Breakout Session “Youth Participation for Peaceful and Inclusive Societies: The Crucial Role of Partnerships across Generations and Sectors”

Baku, April 27, AZERTAC Breakout Session “Youth Participation for Peaceful and Inclusive Societies: The Crucial Role of Partnerships across Generations and Sectors” brought together policy-makers, practitioners and researchers to address the need for holistic approaches in peacebuilding, especially with regards to partnerships between various stakeholders; to identify relevant examples of meaningful engagement mechanisms and collaborations; and to discuss further steps in promoting intergenerational and cross-sectorial partnerships for more effective and sustainable results. The session started with presentations by members of youth organizations and representatives of government institutions on good practices of cross-sectorial partnerships for building peaceful and inclusive societies in various parts of the world. In the second part of the session, participants had the opportunity to work in small groups and discuss existing and potential possibilities to establish strong holistic partnerships for peace, security, social inclusion and prevention of violent extremism. The session was moderated by Susan Shepler, Associate Professor, School of International Service, American University. Speakers included Fuad Muradov, Chair, Youth Committee of the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Eliane Hamdan, Project Coordinator, Search for Common Ground – Lebanon, Ali Al Majzoub, Member of local authority and Social-Cultural committee working on social cohesion and inclusivity, Majdel Anjar, Lebanon, Emmanuel Ande Ivorgba, Executive Director, New Era Educational and Charitable Support Foundation, Shreya Jani, Managing Trustee, Standing Together to Enable Peace, Taras Dzyubanskyy, Founder, Libertas Center for Interreligious and Interconfessional Understanding. The participants had an opportunity to learn from best practices on youth social inclusion, intercultural and intergenerational dialogue and peacebuilding. They also discussed opportunities to establish strong partnerships for social inclusion between youth-led organizations, governments and other stakeholders.