Investing in youth can be the best means for disseminating peace. Programs, designed to reward behavior that reveals a sense of tolerance, respect for others, and sportsmanship, contribute greatly to propagating a climate of peace. When youth learn to trust, understand and respect others from different ethnic or religious groups, resorting to positive dialogue, they are more likely to commit themselves to building and maintaining peace throughout their life. As leaders of tomorrow they will resort to peaceful means, such as dialogue and reconciliation, in defusing tensions and conflict.

The session will be divided into three parts:

• Youth Best Practices – Showcasing in detail the work of youth individuals and groups in promoting peace. We propose to have three speakers in this first part.
• Discussions– Highlighting more youth-led initiatives, and giving participants the opportunity to exchange views on issues of mutual concern and discuss ways to work together on joint actions.
• Outcomes of the Session – Adopting specific joint actions agreed upon during the discussions to counter the obstacles and enhance the role of youth in promoting peace.

Through the intervention youth speakers, representing individual and group efforts, we seek to highlight the tremendous power and potential of youth in promoting peace. There are numerous stories that testify to this fact – ones bursting with hope and optimism that show youth creating pathways to peace on roads that many felt would lead to dead-ends. Stories of youth channeling their imagination and many talents to create their own work spaces, maximizing their limited resources and forging their own tools to service their communities.

This section aims to present the youth with the opportunity to share their unique perspectives, concerns and needs as peace builders. We invite youth participants to send us any questions they would like us address during the sessions in advance, in order to make sure they are covered by the Moderator.

In order to facilitate future cooperative action between youth groups working in peace promotion, we propose to create the Youth Speak – We Listen quarterly e-Newsletter. Youth groups attending the Forum will be invited to work together on the development of this newsletter, hosted on the Forum’s website.

The e-newsletter will aim to generate publicity among youth for programmes, projects, campaigns and exchanges, recognizing their contributions and re-enforcing their roles as dynamic agents of change. It will also serve as a guide, helping youth to focus their hard work, avoid duplication of efforts and support one another.

During the Forum, the Movement plans to produce a video showcasing the potential and needs of youth attending the SMWIPM International Youth Forum in promoting peace. The film will capture some of the discussions in this session and will be strengthened with individual and group youth interviews and a message from the President of the Movement. A booth with a camera will be made available; in an effort to encourage youth can answer these two questions:

• What do we need to build peace?
• What can we do build peace?

All participants attending this session, as well as the session 2: is the media youth friendly? Will be requested to participate in the realization of the video. The Movement will then be in charge of finalizing the video and making it available on the internet.

The SMWIPM’s International Youth Forum will present an opportunity for participants to build the partnerships and mobilize the resources that will enable them to implement their objectives for peace.

We invite youth attending the Forum to think of innovative ideas for projects to “Spread the Message of Peace” throughout global societies. These ideas will be presented and discussed during the Forum sessions, where participants can agree on the possibility of implementing these projects in their respective communities. It is a chance to break free from the “status quo”, look outside the box and think of new and innovative ways together to achieve our common objectives for peace and prosperity.

Participants wishing to present their projects should kindly fill out the SMWIPM Youth Project Idea.