On 23 April 2026, the Global Campus South East Europe Child Leadership Team (CLT) and Youth Advisory Group (YAG) hosted the online promotion of the forthcoming publication Addressing Cyberbullying Among Children and its Impact on Mental Health, organised together with the publication’s editor, Lucija Vejmelka.
The event brought together international scholars, representatives of child rights organisations, practitioners and young people for an insightful discussion on cyberbullying, children’s mental health and the importance of meaningful child participation in research and advocacy processes. The promotion offered participants an exclusive first look at the publication ahead of its official release, while also presenting the broader child-led project developed under the same name.
A central focus of the event was the active role played by CLT and YAG members throughout the entire process, from the original conception of the project idea, to advocating for its implementation, participating in discussions and consultations, and contributing to the final selection of papers included in the publication. During the event, young participants reflected on the significance of being genuinely included in decision-making and knowledge-production processes concerning issues that directly affect children and young people.
One of the speakers highlighted the importance of authentic participation by noting:
“Child participation is not a box to be ticked. Participation should not be reduced to presence. It is not a photograph for a report, or a token appearance on a panel, or a brief consultation at the end of a process that has already been decided. Real child participation means involving children and young people from the very beginning, in the very substance of the work, and ensuring that their contributions genuinely shape outcomes.”
Another participant reflected on the experience of presenting and advocating for the project in front of academics, experts and decision-makers:
“Walking into a room full of adults, decision-makers, and academics, and being asked to make the case for a project that you have helped create is not a small thing. It requires preparation, clarity, and confidence. We presented from our own perspectives, speaking not only about the structure of the project but about why it mattered, grounding the proposal in lived experience and genuine concern for children across the region. The project was accepted.”
The event demonstrated how child-led and youth-led initiatives can meaningfully contribute to academic and policy discussions on children’s rights, while also reinforcing the importance of creating spaces where children and young people are recognised as partners, contributors and leaders in addressing issues that affect their lives.
Through this publication and the wider project, the CLT and YAG continue to strengthen regional conversations on cyberbullying, mental health and child participation, while fostering collaboration between young people, researchers and child rights professionals across Southeast Europe and beyond.