MISSION
In 2014, NewGen Peacebuilders launched with a mission to “make learning to be a peacebuilder a rite of passage for everyone.”
We’ve grown into a collective community of students, alumni, teachers, advisors, and supporters around the world with a shared goal to …
… and everyday there are more of us.
Why Young People?
Today’s young people have unprecedented awareness of local, regional and global issues, as well as a desire to solve problems. Non-profit and for-profit leaders often point to the potential of young people as tomorrow’s global citizen leaders. Yet peace is essentially absent from formal and informal education frameworks. Young people are rarely invited to create and participate in local, national and international peace projects.
NewGen Peacebuilders conveys “peace universals” that are consistent across cultures while adapting for local context and circumstances. Participants are encouraged to think about the “whole” of their communities, region, country, and the world. Trained facilitators, mentors, and conversation guides support students on their peacebuilding journey.
Young People at the Center of Building and Sustaining a Culture of Peace
A United Nations report titled “The Missing Peace: Independent Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security” confirmed the value and potential impact of young people as peacebuilders through face-to-face consultations with 4,230 young people, including participants in 281 focus groups and 44 countries. Watch the two short video excerpts below for additional insight from author Graeme Simpson.