Youth for Human Rights: Article 20 – Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association

Toprak, Piet, Nathan, Elif,  Vasilis, Íris
from Turkiye, Germany, Slovakia, Croatia, Greece, Portugal

Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. No one may be compelled to belong to an association."
This article protects the right of individuals to come together, form groups, and express their opinions collectively, as long as it is done peacefully. It is a cornerstone of active civic participation and democratic engagement. As part of our Erasmus+ project "Youth for Human Rights", students from six countries — Germany, Croatia, Portugal, Slovakia, Greece, and Turkey — worked together to explore and reflect on this right. Through international collaboration, they discussed why the freedom to assemble and form associations is essential for young people to make their voices heard, to advocate for change, and to strengthen democratic societies.