European Advocacy Team

The UNOY Peacebuilders European Advocacy Team campaigns and advocates for a Culture of Peace and the All Different – All Equal campaign of the Council of Europe. We support youth groups and organizations to organize advocacy visits to their local and national governments, decision makers and youth representatives. Please visit the Resource Centre for advocacy toolkits and simulation game, or join in the discussion at the forum.

European Advocacy Team visits to Brussels

In relation to the All Different – All Equal Campaign of the Council of Europe, the pas few months our European Advocacy Team has worked in different ways to raise awareness for a culture of peace within Europe and more youth democratic participation. Fifteen young peacebuilders from eight different European countries visited a few national politicians, did some background research and participated in interesting online discussions. A main outcome of these activities was that many of the team members noticed a lack of youth involvement in politics, especially at the EU level. Our team also agreed on the necessity of peace education and the effect of peace trainings.

To present these results and recommendations of the Advocacy Team, by the end of June Menno Ettema (international coordinator of the UNOY head office), Saskia van der Kooy (advocacy & campaigning officer) and Olivier Forges (coordinator of the Pax Christi Flanders youth movement, one of our member organizations), went to visit the European Union institutions in Brussels. This was really exciting. We were given the amazing opportunity to meet the Euro Commissioner of Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel’. He is the highest person in the entire European Union responsible for youth issues!

Commissioner Figel was very interested in the work of UNOY Peacebuilders. He emphasized the importance of long-lasting peace. Peace is an essential aspect of culture, he said, for it includes human rights, respect and social inclusion. He recognized the role of youth peace organisations in this area. Peace NGO’s have a lot of knowledge about participation, democracy and non-formal education, so the Commissioner would UNOY Peacebuilders to become involved in the activities around the North-South relations. We also had another meeting with Mr. Barták, the Head of Youth Policy Unit. The European Commission has great intentions concerning issues like intercultural dialogue and anti-discrimination. We asked him to pay more attention to the holistic concept of peace. Barták referred to 2008, which will be the year of intercultural dialogue. This would be another way for us as young peacebuilders to raise more attention for the importance of long-lasting peace.

Our European Advocacy project has not finished now that we visited Brussels. We have been presented new chances so there is a lot to follow-up! Also everybody is still invited to join our online discussions that still continue. For example: what do you think of the UN? Are they responsible for world peace? Just take a look at the forum! Click ‘advocacy’ and give your opinion!

This project was made possible by the All Different – All Equal, European Youth Foundation and Plan Netherlands.