European Youth Centre, Strasbourg

Between 28 September and 3 October 2026, our Project Officer, Emily Argyrou, participated in the Training Course “Youth Advocacy for Democracy and Human Rights”, organised by the Council of Europe’s Youth Centre in Strasbourg.

Over the course of one week, youth advocates from 25 Council of Europe member states took part in non-formal education activities, meetings with Council of Europe institutions, and exchanges of good practices.

The participants came from diverse advocacy backgrounds, including national youth councils, international youth organisations and networks, local and regional youth councils, youth branches of political parties, and other youth civil society organisations. Their diverse geographical and organisational backgrounds provided valuable opportunities for exchanging ideas, sharing experiences, and fostering intercultural dialogue.

During the training, participants had the opportunity to:

• familiarise themselves with the Council of Europe, its institutions, and its standards on democracy, human rights, and youth participation;

• develop competences in human rights-based advocacy and strengthen their capacity to design and implement advocacy strategies and practices;

• create a space for peer learning and sharing experiences, as well as exploring examples of good practice in human rights and democracy advocacy, youth participation in decision-making, and working with decisionmakers;

• engage with the work of the Council of Europe’s Youth Department, notably the Youth Revitalising Democracy project; and

• develop common advocacy initiatives and actions, while supporting the advocacy objectives of the Youth Revitalising Democracy project.

The training provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen advocacy skills, exchange experiences across different contexts, and contribute to efforts to empower young people as active participants in democratic life.