Across the world, young Christians continue to lead efforts for justice, peace, and reconciliation within their communities. This upcoming series provides a space for youth to deepen their understanding of how advocacy rooted in faith can influence national and international processes such as the UN Universal Periodic Review, UN treaty body reviews, and Sustainable Development Goal voluntary national reviews. “Jesus walked alongside the outcasts and the marginalized,” said Abigayle Bolado, Youth Engagement programme executive. “As young Christians, we are called to follow in those footsteps- not only through compassion, but through action. These workshops are about equipping youth with the skills to raise their voices in ways that transform systems and uphold the God-given dignity of every person.” The series will gather young people ages 20–30 from ecumenical backgrounds who are engaged in justice, peace, and human rights work, including those affiliated with churches, ecumenical organizations, and Christian student movements. No prior experience in advocacy writing is required. "In these days of increasing disregard for fundamental principles of human rights and the frameworks built to protect them over the last 80 years, it is more urgent than ever that the history of these frameworks and how to use them today, is shared with our young people. Our prayer for the next generation of human rights defenders is that they will find creative ways to reverse the decline in respect for the dignity of others, and fight for the protection of the most vulnerable amongst us,” said Jennifer Philpot-Nissen, WCC programme executive for Human Rights and Disarmament. Through Bible reflection, interactive discussions, and hands-on exercises, participants will learn to develop submissions and statements to civil society and review bodies, while fostering interfaith solidarity and peer learning. The training will also introduce participants to tools for effective advocacy, from mapping national human rights contexts to drafting action plans and letters aligned with UN review mechanisms. The workshop, scheduled for 28 November, will take place in two sessions to accommodate different time zones, but will have the same presentations or topics of discussion: - Schedule A: 09:00–11:30 CET
- Schedule B: 13:00–15:30 CET
Each session will begin with a biblical reflection on human rights, followed by participant presentations on social justice issues from their countries. Facilitators will guide participants through research and mapping exercises, helping them translate lived experiences into written advocacy that can influence reviews, policies, and programmes at both national and international levels. The initiative will also mark the beginning of a Human Rights Ecumenical Youth Hub, a global platform for continued learning, collaboration, and solidarity among faith-based youth advocates. “Through this shared journey,” Bolado said, “we hope to build a generation of Christian leaders who not only speak truth to power but do so with faith, humility, and courage, embodying the gospel call to justice in every word and action.” Register for the workshop | 
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