Statement of the Coalition of the National Youth councils

In the conditions of growing uncertainty and general depression in connection with the war in Ukraine, we, the youth of Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Denmark, address you with a manifesto. This manifesto is an attempt to reflect the current state of the world’s youth and convey our voice to the global democratic community.

We are watching with great pain the outbreak of aggressive actions in the region of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus in recent years: civil wars, revolutionary movements, unrest, armed conflict. During this time we have lost the lives of countless people. People who fought for their truth, for the territory of their country, for the safety of their loved ones, for their state. We do not condemn people who defend what is dear to them. We condemn those who incite national hate, violate the sovereignty of countries and international agreements, misinform the population and pursue policies that do not meet democratic standards and peacebuilding.

Nor can we ignore the potential threat to Europe as a whole posed by the frantic actions of the occupying forces at and within strategic nuclear facilities in Ukraine. The international community and the United Nations must approve all necessary measures to ensure the evacuation of the civilian population and prisoners of war, using existing mechanisms to address situations such as UN peacekeepers.

We consider human life to be of the highest value and therefore deny the military way to achieve any goal. In the age of information breakthrough, unlimited access to knowledge, the pursuit of universal equality of rights and freedoms, we found ourselves in a situation where one state was allowed to disturb the state of peace and stable development. We strive for a peaceful future and call for it to be created together!

We single out the role of youth in the anti-war movement. Young people have shown their role as a driving force for progressive social change and have proven their ability to uphold democratic values ​​at various levels. We insist on the involvement of young people in the decision-making process in all its forms and emphasize that it is the young people who are currently in the closest contact with those who are in Ukraine or have already managed to leave it.

We continue our activities and do not impose on the youth of the world a way of conduct to the form in which they want to express their position on the war. We are trying to give a voice to the youth, which seeks to fully condemn the senseless war and raise awareness of what is happening. We want to live in peace and not lose relatives, friends and loved ones, young and old, who fall victim to the ambitions of self-directed political leaders. We are against this war, as well as against any war, because when guns are talking, other voices are not heard.

We call on the political forces and societies of the world:

• Stop wars and military conflicts;
• Use only peace methods to resolve conflicts;
• Young people to take part in building a peaceful future;
• Promote dialogue and non-discrimination in society;
• Promote the position of anti-militarist prevention and cessation of military conflicts.

To achieve the goal of ending the use of military actions in our region and in the world, we call on young people and youth organizations from all over the world to join our statement.

We urge everyone to:

• Immediately end military aggression in Ukraine;
• Immediately start the peace process;
• Immediately withdraw Russian troops to the territory of the Russian Federation within UN-recognized borders;
• Create conditions for refugees fleeing from violence and hostilities;
• Give voice to young people in the process of building peace.

We are calling for individual and collective actions that can stop the escalation of the conflict and contribute to its solution.