Local Youth Corner Cameroon is excited to announce the Regional Symposium on Youth Participation in the Peace Process, taking place from October 16-18, 2025, at Biaka University Institute, Buea, South-West Region. This three-day symposium is organized by Local Youth Corner Cameroon in collaboration with the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, with technical and institutional support from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education and the South West Regional Council. The symposium will gather 200 participants, including 160 youth leaders and 40 high-level stakeholders, to engage in impactful discussions about the vital role of youth in peacebuilding.

Background

The ongoing crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions has significantly affected young people. This symposium aims to create a platform for structured engagement among youth actors, policymakers, and peacebuilding stakeholders, amplifying youth voices, particularly those of young women.

Objectives

• Facilitate engagement between youth-led organizations and key peacebuilding stakeholders.
• Explore gendered experiences of youth in conflict and their contributions to peacebuilding.
• Present findings from a regional mapping of youth-led peace initiatives.
• Strengthen collaboration and learning among youth movements and civil society organizations.
• Generate actionable recommendations to influence peacebuilding strategies.

Symposium Program

• Day 1: Understanding youth realities in conflict-affected areas with keynote speeches and advocacy sessions.
• Day 2: Capacity building through workshops on conflict sensitivity and gender-responsive peacebuilding.
• Day 3: Transforming learning into action with creative labs for co-designing peace campaigns.

Agricultural Exhibition

An Agricultural Exhibition will run concurrently, showcasing the outcomes of the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) program, highlighting agriculture as a pathway for sustainable reintegration and economic resilience.

Expected Outcomes

We aim to enhance recognition of youth contributions to peace, foster collaboration between youth actors and institutions, and co-develop a Youth Peacebuilding Charter with actionable recommendations.