Youth Speak Peace at NATO Summit: “We’re not here with easy answers for peace – we’re here because we’re done inheriting silence and toxic rhetoric.” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will receive the manifesto.

“Close your eyes and imagine someone in a conflict zone who knows no one,” a Syrian student asked. “Now imagine you are writing this manifesto for that person.”

The Hague, June 24, 2025 – As world leaders focus on security and strategy and new wars erupt around us, a powerful, unfiltered voice rises from the sidelines of the NATO summit: the voices of more than a hundred young people from 43 countries and four continents, gathered for the first-ever Youth Peace Summit, inspired by UN Resolution 2250. Among them are young participants from Russia, Ukraine, the USA, India, Pakistan, Congo, Belarus, Israel, and Palestine, engaged in direct dialogue.

These youth are standing up and demanding a seat at the negotiation table. Their message is clear: “We are the present, the future – and that future must be peaceful.”

“War is old, but we are new. Give us a voice before we repeat the same path.” – Participant from France

Together, they are drafting a peace manifesto to help turn the tide for those suffering in a world that seems unable to resolve its ongoing conflicts. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to receive the manifesto in person on Thursday.
Rather than focusing on military deterrence, the youth emphasize the importance of a rule-based global order, dialogue, and the nonviolent power of civil society.

“Diplomacy is not weakness. It is the courage to speak where others shout.” – Participant from the Netherlands

The Youth Summit is organized by, among others, Professor Jaap de Zwaan, former director of the Clingendael Institute. Key speakers include Rear Admiral (ret.) Hans Lodder and UN Youth Representative for Human Rights and Security Emma van Nieuwenhuizen. The summit takes place at The Hague University of Applied Sciences.

The Hague, a proud city of peace and justice, is internationally known for its many peace conferences, particularly in the previous century. Yet, this marks the first time a peace conference of this kind has been organized for and by youth.

“Last year, my wife and I had a daughter, Sophia. Not once did we consider leaving Ukraine. We wanted her to grow up there. Now, standing on this stage, I speak not just for myself, but for many families and for those on the front lines of Russian violence.”
– Vitalii Yaromchuck, professor of criminal law

Interviews were conducted during the summit.
Photo credit: Suzanne Liem