📝 Around the world, young people are not just dreaming of peace—they are actively building it. At the 11th Anniversary of the HWPL Peace Summit, the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) showcased how youth-led peacebuilding is reshaping communities, policies, and even international cooperation.
🔑 Key Highlights
- Youth Peace Working Groups (YEPW) drive conflict resolution and local policy change.
- More than 500 youth gatherings and actions took place worldwide in just one year.
- Models of peacebuilding include public service, culture, education, policy, and community engagement.
- Initiatives span across South Sudan, Zambia, the Philippines, the U.S., and Europe.
- Leaders emphasized that youth are not only the future but also the present driving force of peace.
🌟 Youth Stepping Forward as Peacebuilders
At the 2025 International Youth Peace Conference in Cheongju, South Korea, young leaders from across the globe gathered to share real results. This event, held as part of HWPL’s September 18th World Peace Summit anniversary, focused on the achievements of the Youth Empowerment Peace Workshop (YEPW).
The groups, organized by IPYG, are platforms where youth take initiative to solve conflicts, educate communities, and propose policy changes. Their activities—ranging from peace education to cultural events and local volunteerism—demonstrate that peace is not an abstract ideal but a practical reality in motion.
🌍 Global Stories of Change
Examples from around the world showed how youth-driven projects transform societies:
- South Sudan: Local youth organizations pioneered peace education, proving that young people can directly influence reconciliation.
- United States (Atlanta): The PLAY4PEACE program, turning sports into peace experiences, grew into city policy with official support.
- Zambia: The campaign “Clean Up, Crime Down” spread across Lusaka with city council backing, empowering youth to reclaim pride in their communities.
- Philippines: Nearly 9,000 young people joined workshops to become peace educators, spreading leadership and unity to peers and neighbors.
- Europe (Germany, Czech Republic): Peace workshops evolved into invitations to European youth parliaments, bridging civic and international dialogue.
These stories highlight that young people are not waiting for change—they are creating it.
💡 Youth as the Present Power of Peace
Leaders and educators echoed one message: youth are not only the hope of tomorrow but the strength of today.
- Former Malian President described every word of reconciliation and every act of tree-planting as a brick building a fairer world.
- Former Vice President of Taiwan reminded that while youth often suffer most from war, they also hold the greatest power to create peace.
IPYG leaders emphasized that the Earth belongs to youth, and peace in each region must be built by those who live there. This commitment pushes YEPW to expand further, offering structured strategies in policy, education, service, and cultural campaigns.
✨ A Generation Defining Peace
From Cheongju to Manila, Atlanta to Lusaka, one truth shines clear: youth are already defining the path to peace. With dedication, courage, and global solidarity, they are proving that peace is not just a vision for tomorrow but a responsibility fulfilled today.
The 11th HWPL World Peace Summit showed that peace is not an abstract dream but a movement already alive in the hands of youth. Through the commitment of IPYG and its Youth Peace Working Groups, we are witnessing a new generation that chooses action over silence and collaboration over division. 🌍✨
Their efforts remind us that lasting peace will not come from waiting—it will be built by those who dare to start today. And among them, youth are proving to be the strongest voice and the brightest hope. 💡❤️