In a world where youth voices are often sidelined, the UN Youth Champions for Environment and Peace program shines as a powerful example of what happens when young people are given the opportunity to lead, connect, and act. For Ioanna Phanaris, based in Nicosia, Cyprus, the program has been nothing short of transformative, personally, environmentally, and socially.

Ioanna first came across the initiative through social media, and the idea immediately resonated. “It stood out to me as an opportunity to engage in meaningful, youth-led action around peace and the environment,” she recalls. For someone deeply invested in collaboration and understanding, particularly within Cyprus’s divided landscape, the program offered a chance to do more than talk—it offered a way to act.

What followed was an experience Ioanna describes in three powerful words: empowering, unifying, and hopefulness. Through workshops, joint activities, and hands-on projects, she and other youth from both communities in Cyprus came together not just to share space, but to build real, lasting connections. “Collaborating with youth from the other community broke down barriers and built genuine connections. We discovered just how much we have in common”, she says.

The program also planted seeds of sustainability. “It helped me understand how peace and sustainability are interconnected,” Ioanna explains. “Small gestures, like sharing, reusing, and reducing waste, carry deep meaning.” That idea blossomed into Toysn’Talks; the grassroots initiative led by her group.

The concept of Toysn’Talks is beautifully simple: children bring gently used toys to exchange for others. But beyond the practical benefits of reducing waste and promoting reuse, the exchanges create space for interaction, storytelling, and friendship. “It’s a gentle, playful way of promoting both environmental responsibility and peace,” Ioanna notes.

One unforgettable moment stood out for her: two children, unable to speak each other’s language, smiling and playing together after exchanging toys. “It was such a simple moment,” she says, “but it embodied the spirit of our project perfectly: kindness, openness, and shared joy.”

For Ioanna and her team, the journey doesn't end here. While they’re uncertain about the next steps, the impact of the program is lasting. “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and hopeful about what could come next,” she says.

The UN Youth Champions for Environment and Peace program demonstrates the profound potential of young people to build bridges between communities, between cultures, and between causes. In Cyprus and beyond, it’s a reminder that peace and sustainability often begin with something as small, and as powerful, as a toy shared between friends.

The UN Youth Champions for Environment and Peace program is organized by UNFICYP since 2020, in alignment with UNSC resolution 2250 (2015) and the UN’s Youth, Peace and Security agenda. The program is specifically designed to engage and empower young people in Cyprus, ages 18-30, to take an active role in peacebuilding through environmental initiatives and cooperation and aims to foster dialogue, build trust and promote joint action.  For the last 3 years, the British Council has been a partner in delivering the program.