Reimagining Peace: Young Leaders Unite in Ethiopia for the YPS 2025 Peace Agenda
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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | October 13–18, 2025
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda, 26 passionate young leaders from eight countries across Africa and Europe gathered in Addis Ababa for the YPS 2025 Peace Conference — a week-long youth exchange committed to strengthening youth voices for peace, justice and inclusion.
This vibrant exchange, organized under the YMCA Finland Development Cooperation Programme and supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, brought together emerging changemakers to learn, collaborate and advocate for youth-led peacebuilding in Africa.
Through interactive workshops, collaborative planning, and peer learning, participants explored the evolving role of young people in advancing the YPS agenda. They engaged in hands-on training on advocacy campaign design using the YPS Advocacy Playbook, shared insights from their countries’ National Action Plans (NAPs), and developed joint advocacy roadmaps to sustain their work beyond the exchange.
From deep-dive discussions on peace policy frameworks to field visits with the YMCA of Ethiopia, the week highlighted the powerful intersection between youth engagement and sustainable peacebuilding.
Highlights from the Week
Exploring YPS in Context: Participants unpacked the meaning of YPS, presenting country-specific updates on National Action Plans and identifying gaps in youth participation.- Experiential Learning: A visit to the YMCA Ketema Branch offered direct engagement with young volunteers, fostering intergenerational dialogue and shared purpose.
- Policy in Practice: At the African Union Commission, delegates met with the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security — connecting youth-led advocacy with continental peace processes.
- Youth-led Networking Event: The week culminated in a high-level dialogue bringing together government representatives, civil society, academia, and diplomats — including the Ambassador of Finland to Ethiopia and the African Union — to amplify youth participation in national peacebuilding efforts.
Celebrating a Decade of the YPS Agenda And Looking Ahead
Adopted by the UN Security Council in 2015, Resolution 2250 recognized young people as vital partners in shaping peaceful, inclusive societies. Finland — a pioneer in this space — has continued to champion youth participation, launching the world’s first National YPS Action Plan in 2021.
Through this partnership, the YMCA movement continues to bridge global advocacy with grassroots peace action — ensuring that young people remain at the center of decision-making for sustainable peace.
The Addis Ababa exchange marks not just a commemoration, but a renewed call to action. The young leaders return home inspired, connected, and equipped to drive forward the YPS agenda — building communities where peace is not just imagined, but lived.
Because peace cannot be built without young people.
