History of UNOY Peacebuilders

Since its inception in 1989, the United Network of Young Peacebuilders has organised a series of international work group meetings, training seminars and regional/global conferences. Initially, the major focus was on Africa, Russia, the Caucasus and the Ukraine. Taking part in UNOY events, some participants decided to create their own local and regional organisations initiating peacebuilding projects in Africa, the Balkans and the Caucasus.

In 1993 UNOY convened the International Conference of Young Peacebuilders on Axes of Conflict and the Role of Youth in Non-Violent Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation, in the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands. The aim of this conference was to explore the possibilities for youth to play a more dynamic role in conflict regions in the prevention, transformation and solution of conflicts, as well as in the promotion of mutual understanding and reconciliation between the conflicting sides. The young participants then recognised a unique peacebuilding role for UNOY and suggested that it adopt the following objectives: to provide youth NGO leadership training in the field of non-violent conflict resolution and reconciliation; to organise conferences and cross-conflict working groups for representatives of youth peace organisations, networks, and initiatives; and to develop a global peacebuilding, reconciliation and solidarity network focusing on young people.

Following these recommendations UNOY successfully organised three major regional peacebuilding conferences and training seminars for the Caucasus and Crimea, and the UNOY Global Youth Peace Conference (GYPC) which took place from the 6th to the 16th of May 1999 in the Netherlands. In addition to this event UNOY decided to connect a vast range of young people and youth organisations, and created the global network. Inspired by the success of its regional work in Eastern Europe, UNOY extended its work to empower the capacities of African youth committed to building peace in Africa. In 2001, the UNOY African Youth for a Culture of Peace Training Conference in South Africa, which took place from 30th of June to 7th of July 2001, gathered 90 young (17 - 30 years old) activists from all regions of Africa. As a result, the African Network of Young Peacebuilders (ANYP) was created, setting up working groups and starting the organisation of regional and national activities. In 2002, between the 9th and 16th of November, UNOY and ANYP organised the African Young Peacebuilders Training Seminar in Cotonou, Benin; it was followed on 14-21st of December 2002 by the National Training Conference on a Culture of Peace, Networking and NGO Project Management in Freetown, Sierra Leone. A large number of other projects carried out at a local level have followed.

Since 1999, UNOY has organised an annual African Students Conference (ASC) at the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in The Hague, the Netherlands. UNOY has been organising training seminars twice a year since 2005.

To find out more about our history, click here (1996-2005) or here (1989-2005).