South Africa-Finland Launch Youth Peace Mediators Programme for Global Impact

In a landmark move for global youth empowerment and peacebuilding, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Mr. Ronald Lamola officially launched the South African leg of the South Africa-Finland Youth Peace Mediators Mentoring Programme. This visionary initiative, jointly developed by South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, sets a new benchmark for collaborative, youth-focused diplomacy and mediation capacity-building on the international stage.

A Vision Rooted in Global Peace and Youth Participation

The one-year programme is designed to empower 15 exceptional young peacebuilders from across the globe with the knowledge, tools, and mentorship necessary to lead and contribute meaningfully to peace negotiations, conflict resolution, and post-conflict reconstruction.

This initiative contributes directly to key international frameworks:

• United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250, which recognizes youth as essential actors in peace and security;

• The African Union Agenda 2063, particularly its commitment to youth-led governance and sustainable peace;

• And broader efforts to institutionalize youth participation in formal peace processes worldwide.

Minister Lamola stated:

“We know too well that ethnic hatred poisons communities, that religious intolerance fractures societies and that ideological fanaticism suffocates debate… By building bridges across continents, we reaffirm that young people are not merely beneficiaries of peace — they are essential agents of its creation.”

Youth Month Launch: A Tribute to South Africa’s Legacy of Struggle

The launch took place during South Africa’s Youth Month, a deeply symbolic time that honors the courage and sacrifice of young people in the struggle against apartheid — especially the 1976 Soweto Uprising heroes.

Minister Lamola emphasized the relevance of the programme in this context, noting that the legacy of youth activism in South Africa continues to inspire new generations to shape a better, more peaceful world. This programme, he said, is a natural extension of that legacy — adapted to modern global realities.

Programme Components: Global Exposure and Practical Skill-Building

Selected participants — nominated through a rigorous process by DIRCO’s Diplomatic Academy and Finland’s Centre for Peace Mediation — will engage in:

• In-person workshops hosted in both South Africa and Finland, offering practical training in negotiation techniques and conflict analysis;

• Study visits to the United Nations Headquarters in New York and the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, providing exposure to multilateral diplomacy;

• Virtual thematic sessions featuring prominent peace mediators, diplomats, and experts in transitional justice, reconciliation, and gender-inclusive peace processes.

Diverse Global Representation for Inclusive Dialogue

The 15 peacebuilders selected for the first cohort represent a mosaic of experiences, cultural perspectives, and geopolitical contexts — from fragile states to emerging democracies and established diplomatic actors.

Participants hail from:

• Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt

• Asia: India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Türkiye

• Americas: Colombia, Haiti

• Europe: Finland, Ukraine

• Middle East: Qatar

This diversity is central to the programme’s design, enabling cross-regional knowledge sharing, mutual learning, and the creation of a global network of youth peace practitioners.

Strengthening Bilateral Relations Through Peace Diplomacy

The initiative is grounded in the broader South Africa–Finland Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on peace mediation, signed as part of a strategic partnership between the two nations. Through this MoU, both countries have committed to:

• Advancing joint peacebuilding strategies,

• Promoting youth participation in international diplomacy,

• Supporting knowledge exchange and mentoring between senior and emerging peace actors.

A Legacy of Mediation and a Future of Youth Leadership

South Africa and Finland, both respected for their peacebuilding track records, are leveraging their diplomatic capital to foster the next generation of mediators, negotiators, and conflict-resolution experts. The programme also serves as a model for how nations can work across cultures and continents to support inclusive global governance.

Minister Lamola concluded:

“This initiative reaffirms South Africa’s role in crafting youth-driven, inclusive solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. Let the voices of the next generation be the architects of peace.”