At the same time, young people are not merely the citizens of tomorrow. They are citizens today – and they have a vital role to play in protecting, renewing and strengthening democracy.

The Youth Peace Conference – “Peace, Freedom and Democracy – Young People Building the Future Together”, taking place at Oslo Concert Hall on 19 May 2027, will bring young people, youth organisations, decision-makers, experts and civil society together to explore how democracy can be strengthened and made more meaningful and accessible to the younger generation.

The conference is part of the broader Youth Music for Peace, Freedom and Democracy initiative and is organised in the context of a European youth cooperation project involving young people from Norway and Ukraine.

There is no single solution to the challenges facing democracy. A resilient democracy depends on participation, trust, dialogue, independent media, respect for human rights and the ability of citizens to engage meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives.

That is why young people’s voices must be heard.

The conference will create a space where young people can share their experiences, concerns and ambitions, discuss the challenges facing democracy in Europe and develop concrete ideas for the future. Particular attention will be given to the relationship between peace, freedom and democracy, and to how young people can contribute to democratic resilience in Europe.

Young people building the future together

The Youth Peace Conference will place young people at the centre of the programme – not simply as participants, but as co-creators and contributors.

The conference builds on the long-standing recognition within European youth cooperation that meaningful youth participation is essential to democratic life. Young people need genuine opportunities to influence public debate, contribute to decision-making and develop initiatives of their own.

The experience of youth councils, youth organisations and other forms of democratic participation demonstrates that young people can make an important contribution when they are given both a voice and real opportunities to act.

The conference therefore seeks to strengthen the connection between young people, democratic institutions and civil society – and to encourage dialogue across generations.

From dialogue to concrete proposals

The Youth Peace Conference will explore questions such as:

• How can young people participate more meaningfully in democratic decision-making?
• How can we strengthen young people’s trust in democratic institutions?
• How can education, culture and music contribute to peace and democratic resilience?
• How can young people respond to disinformation and protect independent media?
• How can democratic institutions become more open, inclusive and relevant to younger generations?
• How can European cooperation contribute to peace, freedom and democracy?
• What can young people in Norway and Ukraine learn from each other?

The conference will seek to transform dialogue into concrete proposals, ideas and commitments that can be shared with political leaders, public institutions, youth organisations and European partners.

Particular attention will be given to the experiences of young people living with war and its consequences. The cooperation between Ukrainian and Norwegian youth provides a powerful starting point for discussing how peace, freedom and democracy are connected – and why protecting them requires active participation from every generation.

A European youth contribution

The Youth Peace Conference is intended to contribute to the wider European conversation about the future of democracy.

Its ambition is not to “reinvent” democracy, but to ask how democratic values and institutions can be strengthened, renewed and brought closer to people’s everyday lives – particularly the lives of young Europeans.

The outcome should be a youth perspective on the future of European democracy, developed through dialogue between young people from different backgrounds and generations.

Young people should not only be invited to discuss the future.

They should have a meaningful role in shaping it.

Peace. Freedom. Democracy.

Young People Building the Future Together.