Youth-Led Environmental Peacebuilding: Reflections from Organization of the Path to Ottawa and the Fourth Conference

Karishma Goswami, Environmental Law Institute (United States)

This session reflects on patterns of youth engagement across the Path to Ottawa and the 4th International Conference on Environmental Peacebuilding from the perspective of the Path to Ottawa Series Coordinator and a member of the Core Secretariat and Organizing Committee to the conference. The session identifies the patterns and structure of youth engagement, successful mechanisms employed in organizing the aforementioned sessions in engaging young people, and key approaches to future youth engagement within the context of the changing field of environmental peacebuilding.

These events revealed that youth participation is sometimes shaped by access and that grassroots activism tended to be a popular area of focus for young people. I also found that often interest in the linkages between environment, conflict, peace and other areas exist among youth but lack clear connections to environmental peacebuilding, highlighting the need for mentorship to strengthen ideas and theoretical grounding. Exposure through volunteering, panels, and poster sessions proves valuable, offering accessible entry points and fostering professional development. However, demand for opportunities exceeds availability, emphasizing structural constraints. Effective engagement strategies include increasing opportunities for observation and participation, providing guidance from experienced practitioners, and creating structured skill-building programs. Overall, early exposure, mentorship, and intentional inclusion by established professionals are critical to sustaining youth involvement and helping them navigate and contribute meaningfully to the field.