Youth and Experts Gather for Peace Roundtable Talk on Life of Youth amid Conflicts and Wars
Youth and Experts Gather for Peace Roundtable Talk on Life of Youth amid Conflicts and Wars
In a world where wars and violent conflicts continue to devastate communities, young people remain among the most deeply affected. To reflect on these realities and to explore paths of solidarity, the Youth-Experts Peace Roundtable was held on 17 September 2025 at Kintex, Goyang in South Korea. Titled “International Conflict, Discord, and the Life of Youth”, this open dialogue brought together around 40 participants, including youth leaders, scholars, peace activists, and cultural practitioners.
The roundtable was co-hosted by Sound of Hope, Goyang YMCA, Hawkma Future Society Research Institute, Friends of Asia, and APAY, with the support of Ministry of Unification. Among the opening remarks, Ms. Eunkyeong Jeong, President of Sound of Hope, welcomed the experts and young presenters and expressed her expectation that a collaborative platform will be built for further solidarity actions as an outcome of this roundtable. Mr. Nam Boo Won, General Secretary of APAY, emphasized the urgency of deeply listening to youth voices in times of conflict with a view to finding a pathway towards a more peaceful world for young people.
Roundtable 1 featured expert inputs on how conflicts reshape youth lives and communities. Speakers addressed issues of displacement, the “double standards” of international responses, and the power of culture, art, and sports in peacebuilding. Mimi Han, a member of APAY Gender Equity Committee and APAY Honours Society, and former Vice President of the World YWCA, reminded participants “Even when politics and military power divide nations, culture, the arts, and sports unite hearts. And when hearts come together on common ground, visions of peace become reality. You are the connectors of that future.”
The most moving part of the event was Roundtable 2, which offered the floor to young people themselves. Eight youth speakers from Palestine, Yemen, Myanmar, and Korea shared not only the pain of conflict but also the resilience and creativity of youth who continue to dream of peace.
From Palestine, a young researcher and activist spoke about the struggles of Palestinian women living in Korea, who carry the burden of explaining their homeland’s suffering while also creating bridges of solidarity through education and culture. Another young Palestinian artist, shared how her creative work explores memory, identity, and hope across generations, showing that art can be resistance as well as healing.
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A Yemini youth activist recounted how his once-peaceful country has been devastated by war since 2015. Now a refugee in Korea, he described the double struggle of displacement and the fight for recognition, while also highlighting how Yemeni youth organize to support one another and keep hope alive.
A youth activist from Myanmar told of the courage and risks taken by young people resisting the military junta through the Civil Disobedience Movement. His testimony revealed both the dangers of imprisonment and violence, and the determination of youth to pursue democracy.
From Korea, Wootaek Lim, President of Korea Uni-Y, spoke on the role of Korean students in linking grassroots activism with global solidarity, highlighting the Uni Y exchange between Korea and Japan and 2nd AP Christian Assembly. Seungju Lee, a Korean student in Germany, critiqued how Western progressive media often distorts narratives of wars, urging young people to reclaim their voices and stories.
Yura Rhee, Junior Executive Secretary of APAY, presented insights on the youth peace movement in Asia Pacific region, highlighting APAY’s Interfaith Cooperation Forum, an initiative under Just World that has engaged young people for 20 years.
Together, these testimonies reminded participants that while conflicts differ, the struggles of youth are interconnected. Whether through activism, education, or art, young people are turning their wounds into bridges of solidarity.
The Roundtable affirmed that youth are not only victims of war but also agents of peace who carry the vision of a more just and humane world. Their voices called the international community to recognize the daily realities of young people in conflict zones and to support their efforts for dignity, solidarity, and hope.
Prepared by Yura Rhee, Junior Executive Secretary for Youth Employment