20-22 September 2019, International Peace Bureau

Organizers

IPB Youth Network, IPB in partnership with ITUC and ITUC Youth

With the support of DFG-VK, International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES), Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Hans-Böckler–Stiftung (tbc)

Location

Technical University Berlin, Building of Mathematics, Strassedes 17. Juni 136

Introduction

In the 21st century we experience multiple wars, destruction and injustice. Challenges and problems are becoming more visible at both small and large scales, ranging from threats with the potential to end human life itself to diverse destruction of environment and other foundations of life. Militarism and injustice drive these potentials on multiple levels. Aspects of societies – i.e. lack of democracy, distribution of wealth, gender inequalities or the belief in infinite profit maximization – are at the base of many challenges and problems.

Young people are agents of change and need to discuss and exchange on these matters much more. We want to organize to amplify our voices and to engage much more in peace processes and struggles for societal progress.

The world youth congress is a youth-led congress, contributing to the vision of a world in peace and without war and to the vision of a more peaceful, just and sustainable future. The idea of the youth congress derives from the preparatory process of the youth gathering of the IPB World Congress “Disarm! For a Climate of Peace – Creating an Action Agenda” (www.ipb2016.berlin). Some of the discussions of this congress as well as of an international working meeting on the weekend of the international day of peace 2018 (https://ipb-youthnetwork.org/2018/08/ipbyn-event-on-international-day-of-peace/) will be continued at the world youth congress.

The congress will focus on transformation towards a more peaceful, just and sustainable future. This will be achieved by informal learning to develop a sense of personal responsibility, by developing plans for concrete actions in day-to-day live as well as in societal processes. The Youth Congress will engage youth from various different backgrounds and with varying perspectives and approaches to peace, justice and sustainability as well as diverse experts and lays from different fields related to the congress’ issues.

Objectives

The overall objective of the world youth congress is to build bridges and foster discussions among youth with different perspectives on and approaches to peace, justice and sustainability alongside non-youth stakeholders active in the peace movement and in the various fields. Voices of youth against war and for peace should be increasingly and strongly heard. Among others, the specific objectives are:

1. To speak out and act against war, militarism, injustice, and planetary destruction.
2. To equip young people with the confidence and competencies to build peace, sustainability, and justice.
3. To bring young people into regional national and international decision making processes.
4. To facilitate intergenerational and interdisciplinary approaches to a global culture of peace, justice and sustainability.

Program

Friday, 20 September 2019

19:00  Public Evening Event

“Transformation – how fundamental and how fast do we need change”

With: Joachim Spangenberg (Helmholtz Institute / INES), Maria Tsirantonak (ITUC Youth), Joseph Gerson (CPDCS/ IPB), Sara Medi Jones (CND), Ernst-Ulrich von Weizsäcker(Club of Rome)

Greetings and moderation: Reiner Braun (IPB), Marie Cucurella (IPB Youth)

Saturday, 21 September 2019

9:30 – 12:00 Exchange of experience and information in smaller groups

– Floor for meaningful exchange between the participants and floor for open discussions in the framework of the topics of the congress:
o Exchange of expectations: Why are you here? How do you see your participation in the congress, what can you bring?
o Exchange of knowledge and experience: What is your local day to day situation and work? How and in which ways are you active for peace, sustainability, and justice? What are your best practices and lessons learnt from your activism/work?

12:00 – 13:30 Lunch

13:30 – 15:00 Panel discussions on the themes of the congress

– Transformation from militarism to non-violence
o Organized by IPB. With Arielle Denis (IPB), Kevin Martin (Peace Action USA), Emma Pritchard (IPB Youth), Jennifer Menninger (WILPF)
– Transformation from environmental destruction to sustainability
o Karl-Heinz Peil (BundesausschussFriedensratschlag) (tbc), Tamara Lorincz (IPB), Jagoda Munic (Friends of the Earth Europe), Corazon Fabros (Nuclear Free Pilipinas / IPB)
– Transformation from injustice to global justice
o Organized by ITUC and ITUC Youth with NN(ITUC Youth), Chloe Meulewaeter (Centre Delàs d´Estudis per la Pau)

15:00 – 15:45 Break

15:45 – 18:00 Parallel working groups deepening the panel discussions

19:30 Social Event

Sunday, 22 September 2019

9:30 – 11:00 Developing of strategies & actions for a transformation towards a culture of peace

o Which strategies and actions can be applied and developed?
o What can we do together?

11:00 – 11:30 Break

11:30 – 13:30 Panel discussion with open mic: How do we transform our societies?

With: Sharan Burrows (ITUC) (Video), Jeroen Beirnaert(ITUC), Corazon Fabros (IPB), NN Fridays for Future, Angelo Cardona (IPB Youth), Jordi Calvo Rufanges (IPB)

Organizational Information:

Please register for the congress at info@ipb-office.berlin

We would like to ask participants for a financial contribution to the conference in the amount of 5 Euro / 20 Euro / 40 Euro.You may submit a contribution upon arrival or via bank/ paypal transfer (https://www.ipb.org/donate/). German bank account holders may transfer a contribution to . PLEASE give the following reference: IPBYN congress 2019.

How to get there: TU Berlin is located close to S-Bahn station Tiergarten and U-Bahn station Ernst-Reuter-Platz. The entrance to the Mathematician Building is right next to MatheCafé. Geographic coordinates 52.513392, 13.326323

Accommodation: for cheap accommodation check www.booking.com or www.hrs.de. Around S-Bahn station Zoologischer Garten are various hostels and hotels. Furthermore, we will be able to offer limited private accommodation. Please contact us for more details.