The Rapporteur Group on Education, Culture, Sport, Youth and Environment (GR-C) of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe held on 27 November 2025 an exchange of views with representatives of civil society on the topic of “youth and culture” and their contribution to the development of a democratic culture.

The representatives of member States of the Council of Europe heard testimonies from the representatives of civil society engaged in grass roots work supporting youth participation, the preservation and regeneration of cultural heritage, intercultural and intergenerational dialogue, and counteracting the negative consequences for the mental health and well-being of young people affected by war (especially young Ukrainians) through creativity, arts, cultural production and projects with a heritage focus.

• Drejc Kokošar, co-founder of ID20 Institute and Project Leader, Slovenia gave testimony to how youth participation and heritage preservation can support the rejuvenation and regeneration of regions in industrial decline and suffering from dramatic out-migration of young people.
• Viktoria Kravets, Lviv-the European Youth Capital 2025,Ukraine spoke to the resilience of young people in the face of war and to creativity and the preservation of Ukrainian culture as an act of resistance in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
• Freya Proudman, OperaCircus UK spoke to the power of creative arts for addressing the mental health challenges of young people who have experienced trauma, including as a result of war.
• Matías Rubio Morillo, Member of the Advisory Council on Youth, NGO Labardal, Spain presented the positive impacts of culture going far beyond the cultural production, for intergenerational and intercultural dialogue in rural communities, and the agency this can give young people in the preservation of their local traditions and the creation of community cohesion.

The crucial support provided by the European Youth Foundation in creating opportunities for young people to meet, build bridges, dialogue, imagine new possibilities, promote inclusion, acquire the confidence and skills for active participation and societal engagement, and contribute to the democratisation and transformation of their societies was referenced multiple times.

Through the exchange, the delegations of the Rapporteur Group reaffirmed their commitment to supporting young people’s cultural production, participation and agency, and as contributors to the development of the democratic culture of the communities and societies.