Engaging with Youth in EU Foreign Policy
On this page, you will find information about how the European External Action Service (EEAS) involves young people in its work—both within the EU and around the world.
Young people are essential partners in shaping the future of EU foreign policy. Whether it’s participating in the annual Youth Policy Dialogue with High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas, contributing to policy discussions, joining communication campaigns, or attending high-level events, youth voices matter.
Are you a young person passionate about EU foreign policy?
Do you have a community or following on social media or through other platforms? If so, we want to hear from you! Take the first step by filling out this short survey (link coming shortly).
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HR/VP Kaja Kallas hosted the first EU Youth Policy Dialogue on EU Foreign Policy on 6 March 2025 in Brussels, Belgium
Youth Policy Dialogues
The Youth Policy Dialogues are designed to give young people a platform to share their opinions on EU policy initiatives. These dialogues bring together young people and EU Commissioners in an interactive setting, ensuring that youth perspectives are integrated into the EU's decision-making process.
Through open discussions and exchanges, the dialogues aim to build relationships between young people and EU leaders, while empowering them to actively participate in democratic life. By engaging in these dialogues, young people can gain a deeper understanding of the reasoning behind policy decisions and their effects.
I will ask all Commissioners to organise their first annual Youth Policy Dialogues within the first 100 days of the mandate. These dialogues will be repeated annually.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in her Political Guidelines 2024-2029.
This first Youth Policy Dialogue on EU Foreign Policy underscores the EU’s commitment to empowering young voices and ensuring their meaningful participation in shaping the future of a stronger Europe around the world.
Together, we can build a more cohesive, resilient, and inclusive Europe, grounded in the shared values of peace, democracy, human rights, and prosperity.
First Youth Policy Dialogue
On 6 March 2025, High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas hosted the first EU Youth Policy Dialogue on EU Foreign Policy, in Brussels, Belgium. 25 young participants took the opportunity to share their views, express their ideas, and engage in active discussions. The result of the first Youth Policy Dialogue is a document with an initial set of proposals that represent their views.
Second Youth Policy Dialogue
The second Youth Policy Dialogue with HR/VP Kaja Kallas will take place in Montenegro in June 2026, in the margins of the EU-Western Balkans Summit. Further details will be announced soon.
Our Voice Our Future
The EEAS leads a community of young multipliers known as #OurVoiceOurFuture.
This initiative focuses on building long-term relationships and fostering community engagement, extending beyond individual communication campaigns.
The young multipliers, who may be activists, community or peace builders, or human rights defenders identified by EU Delegations or other organisations, operate with an impact-driven approach that aligns with EU values. The community is not only a key driver of youth involvement in the EEAS’s external communications but also ensures that young voices have a meaningful space to help shape the EU Foreign Policy in line with the European Commission’s political guidelines and the Yearly Youth Policy Dialogue with HR/VP.
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European Youth Week
The European Youth Week is almost here! This year, starting the 24th of April to the 1st of May, in Brussels and across Europe, the EU will be celebrating young people making a difference in the world. The Week will focus on Solidarity and Fairness.
The kick-off event, co-organised by the European Commission (DG EAC) and the European Parliament, will be held on Friday, 24 April 2026, at the European Parliament in Brussels. It is expected to gather around 1,000 young people from across Europe and beyond.
To celebrate this, the EEAS is proud to invite a group of young multipliers and action takers that will get to participate in events built to amplify their voices and impact. At the Kick-off in the EU Parliament, we will host a session titled: “Speak up in EU Foreign Policy: From social media activism to the decision-making table”, where we will explore how youth-led digital activism influences human rights, climate action and peace.
Members of the #OurVoiceOurFuture community and EEAS decision makers will meet to exchange ideas and options on a variety of subjects, defining the essential role of young people in tomorrow’s world. This event will serve as a platform for intergenerational dialogue between young social media activists and EU decision-makers.
