More than 350 youth leaders, youth workers, and policy makers gathered for the Ukrainian Youth Forum, marking the International Youth Day. This three-day annual event “Free to Dream”, was organised by the Council on Youth Affairs under the President of Ukraine in close co-operation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine with the support of international partners, notably the Council of Europe project “Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III”.

The Forum provided a platform for discussion on the current state of affairs in the youth field in Ukraine and Europe. Participants had the opportunity to learn about civic education and mobility opportunities, organisational capacity building, as well as the Council of Europe standards and approaches on democratic youth participation.

The President of Ukraine, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the Prime Minister participated in the third day of the Forum.

Tobias Flessenkemper, Head of the Youth Department, emphasised that Ukrainian youth are fighting for the freedom of young people across Europe to build democracy, human rights and rule of law during the panel discussion on the future of youth policy in Ukraine and Europe.

Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić made the following statement on 12 August, International Youth Day :

“Being with and thinking with young people, learning from and with youth, participating and acting together across generations have been core to the Council of Europe’s mission for decades.

“Today, on International Youth Day, we celebrate the positive contributions of each youth cohort to shaping our societies. Young people are not just the future; they are the vibrant present, actively at the forefront of promoting and defending our organisation’s values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

“Young people are a central component of democratic decision-making, as acknowledged in the Reykjavik Declaration. They are highlighting key issues of our times, such as tackling the triple planetary crisis, ensuring equal rights for all, and combatting democratic backsliding. Young people are drivers of progress and change for a better tomorrow. The youth of Ukraine are a powerful example of standing up for the values of the Council of Europe. It is our responsibility to ensure they can exercise their fundamental role in the recovery and reconstruction efforts of their country.

“The Council of Europe is dedicated to supporting the democratic participation of young people across Europe, by embedding a youth perspective in all our intergovernmental work and other deliberations. The Advisory Council on Youth has been an invaluable partner in our co-managed decision-making system for over half a century.

“The democratic legacy that we shape, we shape and pass on together to ensure a future where Europeans can live in freedom, security, and dignity.

“I have confidence in tomorrow because I have confidence in youth”.

In August 2024, the Programming Committee on Youth approved 25 project proposals from 16 different countries under the pilot activity grant scheme for a total amount of 362 722 euros. Forteen supported NGOs are first-time beneficiaries of an EYF grant. 131 pilot activity applications were submitted.

The funded projects address various topics, such as supporting active youth citizenship and democratic participation, introducing a youth perspective in youth policy at national level, human rights education initiatives with various target groups, including groups exposed to marginalisation, the promotion of social rights, civil rights of young people from Belarus, the rights of young people in the school environments. capacity-building initiatives for youth workers, the promotion of education on sexual and reproductive rights, empowering LGBTQI+ young people in universities, engaging young refugees in social inclusion processes, combating discrimination, raising awareness on gender equality, litigation in relation to the climate crisis, support initiatives for the mental and social well-being of young people, remembrance education as a tool for youth awareness about social injustice.

On 14-16 August 2024, in Lviv – European Youth Capital 2025 – the trainers of the Council of Europe Professional Development Programme "Participatory Youth Policy" summed up the implementation of the training programmes, discussed challenges and needs for the future.

The first educational and practical programme "Participatory Youth Policy" has been implementing since November 2023 linked to the Model General Short-Term Professional Development Programme "Participatory Youth Policy" to ensure the participation of young people in the formation and implementation of youth policy, taking into account the standards and approaches of the Council of Europe.

The Project created a training manual, conducted a training for trainers, prepared a series of videos of young people's participation practices and provided mentoring and expert support for the trainers team in the preparation and implementation of trainings at the regional and local levels. As a result, 19 programmes took place in 2024 for 555 civil servants, local government officials, scientists and educators.

In co-operation with young people and an expert team, the Project "Youth for Democracy in Ukraine: Phase III" developed the visual tool "Stars. Stars. Les Étoiles." for the education and training on human rights, democracy, non-formal education, youth participation, environmental protection, cultural heritage, artificial intelligence, anti-discrimination and social cohesion.

It can be used by both those who are starting to conduct educational activities and those who have been working in this field for a long time, for participants of any age and language of communication. The use of this tool can create a favourable space for individual and group reflection, feedback and open dialogue in the group, as well as solve the issue of starting acquaintances and exercises, as well as holding discussions.

The “DIKH HE NA BISTER - Engaging Youth in Remembrance and Action” is an annual youth meeting taking place close to 2 August, which marks the European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. This gathering provides young people a place to learn about history and also how to engage in today’s world for equal rights. The International Roma youth network (ternYpe) is the main organiser, and they benefitted from a European Youth Foundation grant.

In 2024, “Dikh He Na Bister” was held in Krakow, Poland, from 29 July to 3 August to raise awareness of young participants about the Roma genocide and inspire them to promote remembrance education at local, national, and international scales. The event gathered more 300 participants, Roma and non-Roma, from more than 10 European countries. The educational programme included sessions on Roma history and the Roma Genocide during WWII, as well as a visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, sessions on remembrance and Roma heroes, followed by a youth commemoration held in Auschwitz on August 2 and sessions on how to take local actions today.