Young Political Leaders alumni contributed to an online dialogue on Youth, Peace and Security ahead of the open debate at the United Nations Security Council.

Two alumni of the Young Political Leaders programme's participated in an online dialogue on "Peace, Security and position of Euro-Med Youth" initiated by the Anna Lindh Foundation together with the European External Action Service.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the United Nations Security Council resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security. This event was therefore an opportunity to look back at what has been done so far as well as what still needs to be addressed in the years to come.

This virtual dialogue was particularly timely as it also provided the opportunity for the seven young people invited to focus on recommendations to improve the implementation of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda. They did this by sharing their own experience of the conflicts they are living through and - based on these real-life examples - by making concrete recommendations for the subsequent open debate at the United Nations Security Council scheduled on 27 April 2020.

Following the discussions, the EU Ambassador to the United Nations, Olof Skoog, committed to reflect the outcome of the exchange in the EU statement presented at the United Nations Security Council debate.

The participants' recommendations notably included the importance of investing in youth-to-youth dialogue as a way to scale up the dissemination of peacebuilding approaches throughout society. They also recommended involving young people asactors in peace processes and ensuring youth-inclusivity in all dialogues.

Through this online dialogue, the European Parliament expressed its long-term support to the EU's implementation of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda.

In these difficult times, the European Parliament is proactively developing innovative ways to continue engaging with youth and (virtually) break the isolation in order to support young people as active drivers of change.