When the European Youth Foundation was created in 1972, its mission was enshrined in its Statute as “to promote youth co-operation in Europe by providing financial support to such European youth activities as serve the promotion of peace, understanding and co-operation between the people of Europe and of the world, in a spirit of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
This mission remains as relevant and urgent today.
On 8 July 2026, the Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation CM/Rec(2026)11, calling on member States to strengthen peace education by, with, and for young people. This groundbreaking text urges governments to develop policies that actively involve young people in designing and delivering peace education, both in formal and non-formal settings.
On the International Day of Peace, the European Youth Foundation would like to celebrate the efforts of young people in peace education, peace-building and conflict transformation, aware that intercultural learning and human rights education, which are some of the key approaches in the youth projects the EYF supports, can be important and vital elements of positive peace.
Since the start of the full-scale aggression in Ukraine, through the Special call in support of young people from Ukraine, the EYF has funded almost 60 youth projects, many of them specifically showcasing the resilience of civil society and youth work in times of war.
We also want to show our gratitude to all the youth organisations that have made peace their core mission and continue to propose and organise projects on this topic in different part of our continent and at global level.
Find out more information:
Check out the following page to discover the EYF-supported projects that tackle this topic in 2026:
What are we supporting in 2026? - European Youth Foundation
You can also check the resource page that contains various outputs created in the framework of the EYF-supported projects throughout the years that propose ideas on how to exercise and promote peacebuilding with young people: