The Youth Peace Camps were initiated by the Council of Europe in 2003, in cooperation with Europa Park in Rust, Germany, to bring together young people from conflict regions and to support them in initiating dialogue and cooperation.
In the past years, the peace camp project brought together young people from the Middle East, Southeast and Eastern Europe. During the camp, the participants followed an experiential learning process and acquired competencies in the fields of intercultural learning, dialogue and conflict transformation, within a human rights framework.
The Youth Peace Camp engages young people and youth organisations from conflict-affected regions in dialogue and conflict transformation activities based on human rights education and intercultural learning during and after the camp.
Objectives:
The main objectives (personal, organisational and institutional) of the Youth Peace Camp are:
- To develop awareness and basic competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes) of participants in human rights education, conflict transformation, intercultural learning and dialogue, including a critical understanding of personal and collective identities and their role in conflicts
- To enable participants to share personal experiences of conflict and violence and coping strategies in a positive and safe atmosphere of living and learning together
- To motivate and support participants in their role as multipliers and peer leaders in peace-building activities with young people encouraging them to implement follow-up initiatives
- To promote and share existing youth work practices and experiences of young people working on dialogue and conflict transformation in their home communities
- To strengthen the role of the Council of Europe, in particular through its Youth for Democracy programme, in its efforts towards strengthening youth work in the field of conflict transformation, social cohesion and intercultural dialogue and in the implementation of the approaches of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 (2015) on Youth, Peace and Security.
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Financial and practical conditions of participation
Dates
Participants are expected to arrive on 25 June to the European Youth Centre Budapest and depart on 4 July.
Travel expenses
Travel expenses will be reimbursed upon presentation of the relevant receipts, according to the rules of the Council of Europe. Only the participants who will attend for the entire duration of the camp may be reimbursed. The payment will be made in cash (in euros) during the Camp or optionally by bank transfer after the meeting. Specific travel-related risks will be covered by a CHARTIS insurance policy (number 2.004.761) about which more information will be provided for selected participants.
Visa expenses
The Council of Europe will issue invitation letter for the purpose of obtaining visas to all participants. Costs related to the application for visas will be reimbursed by the Council of Europe, upon presentation of the relevant receipt and after being previously approved.
Accommodation
Full board and lodging at the seminar will be provided and paid for by the Council of Europe at the European Youth Centre in Budapest.
All participants must:
- be aged between 18 and 25 years;
- be able to work in English;
- be available and fully committed to taking part in the Youth Peace Camp;
- be curious, open-minded, appreciate diversity and learn about each other’s realities.
- be motivated to learn and to apply the values and approaches of the Youth Peace Camp, notably human rights, democracy and intercultural dialogue;
- be involved in youth or community projects in their community and be motivated to implement youth initiatives for peace-building following the camp;
- possess a sense of responsibility for one’s own actions, a commitment to personal and community development and continue the engagement with other participants;
- preferably be involved in an organisation or network, institution, formal and/or informal group that is ready to support them throughout the project duration and afterwards when implementing youth initiatives for peacebuilding.
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To apply
Click here to apply
Applications must be submitted by 13 April 2018, 13:00 p.m. CET.
The 2018 Youth Peace Camp will bring together 60 to 70 young people from the following conflict affected communities:
– Cyprus (Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots2
– Kosovo,* participants coming from Albanian, Serbian and other communities˙
– South Caucasus, in particular from conflict affected regions and ethnic minorities.
A specific priority will be given to applicants who are or have been displaced as a result of armed conflict (refugees, internally displaced people, migrants, asylum-seekers…). The group of participants should be balanced in relation to sex and reflect the diversity of their communities. The expected total number of participants and facilitators will be 60 to 70, with an average of 4 to 6 persons from each community present.
A letter of support from their sending organisation or institution can be uploaded on the platform or sent separately by e-mail, fax or post, to express support offered throughout the project to the participant and his/her initiatives. Participants who are a member of an informal network or youth group can supply a letter of support from their fellow members in the informal network or group expressing their support for the participants’ application.
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Read more on Youth Peace Camp 2018 website
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