COPENHAGEN, 2 June 2026 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Parliamentary Dialogue Platform on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) today held its third webinar, entitled “Prevention through Education, Media Literacy, and Civic Engagement.” Organized by the OSCE PA Special Representative on Youth Engagement, Lucija Tacer Perlin (Slovenia), in co-operation with the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism, the online event brought together parliamentarians, experts and practitioners from across the OSCE region to discuss prevention as a core pillar of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda.
The webinar examined how education systems, media literacy initiatives and civic engagement opportunities can strengthen resilience among young people, promote democratic participation and help address the factors that can contribute to polarization, disinformation and violent extremism. Participants also discussed the role of parliaments in supporting prevention efforts through legislation, oversight, budgeting and direct engagement with young people.
Opening the event, Special Representative Tacer Perlin highlighted the importance of investing in prevention and youth empowerment as part of broader peace and security efforts.
“Prevention is not only about reducing risks. It is also about creating opportunities for young people to participate, contribute and feel ownership in democratic processes and peaceful societies. Investing in young people’s critical thinking, participation and sense of belonging is fundamental for strengthening democratic resilience and enabling young people to become active contributors to peaceful and inclusive societies,” Tacer Perlin said.
In his welcome remarks, Chair of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism Dr. Kamil Aydin underlined the growing challenges posed by online radicalization and the importance of preventive approaches. “Education, media literacy, and civic engagement are essential tools for building resilience among young people and strengthening democratic societies against extremist influence,” Aydin said.
The webinar featured presentations by Professor Hilary Pilkington of the University of Manchester, who shared research findings on youth resilience, radicalization and democratic engagement; Akrom Khaydarov of Search for Common Ground, who presented practical experiences from youth-focused prevention initiatives in Central Asia; and Marco Bonabello of the OSCE PA International Secretariat, who introduced the OSCE PA School Dialogues initiative.
Participants also discussed lessons learned from the School Dialogues programme, implemented by the Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism in Italy and Montenegro. The initiative brings together parliamentarians, students, teachers and experts to discuss critical thinking, democratic values and the prevention of violent extremism, providing a practical model for youth engagement and dialogue.
The webinar forms part of the Parliamentary Dialogue Platform on Youth, Peace and Security launched by Tacer Perlin in January 2026. The Platform serves as a forum for parliamentarians to exchange experiences and develop practical tools to support implementation of the YPS agenda across the OSCE region. Discussions and recommendations from the webinar will contribute to the development of a Checklist for Parliamentarians on Youth, Peace and Security Implementation, which is expected to be finalized in 2026.
