attention on young people living in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), who often experience overlapping challenges linked to poverty, climate change, geographic isolation, limited economic opportunities, and unequal access to digital technologies. At the same time, these young people continue to demonstrate resilience, leadership, and innovation in advancing sustainable development within their communities and beyond.

The Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe will publish a statement on International Youth Day on the very day it is celebrated.

From 7 to 11 July 2026, a Training course on human rights education: Using the Compass manual in formal and non-formal education was held in Lviv.

25 youth workers and teachers from different regions of Ukraine learned how to implement education for democratic citizenship and human rights education in formal, non-formal and informal educational settings through the dissemination of educational approaches set out in the Council of Europe's Compass manual.

The Compass manual was first published in 2002; for more than 20 years, it has become a reference guide for many young people involved in value-based youth work and non-formal education, including in Ukraine. Today, Compass is available in more than 30 languages, ranging from Arabic and Japanese to Icelandic and Basque. 

The training seminar is part of the Framework Programme for Co-operation in the field of youth policy between the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine 2026–2030. The programme focuses on cross-cutting priorities during the war and in post-war recovery, including barrier-free environments, resilience among war-affected youth, belonging to Ukrainian and European communities, and the reintegration of displaced persons, young military personnel and veterans.

The new online platform for managing grants of the European Youth Foundation but also activities organised in the two European Youth Centres in Strasbourg and Budapest will go live on 3 August 2026.

As from that date you will be able to access support4youth.coe.int to see the current open calls for proposals of the EYF, but also to browse through the youth organisations that are already registered with us if you’re looking for partners for  initiatives.

Youth organisations and networks that are already validated on the current EYF platform will be able to submit their applications once the users are linked to their profile. Specific guidelines will be shared for that purpose on our website.

Read the privacy data notice to learn how we treat your personal data.

In June the EYF launched two new calls for proposals to award grants for ad hoc initiatives “Living and building democracy” and one-off youth international activities in support of young people from Ukraine with the deadline to apply at 1 September 2026 23:59 Central European Time.

Two info sessions were organised about these calls on 21 & 23 July. The transcript of the meetings as well as the presentations are now available on our website for consultation. For those that could not join, two more info sessions will be organised on 10 and 11 August 2026.