AYSDN Participates in a Series of Youth Democracy and Engagement Events in Brussels, Belgium
Brussels, Belgium — Over the past week, the Arab Youth Sustainable Development Network (AYSDN) participated in a series of youth democracy and civic engagement activities in Brussels, bringing together young leaders, civil society representatives, and democracy practitioners from different regions of the world.
The week began with #DemoWave — The Youth (Un)Conference, an interactive gathering designed to move beyond traditional conference formats. Through creative and participatory modalities, the event created space for open dialogue, shared experiences, and meaningful exchange among participants committed to strengthening youth participation and democratic engagement.
AYSDN also participated in the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) Annual Conference, which convened diverse stakeholders to discuss democracy, civic space, participation, and the challenges facing democratic systems globally. The conference provided an important platform for exchanging perspectives and highlighting the role of youth and civil society in shaping more inclusive democratic processes.
The week also included the first in-person meeting of the Youth Democracy Cohort Steering Committee, where AYSDN serves as a Steering Committee member representing MENA youth voices. The meeting marked an important moment for Steering Committee representatives to meet beyond screens, exchange ideas face to face, and engage in discussions on the future direction of the YDC as a growing global youth community.
AYSDN’s participation in these activities reflects its continued commitment to promoting youth engagement, strengthening international partnerships, and contributing to global conversations on democracy, civic participation, and inclusive decision-making. These meetings also provided an important opportunity to build connections, share experiences, and explore future collaboration within the Youth Democracy Cohort and the wider democracy support community.