Distinguished guests, esteemed scholars, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon.
My name is Emilia Iovan, and I have the honour of serving as the Director General of USB-ACT, an independent, non-political youth association from Romania.
On behalf of our association, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the organizers for the opportunity to be part of the World Congress of Syriac Studies as an organizing partner.
It is a great honour for USB-ACT to contribute, alongside the Levant Institute of Advanced Studies for the Culture of Peace and the other organizing partners, to an event of such international significance. This Congress, hosted for the first time in Eastern Europe, brings together distinguished scholars, researchers, and institutions from around the world, reaffirming the importance of preserving the Syriac heritage while promoting academic dialogue, cultural understanding, and international cooperation.
USB-ACT was founded with the conviction that young people are one of society's greatest strengths and that investing in their education, civic engagement, and personal development is an investment in a better future.
Our mission is to empower young people through education, civic engagement, intercultural dialogue, and international cooperation while promoting democratic values, human rights, equal opportunities, and social responsibility.
In just three years, we have organised and co-organised more than 135 educational projects and events, bringing together nearly 4,000 participants. We have also had the privilege of collaborating with institutions such as the Royal House of Romania, the Romanian Diplomatic Institute, the Levant Institute of Advanced Studies for the Culture of Peace, universities, and other respected public and academic partners.
One of our most successful initiatives is our internship programme, which has provided practical experience to more than 500 university students through partnerships with academic institutions, public authorities, and organisations active in diplomacy and public affairs. Alongside this, we organised youth exchanges, cultural awareness workshops, public speaking programmes, civic education activities, leadership initiatives, and our Book34 Reading Club.
Among these initiatives, I would especially like to mention our campaign "Architects of Peace," through which we encourage dialogue on peacebuilding, human rights, and the values that bring communities together.
Although these initiatives differ in format, they all share the same purpose: empowering young people to become responsible citizens who value dialogue, cooperation, and mutual respect.
For this reason, the vision behind President Emil Constantinescu's initiative, "Culture of Peace through Education," resonates deeply with the values that have guided USB-ACT since its foundation.
At a time when our world is facing growing polarization, armed conflicts, social fragmentation, and intolerance, this initiative reminds us of a fundamental truth: lasting peace cannot be achieved through political agreements alone. It must be built through education, dialogue, mutual understanding, and respect for human dignity.
It invites us to see peace not merely as the absence of conflict, but as a culture—a way of thinking and living nurtured through families, schools, universities, and communities. Beyond preparing people for successful careers, education should also cultivate empathy, critical thinking, respect for diversity, and responsible citizenship.
These principles reflect the mission that has guided USB-ACT from the very beginning.
Through our internship programme, youth exchanges, civic education initiatives, and cultural projects, we seek to create opportunities for young people not only to learn, but also to become active, responsible, and engaged members of society.
For this reason, it is my great honour, on behalf of USB-ACT, to announce that our association officially joins the initiative "Culture of Peace through Education."
We embrace this initiative with the conviction that peace is not simply inherited; it is learned. It is cultivated through education, strengthened through dialogue, and sustained through cooperation.
As a youth organisation, we are committed to promoting these values through our future projects and partnerships, because we believe that every generation has the responsibility not only to inherit peace, but also to build it.
