On 31 March and 1 April 2026, the European Youth Foundation conducted a field visit to the one-off youth co-cooperation activity “Building Bridges - Youth Dialogue for Peace and Human Rights in Europe” organised by DBYN - Don Bosco Youth-Net.

The training activity took place over five days, from 28 March to 1 April 2026, in Benediktbeuern, Germany, and brought together 15 youth workers, volunteers, and members of local and national organisations from the network representing in total nine countries. The activity aimed to show young people that there are ways to contribute to peace and flourishing democracies by being active and reconnected with their communities, which provide them with support, a sense of purpose, and meaning.

Using non-formal education methods, including teamwork, group discussions, and workshops, participants strengthened their understanding of human rights, peacebuilding and peace education while exploring practical tools for dialogue, mediation, and conflict resolution. Building on this activity, the participants developed their own action plans to implement peace initiatives in their local communities, while also increasing their awareness of advocacy and their role as future youth advocates.

The outcomes of the training course will contribute to the development of a training manual compiling all the sessions. This manual will serve as a resource for participants in their local organisations, as well as for other youth organisations, with the aim of reaching a wider number of young people and educators.

The DBYN project is supported by the EYF through a grant to a one-off youth co-operation activity.