The Wilton Park Youth Dialogues are a series of events being held from 2017 to 2019 with a focus on the Middle East, Africa and Europe. The Dialogues bring together young people, government and non-governmental organisations, civil society, academics, educationalists and business leaders for honest, inclusive conversations about young people and their role in addressing local, regional and global challenges. They provide a forum to discuss the effectiveness of existing policy approaches and explore what new approaches are needed in order to co-create a more peaceful and prosperous world.
The focus of the series is on creating a positive and action-oriented debate with emphasis on youth ambitions and opportunities in relation to employment, education, security and peace. It looks at how best to harness the energy and imagination of young people, whilst ensuring that they are equipped with the education, skills and tools that will allow them to become resilient and thriving citizens in a challenging world.
At our first event in 2017, We asked our participants and speakers for what they thought was the biggest challenge for young people over the next ten years and how it could be addressed.
We also asked our participants and speakers for what they thought was the biggest opportunity for young people over the next ten years and how it could be maximised.
Image: aiesecinternational
The first event in the series set the scene by focusing on young people and their aspirations and needs, with particular focus on the Middle East and Africa.
Image: MENA Regional Youth Leadership Programme. Search for Common Ground
Wilton Park Youth Dialogues: powering the future. Youth as peacemakers
Young people make up a third of those affected by conflict and disaster. The second event in this series focused on the role of young people and peacebuilding and looked at how their initiatives and actions can be supported and strengthened.
At the second event, we spoke to UNICEF’s youngest ever Goodwill Ambassador, Muzoon Almellehan, and asked her to tell us her story, and to discuss the role of youth as peacemakers.
We asked some of our event participants why should young people be involved in peacemaking?
We asked some of our event participants for the one change that would empower young peacemakers in the MENA region?
At our third event, we asked a number of participants ‘What is the single biggest challenge in delivering MHPSS programmes for children and adolescents in conflict, and what single innovative approach can overcome this?’
Image: Robert Churchill
With a focus on the aspirations and needs of graduates, and in the context of SDG 8, the third event in the series explored the role of Commonwealth universities in helping to combat the youth unemployment crisis.
Wiston House
Dealing with the mental health needs of children and adolescents affected by conflict
This fourth dialogue explored what has been called a mental health crisis among children and adolescents trapped in conflict in Syria and elsewhere.
Image: DFID
Boosting youth employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: creating opportunities and building skills
The next event in the series will look at to how to build jobs and resilience and tackle the crisis of youth employment in Africa. Is a new global partnership on Youth Employment the way forward?
Image: Andrew McConnell/Panos for DFID
Youth employment in the Levant: opportunities and challenges
This event focuses on youth employment in the Levant hearing from young people about credible solutions that might combat the crisis. What are the opportunities and challenges for job creation in the most youthful region of the world?
More information to be posted in due course.