The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities launched the Youth Labs for democracy and human rights, a new initiative designed to empower young people to take the lead in promoting democratic values and human rights at the local level.

The event launching the Youth Labs was organised in Kazbegi during a five-day summer camp (4 to 9 August) that brought together 25 young participants from different regions, with particular focus on rural, mountainous, and minority communities. Through interactive sessions, team-building exercises, mentoring, and hands-on workshops, participants developed the skills and confidence needed to create and lead Youth Labs, as evidenced by the overwhelmingly positive responses collected through an anonymous post-event survey.[1]

“Your voice holds power,” encouraged Véronique Bertholle, the Congress Spokesperson on Youth. “When young people shape decisions close to home, democracy becomes stronger, more relevant, and more resilient”. With this in mind, the Congress will continue providing mentorship and co-ordination to support the Youth Labs development and sustainability. The event marked a key step toward strengthening youth participation and democratic culture across Georgia, grounded in local ownership and shared values.

A participant from the village Karajala, Kakheti region noted: “In my region, opportunities for youth participation are limited and this camp showed me that by sharing ideas, we can achieve positive change in our communities!”.

Another participant from Batumi, Adjara region said: “I have participated in different youth activities, but this camp opened a new door for me, gave me ideas and different insights. The most important for me was meeting with my peers from other Georgian regions, listening to their stories and experiences.”

As the next phase of the initiative, participants will establish and lead Youth Labs in their communities, creating informal, youth-driven spaces for promoting participation, inclusion, and human rights education at the local level.

The initiative is implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2024-2027 with support from the Austrian Development Cooperation, in the framework of the project “Advancing Participatory and Human Rights-Based Local Democracy in Georgia”.

[1] 95% of respondents reported that, following the summer camp, they are prepared to establish a Youth Lab or contribute to its development in their region