HOW DO WE REMEMBER? Remembrance is never one-dimensional. It unfolds in many layers – through knowl- edge and facts, through encounters across borders, embedded in the social and political challenges of our time, and through deeply personal stories. Youth4Peace was a space where these dimensions came together.
Remembering through knowledge
remembrance from something abstract into something lived – a bridge between people and generations. One moment that left a particularly lasting impression on many of us was a meeting with the descendants of the massacre of Oradour-sur- Glane, notably the granddaughter of a Nazi perpe- trator and the son of a survivor. In moments like these, it became palpable that only rapproche- ment and shared remembrance can create a space that resists hatred – hatred that sometimes echoes across generations.
Even before we met in Berlin, we spoke in prepa- ratory online meetings about historical contexts, different forms of remembrance across countries, and the meaning of remembrance itself. Once in Berlin, participants engaged with experts, visited memorial sites, and discussed the crimes of the National Socialists and the consequences of the Second World War. These debates clearly revealed that remembrance requires precision, as well as a willingness to face some uncomfortable truths.
Remembering through encounters
Remembering as part of a greater whole
Equally important was the dimension of encoun- ters. Young people from more than twenty coun- tries came together to share perspectives and experiences. Standing side by side at memorial sites or exchanging thoughts in workshops made history tangible. These encounters transformed
Remembrance never stands alone. It is woven into the challenges of our time. This became especially clear during our visit to the German Bundestag on May 8, 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. This commemorative session
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