Youth Workshop in DRC Connects Local Challenges with Global Peacebuilding
- Young World Federalists
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
On 25 November 2025, forty-one young people gathered at the Panzi Youth Centre in Bukavu, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, to explore one big idea: how global citizenship can help build lasting peace in communities that live with tension and violence every day.
The workshop, organised by the Congo-DRC Youth Community Network with financial support from the Young World Federalists (YWF), was titled “Global Citizenship Education and its Role in Building Lasting Peace through Active Youth Participation”. Participants included students, young community leaders, activists, members of local associations and young volunteers from several neighbourhoods across the city.
From the beginning, the atmosphere was energetic and open. Facilitators introduced key values of global citizenship such as responsibility, solidarity, respect for diversity, human rights and civic engagement. Rather than keeping the discussion abstract, they constantly brought it back to daily life in Bukavu: what it means to live with insecurity, how rumours and mistrust can deepen conflict, and how young people already play a role in their communities, whether they realise it or not.
In small group discussions, participants wrestled with simple but powerful questions. What does it mean to see yourself as a citizen of your community and of the world at the same time? How can youth promote non-violence and social cohesion in their own streets, schools and associations? What kind of actions show real solidarity across ethnic, religious or neighbourhood lines? As they spoke, many began to connect their own experiences to broader global conversations about peace, justice and human unity.
The format was deliberately participatory. Instead of a long lecture, the organisers used interactive discussions, moments for personal stories and time for questions. Language shifted when needed so that everyone could follow. Young people reflected on conflicts they see around them, and on how they might respond differently if they view themselves as part of a wider human community, not only one group or identity. By the end of the workshop, participants were not just repeating new vocabulary but describing how they wanted to act differently with neighbours, classmates and local leaders.
The impact was visible in what happened next. Thirty-three young people chose to formally join the organisers’ movement, committing themselves to continued work for peace and social transformation in Bukavu. The workshop deepened their understanding of global citizenship, but it also strengthened leadership skills, critical thinking and a sense of civic responsibility. Participants left with concrete ideas for awareness campaigns on non-violence, involvement in local civic initiatives and activities that bring together young people from different backgrounds to build trust instead of fear.
Like many grassroots initiatives, the event faced real-world challenges. Limited materials and logistical constraints made it difficult to create ideal conditions for learning. Not everyone arrived with the same familiarity with concepts like global citizenship, world governance or international institutions, so facilitators had to work carefully to keep the content accessible while still engaging those already active in civic life. These challenges did not stop the conversations, but they did highlight how important resources, preparation time, and follow-up support are for youth-led peacebuilding.
The team in Bukavu is already thinking about what comes next. They plan to organise mentoring and follow-up activities for the young people who expressed interest in staying involved, so that the energy of one afternoon can turn into a longer-term commitment. They also want to strengthen communication and mobilisation through social media and partnerships with other local organisations, so that more young people in the city can discover global citizenship and see themselves as part of global efforts for peace.
For Young World Federalists, this workshop is part of a broader effort to nurture a generation that thinks and acts beyond borders. By linking local peacebuilding to universal values like justice, diversity and shared responsibility, the Bukavu event helped participants see how their lives are connected to global systems and institutions. It encouraged them to imagine how a more democratic and accountable system of global governance could better protect communities like theirs, and how ordinary people, including African youth, should have a stronger voice in decisions that affect everyone. In that sense, it brought world federalist ideas down to earth and into a parish youth centre.
This kind of work is only possible because of YWF members. The funding that supported the Bukavu workshop comes directly from people around the world who choose to join YWF and back youth-led organising for a more democratic, peaceful and united world. For just 1 USD per month or 10 USD per year, you can become a YWF member and help make more activities like this happen, from Bukavu to Lilongwe, Kaduna, Nairobi and beyond.