Human Rights Education for Youth (HEY) Online Training Course on Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue 2026

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The Human Rights Education for Youth (HEY) Online Training Course on Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue 2026 is now accepting applications from young people passionate about human rights, intercultural cooperation, and peacebuilding.

Organized by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, this fully online, tutored training course aims to equip participants with critical skills and practical competencies in intercultural dialogue, interfaith engagement, global education, and human rights.

The training course will run from 10 June to 7 July 2026 and will bring together 80 participants from diverse backgrounds and regions for a four-week interactive online learning experience conducted entirely in English.

Applications are open until 31 May 2026 at 23:59 UTC/GMT+1 (Lisbon time).

About the HEY Programme

The Human Rights Education for Youth (HEY) programme is an initiative designed to empower young people with the knowledge, tools, and competencies necessary to promote democratic values, human rights, social inclusion, intercultural understanding, and global citizenship.

The programme focuses on helping participants understand how dialogue across cultures, religions, and communities can contribute to addressing modern global challenges such as social exclusion, discrimination, hate speech, religious intolerance, polarization, inequality, and global conflicts.

Despite greater access to information and learning opportunities than ever before, many young people in culturally and religiously diverse societies still experience distrust, fear of the other, and intolerance. Education practitioners often lack the competences needed to address cultural and religious diversity effectively. This training course aims to fill that gap through global education, adding the value of reflective learning, multiperspectivity, and critical thinking as core educational goals.

Objectives of the Training Course

The course is designed to achieve several key objectives:

· Introduce key concepts, principles, and methodologies of Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue and explore their interrelations within a global dimension

· Analyse relevant notions such as culture, discrimination, racism, majority/minority, inclusion/exclusion, and their interlinkages with human rights

· Develop competences focused on defusing and recognizing potential conflicts, actively promoting a culture of peace and non-violence

· Promote mutual understanding between peoples of different cultures and religions

· Encourage active participation of young people in global actions advancing intercultural and interfaith dialogue

What the Training Course Offers

Participants selected for the programme will engage in a highly interactive online learning environment focused on strengthening both practical and theoretical understanding in several areas:

1. Global Education

Participants will explore how education can be used to encourage responsible global citizenship, social justice, sustainability, and democratic participation.

2. Intercultural Dialogue

The course will provide tools for understanding cultural diversity, promoting mutual respect, and fostering peaceful coexistence among people from different cultural backgrounds.

3. Interfaith Dialogue

Participants will examine how dialogue between different religious communities can help reduce prejudice, combat intolerance, and strengthen social cohesion.

4. Human Rights Education

The programme will deepen participants' understanding of human rights principles and how they can be promoted through education, advocacy, media, and community action.

5. Networking Opportunities

Participants will interact with fellow young professionals, educators, activists, and civil society representatives from diverse backgrounds, enabling valuable international networking and collaboration.

Training Format and Structure

The course is fully online and hosted on the HEY Programme e-learning platform, based on Moodle Workplace. It follows a tutored, asynchronous format, meaning participants learn at their own pace and schedule while completing activities and exercises. However, a certain regularity is required to properly follow the group's learning process.

The course is structured into four modules, with one module covered each week. The expected total workload is approximately 30 hours. Working methods include various collaborative and interactive activities and exercises designed to meet different learning styles.

A team of tutors accompanies participants throughout the activity, supporting their learning process, providing feedback, moderating discussions, giving inputs, and promoting further reflections on the main topics of the training. Synchronous tutoring sessions are organized to facilitate group activities.

A certificate of participation is awarded upon completion of the course.

Who Can Apply?

The training is open to young people aged between 18 and 30 years old from Council of Europe member states (with priority given to North-South Centre member states) as well as from Africa and the Middle East, with the potential to act as multipliers.

Eligible applicants include:

· Members of Civil Society Organisations and Faith-Based Organisations, including informal groups, grassroots movements, coalitions, local, national and regional youth organisations, organisations working with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, cultural operators and mediators, faith actors and religious leaders

· Media practitioners, including young journalists, communication officers, bloggers, and social media content creators

· Education practitioners in the formal and non-formal sector, including teachers, trainers, educators, and academics

Applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in human rights, global education, intercultural dialogue, interfaith cooperation, youth participation, social inclusion, and democratic engagement.

Priority will be given to candidates active in a CSO or a youth organisation, platform, or youth-related institution with the potential to act as multipliers. Candidates should be able to communicate in English, the working language of the course.

Selection Process

Eighty participants will be selected for this activity. Application content will form the basis of the selection procedure. The selection will be carried out by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe together with partner organizations, seeking gender and geographical balance.

The Council of Europe welcomes applications from all candidates who fulfil the specific profile of the activities, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.

Due to the large number of applications, only selected candidates will be contacted. The selection results will be announced on 5 June 2026. After the communication of the selection results, selected participants must confirm their participation within the given deadline; failure to do so will result in replacement by candidates on the shortlist.

Institutional Framework

The HEY online training course on Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue is part of iLEGEND III: Intercultural Learning Exchange through Global Education, Networking and Dialogue (2022–2026), a joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe, co-funded by both institutions and implemented by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe.

The overall objective of the project is to increase the active engagement of citizens, in particular young people, in safeguarding sustainable development and confronting global challenges and inequalities at local and global levels.

Why This Opportunity Matters

In a world increasingly shaped by cultural diversity, migration, digital communication, and global interconnectedness, the ability to engage constructively across cultural and religious differences is becoming more important than ever. This training course offers participants an opportunity to strengthen leadership and communication skills, learn practical approaches to dialogue and inclusion, build international partnerships, and contribute to peaceful and inclusive societies.

For young professionals seeking to work in international development, education, human rights advocacy, peacebuilding, media, or civil society leadership, this programme provides valuable exposure and experience. The activity is fully free of charge.

Official Information and Application

For complete details about the programme, eligibility criteria, and to submit your application, visit the official Council of Europe North-South Centre page.

To apply directly, use the official application link.

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