World BEYOND War’s Education Director, Dr. Phill Gittins.

Strengthening Peace Education Across Europe
World BEYOND War

(March 13, 2025) — World BEYOND War’s Education Director, Dr. Phill Gittins, has been commissioned by the Council of Europe—Europe’s leading human rights organisation, comprising 46 member states, including all EU member states—to support the preparation of a Committee of Ministers Recommendation to member states on Peace Education in Non-Formal Education and Youth Work

The Recommendation seeks to make a supportive contribution to the Council of Europe’s (CoE) youth sector strategic priority of “Living Together in Peaceful and Inclusive Societies.” It builds upon existing and ongoing CoE initiatives specific to this area, including:

• The Youth Peace Camp, held annually;
• A consultative meeting in Strasbourg (France) in 2023 about peacebuilding and conflict transformation in youth activities within the CoE; and
• a Feasibility Study on Peace Education in Non-Formal Learning and Youth Work, in 2024 (see below for more details).

The recommendations and conclusions from the Feasibility Study were endorsed by the Joint Council on Youth (CMJ) in 2024. As the political decision-making body for the CoE’s youth sector, the CMJ negotiates and co-decides on policies, priorities, and budgets for youth work and youth policy across the 46 member states.

The Drafting Process
In collaboration with others, Phill is leading the drafting of the Recommendation and supporting documents, including a possible Appendix and Explanatory Memorandum. The goal is to have the Recommendation adopted in 2025.

The drafting process is highly iterative and collaborative, working closely with a diverse drafting group drawn from leading youth organisations and institutions, including:

• Advisory Council on Youth (AC)
• European Steering Committee for Youth (CDEJ)
• European Youth Forum
• European Youth Information and Counselling Agency
• World Organisation of the Scout Movement (Observer)
• Council of Europe Secretariat (Youth Department, Directorate of Legal Advice and Public International Law, and the Joint Council on Youth)

Drafting group members and other contributors come from a range of countries, including Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Croatia, England, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, and others

The first in-person drafting meeting took place on March 11-12, 2025 at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, France, covering:

• Appointment of a Chair and Co-Chair.
• Recalling the mandate and composition of the drafting group.
• Presentation of findings and conclusions from the Feasibility Study and the CMJ’s Decisions.
• Guidelines and good practices for drafting a Committee of Ministers Recommendation.
• Methodology and timeline for the drafting process.
• Discussion on the main functions and added value of the Recommendation.
• Presentation of the draft structure of the Recommendation.

Why It Matters
At a time when the world is becoming increasingly militarised—with rising military spending while peace is in decline, and with cuts to peacebuilding, conflict response budgets, and other essential services such as education, healthcare, and housing—the need for peace education has never been greater.

The Recommendation will:

• Align with the Council of Europe’s values, priorities, and practices while offering a distinct contribution to existing efforts.
• Reflect the needs, interests, and priorities of the youth sector in Europe.
• Incorporate recommendations and conclusions from the Feasibility Study.

The importance and added value of the Recommendation, to the Council of Europe and beyond, can be summed up in the following:

• No youth, no peace.
• No peace without peace education.

A core principle underpinning the Recommendation will be the notion of “nothing about youth without youth” – a recognition that peace education should be done “with, by, and for” young people—not merely “on” or “about” them. This means young people must be positioned as agents, experts, leaders, co-creators, designers, multipliers, partners, and collaborators, rather than passive observers, recipients, or beneficiaries.

What’s Next?

• The second in-person drafting meeting is planned for June 4-5 in Strasbourg, France.
• Phill is preparing an updated draft for members to review and provide feedback.
• A high-level summary of the draft, suggested structure, and main points of the Recommendation will be presented at the Joint Council on Youth meeting before June.

More about the Feasibility Study

The Feasibility Study on Peace Education in Non-Formal Learning and Youth Work gives a perspective on peace education, discussing:

• Principles, purposes, pedagogy, and content of peace education.
• Progress made and existing gaps in peace education
• Key recommendations to strengthen peace education policy, research, and practice.

🔑 Key Recommendations from the Study Include:
✅ Ensure the equitable, inclusive, and meaningful participation of young people
✅ Take a holistic and comprehensive approach to peace education
✅ Contextualise efforts to local needs while aligning with broader commitments
✅ Embed peace education across all learning spaces
✅ Strengthen coordination across sectors and levels of society
✅ Ensure adequate investment to benefit youth, economies, and society as a whole

📌 Read the full study here: Feasibility Study on Peace Education

Acknowledgements
The study owes much to the incredible individuals, organisations, and communities shaping the fields of peace education, youth work, youth, peace and security (YPS), conflict transformation, peacebuilding, and intercultural learning and dialogue, broadly defined, many of whom are cited in the study or contributed through expert interviews and surveys.

Special thanks go to representatives from the following organisations:

Agency for Peacebuilding, Collegium Civitas, Council of Europe, De Montfort University, EU Coalition on Youth, Peace & Security, Human Rights Education Associates (HREA), Institute for Economics and Peace, International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID), Global Campaign for Peace Education, James Madison University, Journal of Peace Education, Narvik War & Peace Centre, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Regional Youth Cooperation Office, Rotaract Europe, Rotary International, Search for Common Ground, The Commonwealth Secretariat, UNESCO, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Utrecht University, World Organisation of the Scout Movement