Overheard at the #YPSConference
Did you miss the High-Level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes? No worries! We’ve captured the best bits just for you.
More than 130 people attended the virtual conference on the 19th (for a youth-only event), 20th and 21st January 2022 to discuss ways to advance the YPS agenda and launch two landmark documents:
- We Are In This Together: Operationalising a 5-Year Strategy for Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes
- Implementing the YPS Agenda at Country Level: A Guide for Public Officials
Here’s what we overheard at the #YPSConference:
Mental health is political.
~ Ufra Mir, International Centre for Peace Psychology
Unregistered organisations struggle (even more) to access funding, and remember they’re often not registered because it’s dangerous to be on the State’s radar.
Institutions need to do their homework.
This is not only about youth, but also about the legacy we are all remembered by. The YPS agenda is key to unlocking that legacy, so let’s not waste this unique opportunity.
We need more champions and allies that allow for mutual dialogue based on trust, respect, and understanding.
Translate goodwill into concrete political commitments. While we have strong clear resolutions, we still need national and regional-level action plans from governments to create youth-inclusive peace processes.
We know our challenges better, so engage us.
Diverse groups of youth are trying to change the status quo. Young feminists are trying to change patriarchy, environmentalists are trying to protect the earth. With another young social leader (14-year-old) killed this month, we need recognition and protection now.
Let’s negotiate peace together; it will last forever.
Safety needs to be number one when it comes to capacity building; creating that environment for youth to engage in dialogues, exchange thoughts, and find solutions.
I truly believe in local dialogues. We can do a lot of things simultaneously at the local levels and in that way build trust between people and local actors.
Young people are living in a difficult world—especially with challenges such as climate change, and deteriorating security and civic space—and we can’t make decisions regarding these challenges without youth.
Peace is everyone’s responsibility. We need men, women, minorities, the LGBTQ+ community; we shall leave no one behind.
Dear youth of 2022, back in your era, you used to talk about youth being the missing peace, the captains of their soul who did not have a say in the future of their countries. That you were not included in the process of decisions that affected you. Nowadays, it is so funny to think that it could even happen, that a nation wants to develop without its youth involved and engaged every step of the way. For any politician, to think this way now, would be the end of their career, the end of progress altogether.
~ From Nova & youth in 2042
Dear decision-makers in 2022, please divert resources from armed approaches and instead directly invest in youth-led peacebuilding efforts so that we can all reap a peace dividend.
~ Eliška Jelínková, Co-Director, UNOY Peacebuilders
For more details on the conference, access to the livestream, and letter of hope and possibilities from the future: https://www.un.org/youthenvoy/doha2022/
Two key outputs were launched at the Conference, which you can download now: