From 27 July to 2 August 2025, the European Youth Education Centre Magdeburg (EJBM) became a place of international exchange, mutual understanding and joint engagement with current societal challenges. As part of a German–French–Ukrainian youth exchange, young people aged 13 to 17 came together to explore the topics of children’s rights, peace and human rights in Europe.
Children’s rights, peace and human rights are at the heart of the educational work of the EJBM – particularly against the backdrop of war and conflicts in Europe. The youth exchange directly built on this focus and offered participants a protected space to contribute their own perspectives, experiences and questions. The aim was to empower young people, to experience diversity as an enrichment and to embed democratic and human rights values in everyday life.
Theme, learning objectives and methods
Under the guiding theme “Children’s Rights in Europe: Peace and Human Rights for All”, the young people engaged with the significance of children’s rights and discussed why peace, respect and solidarity are more important today than ever before. Through intercultural workshops, language animation and creative projects, they developed their own visions of peace and forms of expression.
Methods such as artistic activities, dance workshops, city rallies and interactive group work encouraged perspective-taking, teamwork and intercultural learning. The aim was to raise awareness of human rights, build self-confidence and foster international friendships across language and national borders.
Experiencing community and learning from one another
A central component of the exchange was daily shared living and the intensive interaction between young people from Germany, France and Ukraine. Joint activities such as transcultural evenings, games nights, a silent disco or cooking together promoted openness, empathy and mutual respect. Through these experiences, prejudices could be reduced and a shared understanding of peaceful coexistence developed.
Aims and learning outcomes
The aim of the youth exchange was to enable young people to engage in dialogue on children’s rights, peace and human rights and to strengthen them in their personal and social development. Participants developed intercultural competences, strengthened their self-confidence and experienced how important solidarity and cohesion are in a diverse society.
These aims were successfully achieved. The young people took an active part in the workshops and creative projects, showed great openness in intercultural exchange and took away new impulses for their own engagement.
The German–French–Ukrainian youth exchange at the EJBM clearly demonstrated how important international encounters are for young people – especially in challenging times. It created space for exchange, creativity and shared learning and made a valuable contribution to strengthening children’s rights, peace and European cohesion.
