Objective
Empowering Next-Gen Peacebuilders: Bridging Europe and Africa through Youth, Peace, and Security
The Italia-Africa Next Generation project aims to strengthen dialogue between committed youth and experts from the new generations in Europe and Africa, within the strategic framework of the Mattei Plan.
Timeline
Area
Experts
Partners
Sponsor
peacetech
The project
The Italia-Africa Next Generation project is an international initiative designed to bridge the gap between young leaders and decision-makers across Europe and Africa. Set against the strategic backdrop of Italy’s Mattei Plan, the project connects emerging youth leaders aged 18 to 29 from Italy, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, fostering cross-border collaboration and mutual learning.
Grounded in the UN Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda (UNSCR 2250) and Italy’s National Action Plan, the project creates a robust network of young peacebuilders. Through international exchanges, capacity-building workshops on policy dialogue and advocacy, and community-led local activities, Italia-Africa Next Generation equips the next generation with the tools, knowledge, and platform needed to actively shape peacebuilding processes and influence policy at both local and international levels.The project has six specific objectives:
Objectives & Strategic Impact
Our mission is to strengthen youth participation in governance and peace processes, aligning with the EU Youth Action Plan in External Action (2022–2027).
- Fostering Cross-Continental Partnerships: building an enduring network between European and African youth organizations to exchange best practices, innovative methodologies, and ground-level insights.
- Empowering Youth Leadership: enhancing the capacity of youth-led organizations to effectively engage with political decision-makers, advocate for youth inclusion, and drive policy reform.
- Promoting Public Awareness & Dialogue: raising awareness about the crucial role of young people in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, with a strong focus on intergenerational collaboration, interfaith dialogue, and local policy support.
Key project milestones
- July 2026 | International Youth Exchange (Mombasa, Kenya)
Focus on local community action, ground-level peace advocacy, and field experience sharing among coastal youth networks. - September 2026 | Training & Strategic Dialogue (Italy)
Advanced workshop on policy advocacy, intergenerational dialogue, and engagement with European and international stakeholders. - October 2026 | Final Exchange & Summit (Zanzibar, Tanzania)
Consolidation of recommendations, joint strategy drafting, and presentation of outcomes to local and regional policymakers.
Methodology & Strategic Approach
Italia-Africa Next Generation relies on a participatory, peer-to-peer learning methodology combined with a human-rights-based approach to peacebuilding.
Key framework pillars include:
- Peer Learning & Shared Leadership: empowering youth participants as co-creators of knowledge rather than passive beneficiaries.
- Action-Oriented Advocacy: translating high-level policy frameworks (such as the YPS agenda) into practical, grassroots action and tangible policy recommendations.
- Inclusive Dialogue: embedding interfaith and intergenerational perspectives into every phase of the project to ensure sustainable community buy-in.
