Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marko Kovačić, Head of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, participated as a member of the Croatian delegation at the 4th European Youth Work Convention (EYWC), held on 21–22 May 2025 in Valletta, Malta.
The EYWC is the most significant European event dedicated to the field of youth work, organised every five years. This year’s convention brought together more than 500 participants – experts, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers – from across Europe. Under the slogan Youth Work Xcelerate, the event focused on strengthening youth work as a powerful tool for youth empowerment, social inclusion, and active participation.
Throughout the two-day programme, participants discussed key topics including the recognition of youth work, its contribution to democracy, the education and training of youth workers, digital youth work, and the current situation of young people across Europe.
Assoc. Prof. Kovačić was a speaker in the closing panel, which presented the convention’s main findings and recommendations. In his contribution, he emphasised the importance of aligning the outcomes of the convention with the European Youth Work Agenda, and highlighted the need to take into account complex contexts such as the current situations in Ukraine, Serbia, and Gaza when shaping youth policies.
The convention reaffirmed that youth work is a valuable resource for fostering social inclusion, civic engagement, and the well-being of young people. It also underscored the need for further integration of youth work into European and national policy frameworks.
