One Year of the Students’ Peace Declaration: From Sarajevo to a Growing European Commitment to Peace

On 17 September 2025, Sarajevo hosted a historic student-led initiative dedicated to peace, dialogue, cooperation, and the strengthening of democratic and inclusive values. That day, at the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Students’ Peace Declaration was signed, bringing together student representatives, universities, European University alliances, and student organisations from across Europe and the Western Balkans.

Today we mark the first anniversary of that signing — not merely to commemorate an important event, but to reflect on how an initiative whose significance extends well beyond the moment of its creation has developed since.

The signing ceremony in Sarajevo was the culmination of an extensive student-led effort initiated by students of the University of Sarajevo and supported through the EUPeace Alliance. It brought together representatives of more than 100 European universities, ten university alliances, and several student organisations, united around a shared commitment to peace, social justice, democratic values, intercultural dialogue, and academic cooperation.

The programme began at the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina with an opening ceremony featuring the National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Gaudeamus Igitur. Addresses were delivered by representatives of Bosnian and European institutions, the University of Sarajevo, the EUPeace Governing Board, and the EUPeace Student Council. At the heart of the gathering was the formal signing of the Students’ Peace Declaration, followed by a reception at which students and institutional representatives exchanged ideas and strengthened connections.

The programme continued with a symbolic ride on an EUPeace-branded tram through Sarajevo, linking the international character of the initiative with the city’s historical experience and contemporary identity. The day concluded with the European Dialogue event, organised in cooperation with the French Embassy and the French Institute, which carried the conversation on Europe, peace, dialogue, and cooperation into the evening.

In the year since, the Declaration has continued to gain momentum. We are particularly proud to mark this first anniversary together with the many new signatories who have joined the Declaration since Sarajevo.Initially, the Declaration was signed by 103 institutions, and now the signatory number is above 156. Their support shows that the commitment expressed in Sarajevo was never confined to a single event or a single generation, but continues to resonate among universities, students, and academic communities across Europe.

The Students’ Peace Declaration was conceived as more than a symbolic document. It offers a framework through which students can contribute to debates on peace, democracy, human dignity, social responsibility, intercultural understanding, and the future of European cooperation. Its underlying premise is that universities are not only places where knowledge is produced, but also spaces in which dialogue, mutual understanding, civic responsibility, and a culture of peace can be cultivated.

As we mark this first anniversary, we therefore look not only to the past, but also to the future. We intend to continue developing the initiative and to build on the foundations laid in Sarajevo. Activities planned for the anniversary period include the preparation and dissemination of brochures and other educational and informational materials on peace, dialogue, and the role of students and universities in peacebuilding. These materials will help preserve the memory of the Sarajevo signing while making the principles of the Declaration accessible to a broader academic and student community.

The first anniversary is thus both a moment of remembrance and one of renewed commitment. From the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it was signed, the Declaration’s message continues to reach new institutions and new generations of students.

One year after Sarajevo, the Students’ Peace Declaration continues to grow — through new signatories, new partnerships, new ideas, and a shared conviction that peace must remain a fundamental responsibility of every generation.

17 September 2025 – 17 September 2026

Students’ Peace Declaration

From Sarajevo, for peace, dialogue, cooperation, and a more inclusive Europe.