In March 2025, a group of youth workers from across Europe and neighboring regions gathered in Yerevan, Armenia, to participate in the Erasmus+ training course “The Art of Dialogue as a Tool for Youth Workers.” The training focused on empowering youth workers with the skills needed for dialogue facilitation, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding. It brought together people from countries affected by division or conflict and offered new methods to support youth in expressing themselves, listening to others, and building bridges of understanding. For a participant from the NGO Civil Forum for Peace in Georgia, this project was a turning point in their work and vision for the future of youth engagement in their community.
In Georgia, the past still casts a long shadow. The country has faced political instability, economic hardship, and the consequences of unresolved regional conflicts. For many young people growing up in this environment, the feeling of separation—from each other, from adults, and even from hope—is very real. In communities where conflict has divided families or where youth have limited access to education and emotional support, the silence can feel louder than words. Before the training, youth work in Georgia often focused on logistics and activities, not so much on emotional connection or peacebuilding. Programs were useful but sometimes lacked the tools to explore deeper issues such as empathy, reconciliation, or respectful disagreement. The challenge was clear: how to give young people a safe space to speak, to listen, and to lead in a way that brings unity, not further division.
Attending the training in Yerevan was an eye-opening experience. The participant from Georgia was struck by how the trainers made space for both pain and hope. Through storytelling sessions, youth workers shared their experiences of growing up during difficult times, moments of misunderstanding, and small acts of courage. These stories did not stay within borders. Whether it was someone from the Balkans, the Middle East, or the Caucasus, the emotions were the same. It became clear that while the history of conflict may differ, the need for healing through dialogue is universal.
One of the most powerful tools introduced during the training was community storytelling. In this method, participants shared stories from their childhood, family traditions, or moments of disagreement. These stories were not debated or corrected. They were simply heard. The youth worker from Georgia saw how powerful this practice could be back home, especially in rural areas where different ethnic groups live side by side but rarely communicate deeply. The training also included hands-on activities such as role-playing mediation and learning active listening techniques. These tools helped participants understand how to remain calm during conflict, how to guide a conversation without forcing it, and how to encourage participation from those who are often silent.
One unforgettable moment was a group workshop where mixed teams designed local peace initiatives. The Georgian youth worker’s team focused on a project that used art and spoken word to explore personal identity and social labels. This idea stayed in their mind long after the training ended. Seeing how other countries approach youth empowerment gave new inspiration. In Yerevan, the importance of cultural exchange, empathy, and collaboration became more than just theory—it became a call to action.
Returning to Georgia, the youth worker decided to start a local project called “Voices of the Valley.” This program focused on young people living in communities near former conflict zones. Many of these youth had never taken part in structured dialogue before. The goal was to give them a space to share their experiences, to learn conflict resolution skills, and to connect with youth from other parts of the country. With the support of Civil Forum for Peace, the program started with small groups meeting in local libraries and cultural centers.
Each meeting started with a story circle. Participants were encouraged to share a memory or a hope. Slowly, trust grew. The next sessions introduced simple exercises in active listening, negotiation, and mediation. Over time, the young participants began to take ownership of the space. They proposed topics to discuss, invited their friends, and even began facilitating some sessions themselves. The training in Yerevan had shown the Georgian youth worker that empowerment means stepping back and letting others step forward.
The impact of the project grew in unexpected ways. Teachers began noticing changes in their students. Youth who had been shy or defensive started showing more openness and respect. Community members who were at first skeptical began to see the value of creating a space for dialogue. Some parents even joined special sessions where they shared stories alongside their children. For many, this was the first time generations sat together and listened without judgment.
One especially touching moment came during a regional exchange event. Participants from different ethnic backgrounds shared poems they had written about peace and belonging. One girl from a village near the border said that before the program, she felt like her voice did not matter. Now, she was not only speaking but being heard. That is what the training had made possible: not just conversations, but transformation.
Civil Forum for Peace began documenting the process and sharing it with partner organizations across Georgia. The hope is to expand the project into a national youth dialogue initiative. Meetings have already been held with educators and youth workers in other cities who are interested in using the same model. The experience from Yerevan continues to shape the structure and values of the initiative. Every circle starts with listening. Every session ends with reflection. Every young person is treated as a future peacebuilder.
The Erasmus+ project in Yerevan did more than provide new skills. It planted the seeds for a new way of working. It reminded youth workers from Georgia and beyond that peace begins in small moments—in listening, in sharing, and in believing that young people can lead change. It showed that international exchange is not only about learning from others but about seeing one’s own community with new eyes.
Looking into the future, the vision is clear. Youth in Georgia deserve spaces where they can express themselves freely, where they can meet across differences, and where they can believe in a peaceful future. Through dialogue, this is possible. Civil Forum for Peace continues to build on the lessons learned in Armenia, turning them into living practices in villages, towns, and schools. Change does not happen overnight. But it begins the moment someone decides to listen. And in Georgia, more and more youth are listening—and speaking—with courage, care, and the hope for peace.