About
YOUTH PEACE SUMMIT
Youth Peace Summit is a youth-led event taking place June 17-19 in The Hague, the City of Peace and Justice, in The Netherlands.
In current times of war and conflict we believe bringing out a message of peace is more important than ever before. Conflict, polarisation, the clash of different groups, and a seeming increase in hostility can leave young people dishearted and anxious, feeling like they’re on their own to change a world that doesn’t seem to want to listen to them. Governments and institutions seem unable, or unwilling to steer away from armament, violence and create a worldstage where personal and national interests exclude, separate and pitch people against each other, instead of connecting them. Youth is seemingly disregarded, or outright ignored, while they stand to lose the most: their livelihoods in a shared future.
In the Youth Peace Summit, we take ownership and responsability of connecting across nations and border. We believe in the ability young people can, and should be enabled to, bring lasting positive change to the world, spread a message of peace and to create the surroundings and circumstances that will allow hostility and violence to end, people to find each other and people to connect based on equality and peace. We believe that young people are in a unique position to make positive change in the world, and should get to opportunity to do so. Rather than to create events and activities where youth involvement is an afterthough. Youth Peace Summit puts young people at the helm, creating a structured approach to setting up a Youth Peace Charter, an action document guiding youth to create their own peace initiatives, with support from peers and experts in the field.
One thing goes above all: our content should be created and facilitated by young people! By youth, For Youth is our philosophy. Together with our team of young volunteers we’re creating an programme combining interesting workshops and talks and other programme elements, ultimately culmulating in the creation of a Youth Peace Charter, an actionable guideline helping young people to create their own peace activities through international connecting. In this, we interpret peace as any action leading to positive change and peaceful connection. Workshops include partners from academia, the social sector, (international) NGOs and local community based initiatives from within or outside of The Netherlands.
Youth Peace Summit is an initiative of Rotary and Rotaract District 1600, Ithaka Academie and the Hague University of Applied Sciences.
The first edition of the Youth Peace Summit took place in 2025. For more information on this first edition, click here. The first Youth Peace Summit resulted in the co-creation of the first Youth Peace Manifesto.
IMPRESSIONS
CONTEXT
MISSION STATMENT
We empower young people worldwide to become active creators of peace.
Through collaboration, creativity, and participation, we build a movement that transforms ideas into action — locally and globally.
By connecting youth, institutions, and partners such as Rotary, NGOs, and governments, we provide space for dialogue, innovation, and inclusion:
- a summit where young changemakers pitch their peace projects, and learn from many different organisations and institutions involved in peacebuilding, peace advocacy and dialogue activity.
- a project market that inspires others to act, and
- an online platform that ensures everyone — everywhere — can join the conversation.
We believe peace is not about fighting against something, but about creating and building together.
Every young person has the power to make a difference — to turn care into action, ideas into impact, and dreams into a more peaceful world.
Because the future belongs to those who shape it.
PEOPLE WANT PEACE AND STABILITY
Warfare is against the will of people. People want to live in peace and stability. Conflicts must be resolved at the negotiating table. A comprehensive, just and lasting peace has to be based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law, whereas a stable society functions according to the principles of tolerance, solidarity, dialogue, reconciliation and cooperation. European Union cooperation, a supranational framework for intensive regional cooperation that began after the Second World War, is a good example of how to ensure peace and stability in an area – the European continent – that has struggled with wars and conflicts for centuries.
GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE A VOICE
Politicians have a mandate to represent their citizens in dealing with societal problems. They do not always succeed in this. Therefore, it makes sense to periodically seek the opinion of the citizens on important matters. With all the recent geopolitical developments in mind, and in light of the UN Security Council Resolution 2250, young people should have a voice. It is their world, it is their future and they have a right to voice their views and recommendations on how to achieve a peaceful and stable society.
THE HAGUE AS CITY OF PEACE AND JUSTICE
The Hague is the international capital of peace and justice. The Hague’s status is illustrated by the fact that respectively the United Nations International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, EUROPOL (European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation) and Eurojust (European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation) have their seat in the city.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2250
Moreover, 2025 was the 10th anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security Resolution 2250 of the Security Council of the United Nations, that aimed to advocate for the participation, protection, prevention, partnership and reintegration of youth in peace processes, peacebuilding and approaches to peace in general.
ABOUT ROTARY
Rotary is a global network of more than 1.2 million members who strive to create a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change —around the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. Worldwide more than 45.000 Rotary clubs work together to respectively promote peace; fight disease; provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene; save mothers and children; support education; grow local economies; and to protect the environment.