The MSC community recognises that turning the tide of (re)new(ed) security threats requires investing in all promising partnerships. Despite this need, a crucial gap remains in harnessing the potential of youth as crucial partners for peace and security. Everyday, youth around the world take frontline action at the nexus of conflict, injustice, and macro crises like climate change, working to prevent violence, bridge divides, and shape the future of their societies. Yet, too often, youth in conflict contexts are still seen solely as risks or victims and international peace and security policies rarely allow for meaningful youth engagement.

However, there is positive momentum on both sides of the Atlantic for a more effective approach to youth as partners in peace and security efforts, while strengthening inclusive decision-making, trust in public institutions, and democratic resilience. In 2021, Finland adopted the world’s first Youth Peace & Security (YPS) National Action Plan. The recent EU Youth Action Plan outlines concrete steps on YPS implementation. In the USA, the 118th Congress will likely see reintroduction of the YPS Bill, the first national legislative agenda on YPS. In the altered European security context, Germany, NATO and other actors are exploring new engagement opportunities on YPS. 

Capitalising on these initiatives, this event will convene diverse perspectives from young peacebuilders and transatlantic policy makers and security officials to identify effective collaboration to advance the YPS agenda. In exploring openings for transatlantic collaboration on YPS, the event brings a human security consideration to the Transatlantic To-Do “deepen and expand EU-NATO cooperation and relevant EU-US dialogues”, while also addressing the need to “cooperate against threats to social cohesion”. Participants will gain experience-based insight into the reality and impact of youth-led efforts for peace and security and the gaps in meaningful international institutional support to these efforts. Participants will also identify contributions to closing these gaps, notably via collaborative transatlantic efforts, meaningful institutionalisation, and partnerships with young people.

This event will take place in a hybrid format.

Register for the free in-person event at Amerikahaus via XING Events - you do not need a XING account in order to register: https://www.xing-events.com/youthhub-SearchForCommonGround.html

Stiftung Bayerisches Amerikahaus, Munich Security Conference

This event is part of the MSC Youth Hub 2023 at Amerikahaus. Learn more about the MSC Youth Hub and its events here.

Search for Common Ground, United Nations Association of Germany
 

Search for Common Ground is a Nobel Peace Prize-nominated international peacebuilding NGO, with 40 years’ experience working in more than 40 countries. We prevent violence and build societal resilience in some of the world’s most complex conflicts and fragile societies across Africa, the Middle East, Central, South, and South-East Asia and the United States by helping divided people trust each other, collaborate on shared challenges, and make breakthroughs for peace, together. Search co-led advocacy efforts resulting in three UN Security Council Resolutions on youth, peace and security, forming the normative framework for this important agenda. To strengthen institutional responses to these normative frameworks, Search co-founded and co-leads the Global, USA and EU YPS Coalitions. We are a locally-rooted, global organisation, with headquarters in Belgium and in the United States and around 1,000 staff around the world.