The report of a two-day expert meeting on Young People and Social Inclusion in European Cities, recently published by the KAICIID International Dialogue Center, draws on contributions of 25 actors and policymakers including the Baha’i International Community’s (BIC) Brussels Office. The report was released earlier in the year.

Discussions at the meeting explored the role of young people in countering hate speech, promoting inclusion and social change. The responsibility of local actors was also discussed both in providing an empowering environment, supporting the participation of young people and fostering intergenerational dialogue. 

Sina Varaei, a member of the BIC’s Brussels Office, in remarks shared at the gathering, underlined the need to reconsider education and view young people as endowed with capacity to contribute to the welfare of their community.

“Young people have an acute sense of their reality and their contribution is precious,” Varaei said. “Contributing to community and society is also a powerful way to grow and learn.”

Varaei also reflected on how to overcome challenges that communities experience when including and integrating young people in community life. Fostering interaction between different age groups, and adopting approaches which reflect trust and true conviction in the capacity of young people, are essential in this regard.

Insights drawn from this expert meeting will guide discussions at the fifth European Policy Dialogue Forum (EPDF) to be held in Rotterdam in November of this year.

The EDPF is a yearly forum hosted by the KAICIID International Dialogue Center, which hosts a range of prominent religious actors, civil society and European policymakers, to build partnerships and identify implementations of new policies in fields such as social cohesion, human dignity, migration or diversity.

“We look forward to the next edition of the EPDF,” concluded Varaei said, “to learn, alongside other actors, from the variety of experiences both at the grassroot and policy levels, in building a sense of purpose and belonging, and in benefiting from the wealth that the diversity of ethnic, religious and age groups have to offer.