This week, Europaburg Neumarkt became the venue for an extraordinary international youth exchange: As part of the EYFON Peace Days 2026, 30 young participants from numerous European countries, including Ukraine, Slovakia, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Malta, France, and the Western Balkan states, came together to engage in intensive discussions about peace, democracy, media literacy, and European cooperation.

The multi-day seminar not only brought together young people from diverse cultural backgrounds but also boasted an impressive list of high-ranking speakers from the fields of politics, academia, business, and security.

Among the special guests were Valon Murtezaj, former Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kosovo and one of the most renowned experts on international conflict resolution in Southeast Europe. Further insights were provided by Ukrainian professors Olga Tsaryk and Natalia Rybina, who gave presentations on disinformation, hybrid warfare, and the protection of democratic societies. Representatives of the French Reserve Army, Laurent Barthe and Grigory Volkov, also discussed security, resilience, and civil protection in the event of disasters such as forest fires across Europe with the young people.

A particular highlight was the Model United Nations simulation led by Orines Gashi. Participants took on the roles of diplomats and negotiated international conflicts according to the rules of the United Nations.

The international composition of the group made the event especially valuable. Young people from Austria, France, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Albania, Malta, Ukraine, and Kosovo contributed their experiences, perspectives, and ideas. This fostered a vibrant exchange across national borders—precisely the kind of Europe in miniature that EYFON has been promoting for decades.

„Peace doesn’t happen by itself. Peace arises where people talk to each other, learn from each other, and take responsibility together,“ emphasized Christoph Leitl, President of EYFON. “The Peace Days have impressively demonstrated the great interest young Europeans have in democracy, cohesion, and international cooperation,” said Dave Kock, Project Manager.

“With the successful EYFON Peace Days, Europaburg Neumarkt is sending a strong signal for European understanding. The second Peace Days week will follow in September, with a greater focus on EU enlargement and peace through art,” concluded EYFON Managing Director Christian Buchmann.

About EYFON:

The European Youth Forum Neumarkt (EYFON) stands for a Europe that lives in peace and freedom and offers young Europeans the opportunity to work together on the future of Europe. Every year, several hundred EYFON participants visit Europaburg in Neumarkt and experience intercultural dialogue through Peace Days, Youth Days, and partner programs. The target group is Europeans aged 18 to 25. This initiative is made possible in cooperation with renowned partners such as the Vienna Insurance Group, the Chamber of Commerce organization, Magna, Energie Steiermark and many other investors.