On 10 September 2026, representatives of the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ) will join the PACE Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development in Paris as an important step in preparing the Assembly’s annual youth-focused thematic debate. This year's debate will address the theme of the environment and will take place on 1 October 2026 during the PACE plenary session in Strasbourg.
The choice of environmental action as the topic for 2026 reflects the Declaration of the 10th Conference of Ministers responsible for Youth (Malta, 2025), as well as Council of Europe recommendations, which call for meaningful youth participation in addressing environmental challenges. At the Paris meeting, the CCJ representatives will review and contribute to the introductory memorandum presented by the appointed rapporteur, Ms Yuliia Ovchynnykova. This memorandum will form the basis of both the debate and the subsequent PACE report, 'Climate Action: A Human and Democratic Responsibility'.
This collaborative process ensures the involvement of young people from the outset and throughout the preparation of the report, including hearings, workshops and public events. The debate itself will have a dynamic, interactive format, with prominent roles for youth sector leaders, including the CCJ president, alongside members of PACE. Youth associations, students and the wider public are also encouraged to attend, reflecting the Council of Europe’s commitment to engaging young people in the development of Europe’s climate policies.
The CCJ will also be represented at the Gender Equality Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which is meeting in Paris on 18 September 2026. Highlights will include an exchange with the Chair of the Advisory Council on Youth on gender equality priorities, as well as the launch of a new PACE report designed to promote gender parity for young women in politics across Europe. This report will be prepared in close collaboration with the youth sector.
