The 24^th edition of the North-South Centre’s Lisbon Forum started today at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon 15 and 16 November, under the title ‘Youth Peace and Security: uplifting youth engagement in peace and democratic processes in the Euro-Mediterranean Region ’. Welcoming participants, Teresa Ribeiro, Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs & Cooperation, urged to the inclusion of youth in the solutions for peace, emphasizing the strategic importance of education in this process.     

For the next two days, representatives from governments, parliaments, regional and local authorities and civil society  will explore the opportunities for a greater youth  engagement in decision making processes to ensure peace and democracy in the Euro-Mediterranean, under the framework of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 (2015).

The event is organised in partnership with the United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY) and the European Youth Forum (EYF), who are directly  engaged in the implementation of this global agenda. The Forum is also supported by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).

Once more funded by the European Union and carried out by the Council of Europe under the South Programme III - “towards strengthened democratic governance in the southern Mediterranean” - the Lisbon Forum brings together every year since 1994 high-level participants from Europe, neighbouring regions and international organisations with the aim of discussing topics closely related to areas of common concern in the Euro-Mediterranean region. As Ambassador Montobbio, President of the Executive Committee of the North-South Centre, recalled in his initial intervention "the Lisbon Forum catalyses the work of the North-South Centre whilst bringing together the two shores of the Mediterranean around shared values."