As part of the Summer Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media dedicated a session to the theme 'Young People for Democracy: Youth Perspectives in Action'. The session emphasised the crucial role of young people in protecting and promoting democratic values throughout Europe.
Nina Grmuša, Chairperson of the Advisory Council on Youth and Miriam Teuma, Chairperson of the European Steering Committee for Youth, participated in the meeting, highlighting the institutional support behind youth engagement at the Council of Europe. The discussions emphasised that engaging with young people through thinking, learning, participating and acting is not just beneficial; it is essential to the renewal and resilience of democracy.
The session also looked ahead to the upcoming 10th Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, to be held in Malta on 8–9 October 2025. “The conference will place youth participation at the heart of democratic renewal, acknowledging the challenges they face, from civic disenfranchisement to socio-economic inequality, while spotlighting the transformative power of their engagement in national and European policymaking,” stated Teuma.
Grmuša warmly welcomed the growing recognition of youth issues within PACE: “A warm welcome to PACE for opening its doors to youth perspectives and for stepping up co-operation with the Joint Council on Youth and the Advisory Council on Youth. This reflects and reinforces the efforts of youth civil society and young democratic activists to strengthen democracy. From peaceful protest to grassroots organising, young people continue to demonstrate the clarity, courage, and commitment needed to defend democratic values. Member States must also uphold the Council of Europe’s standards and values of democracy and human rights, ensuring protection for youth civil society and protestors.”
Youth rapporteurs representing various PACE committees stressed that young voices should be heard, and that young people should be actively involved in the work of PACE, from drafting reports and engaging in debates to participating in decision-making.
As a direct outcome of the session, a new PACE report on youth-led movements for democracy will be drafted under the leadership of the Member of Parliament and youth rapporteur Yevheniia Kravchuk (Ukraine), in close collaboration with the Advisory Council on Youth. The findings will be debated during the Autumn 2025 session of PACE, with the active involvement of young people.
This initiative follows PACE’s adoption of Resolution 2553 (2024) on "Strengthening the Youth Perspective in the Work of the Parliamentary Assembly", which laid the foundation for a formal youth co-operation mechanism in close partnership with the Council of Europe’s youth sector.
