Report by Ms. Alexandra Taulien, the City of Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
Members of the Mülheim an der Ruhr Youth Council met online with young people from the twin cities Darlington (UK), Tours (France), Kouvola (Finland), Opole (Poland), Kfar Saba (Israel) and the cousin city Ivano-Frankivsk (Ukraine) for the International Youth Conference “Youth Participation in Your City – Experiences, Ideas and Perspectives.”
Mayor Ann-Kathrin Allekotte opened the event, highlighting the importance of international youth exchange and meaningful democratic participation. She emphasised that listening to young people and offering real opportunities for involvement is essential, as democracy thrives on the engagement of all generations.
The Mülheim Youth Council presented its work and participation structures. Also the other delegations shared inspiring initiatives such as the “Mapping Youth Spaces” project from Ivano-Frankivsk, the UrbanLab concepts from Opole and Tours, and the “Leadership Exchange Day” from Kfar Saba.
In group sessions, the participants exchanged ideas for future cooperation and expressed the strong wish to continue the conference series. The dialogue clearly showed that young people across all partner cities are committed to shape their communities and strengthen democratic participation.
By supporting international understanding, mutual respect and cooperative problem-solving, the conference actively contributes to promoting a culture of peace.
Photos: courtesy of The City of Mülheim an der Ruhr
Promote a culture of peace