Connecting young people, exchanging ideas and strengthening youth participation across borders – these goals brought the YPNE team to Lucerne from 16 to 18 October 2026. At the international Youth Parliament Conference (JPK), we had the opportunity to present our network, establish new European connections and explore how Swiss youth parliaments could become part of YPNE.
Around 160 young people from Switzerland and neighbouring countries gathered in Lucerne for three days of discussions, workshops and networking. Organised by the Swiss Federation of Youth Parliaments (DSJ) together with the youth parliaments of the Canton and City of Lucerne, the annual conference focused on civil courage and the importance of taking responsibility in democratic societies. For YPNE, the conference offered a valuable opportunity to connect with young people who share our commitment to strengthening youth participation and making international cooperation more accessible.
Connecting Youth Parliaments Across Borders
One of our main goals in Lucerne was to establish new contacts with youth parliaments from different European countries. YPNE aims to bring local and regional youth parliaments together, enabling them to exchange experiences, learn from one another and develop ideas beyond national borders. Events like the JPK are particularly valuable because they create opportunities for personal encounters and direct discussions. Throughout the weekend, we exchanged perspectives on youth participation, discussed different approaches to youth representation and introduced the vision behind YPNE to interested participants. These conversations highlighted how much youth parliaments can learn from each other, despite differences in their political systems, structures and responsibilities.
Exploring New Opportunities with Swiss Youth Parliaments
A particularly important aspect of our participation was exploring how youth parliaments from Switzerland could become more involved in YPNE. Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, its youth parliaments are an important part of Europe’s diverse landscape of democratic youth participation. For us, European networking means building connections across the continent, beyond institutional and political boundaries. During the conference, we explored potential opportunities for cooperation, discussed possibilities for future exchanges and considered how Swiss youth representatives could contribute to our growing network. These first conversations provided valuable perspectives for the further development of YPNE and opened the door to possible future collaborations.
Bringing YPNE to More Young People
Besides expanding our international contacts, we also used the conference to raise awareness of YPNE and the opportunities our project offers. We introduced our vision of a connected European community of youth parliaments and encouraged interested participants to stay involved beyond the conference. In particular, we highlighted our YPNE newsletter and community, which offer opportunities to stay informed, connect with other young people and follow the development of our European network. Our aim is to make international youth participation accessible not only through individual events but also through lasting connections, continuous exchange and opportunities for collaboration.
