During the MFR Youth Festival, rural youth not only spoke out, but also formulated a structured and committed plea, built in several stages from their own reflections, experiences, and priorities. This plea follows on from preparatory events organized locally, where young people collectively reflected on the theme: Peace with oneself, with others, and with the world.
The co-creation process was based on 18 proposals, stemming from the reflections of young people in the regions. These proposals were debated, defended, and submitted to a collective vote in the exceptional setting of the European Parliament's hemicycle in Strasbourg. Using the institution's official voting system, the young people selected the 9 most supported recommendations : 3 per theme. This process of deliberation and choice reflects a fully democratic approach, founded on listening, participation, and empowerment.
🧠 Peace with yourself
Objective: To promote mental health, well-being and self-awareness.
- Integrate stress management, emotion management and self-awareness workshops into school curricula.
- Promote sporting, creative and outdoor activities as levers for physical and mental well-being.
- Deploy healthy eating workshops to link physical health and self-esteem.
🤝 Peace with others
Objective: to strengthen social ties, inclusion and mutual respect.
- Integrate modules from a young age to teach respect, cooperation and living together.
- Raise awareness of the responsible use of social networks and cyber citizenship.
- Use team sport as a tool for diversity, mediation and understanding of social rules.
🌍 Peace with the world
Objective: to develop a collective and united awareness on a global scale.
- Raise awareness of climate justice through educational programs and concrete projects.
- Organize annual events linked to the SDGs mobilizing young people and their territories.
- Promoting sport as a universal language in the service of peace and international inclusion.
This plea powerfully illustrates the capacity of rural youth to analyze, propose ideas, and mobilize. Through this collective stance, they affirm their desire to be active players in a fairer, more sustainable, and more peaceful world.
These nine recommendations now form a basis for action to inform educational projects, local and national advocacy efforts, and dialogues with institutions. They have already been incorporated by the MFR administrators present, representatives from the Ministry of Youth, and regional elected officials from Normandy and Provence, to enrich institutional discussions. At the same time, young people themselves are encouraged to adopt these recommendations, or draw inspiration from the approach, to promote them in their communities with MFR administrators, municipal and departmental elected officials, and to advance a concrete vision of peaceful rural youth.
A clear message: peace is built now, by and with young people.
