Adolescent Voice Collective
Introducing the Adolescent Voice Collective
Montessori Europe is proud to launch the Adolescent Voice Collective at the 2026 Congress in Riga – a new initiative designed to place adolescent voice at the heart of education and society. The Adolescent Voice Collective offers young people a trusted and collaborative space to explore global challenges, share their perspectives, and contribute to sustainable futures.
Mission Statement
The Adolescent Voice Collective is a Montessori Europe initiative that provides adolescents with a trusted and collaborative space to explore global challenges, express their perspectives, and contribute meaningfully to sustainable futures. Rooted in dialogue, mutual respect, and responsibility, the Adolescent Voice Collective exists to elevate adolescent voice within education and society, and to build long-term platforms for youth-led action aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Building on earlier adolescent forums, the Collective represents a shift from one-off events to a structured, youth-responsive platform grounded in dialogue, trust, and action. It invites adolescents not only to attend, but to co-create, reflect, and lead. In Riga, students from across Europe will come together in workshops and group dialogues, culminating in the presentation of the Riga Declaration to the Congress plenary.
As part of Montessori Europe’s Agenda2030 strategy, the Adolescent Voice Collective will grow year by year, connecting schools across borders and supporting adolescent-led initiatives aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is envisioned as a living, evolving movement empowering adolescents, strengthening intergenerational dialogue, and shaping a more just and sustainable world.
Riga 2026
The Adolescent
Voice Collective
Exploring global challenges, young ideas, and bold solutions
For the first time, Montessori Europe will host the Adolescent Voice Collective alongside our 2026 Congress in Riga. This gathering brings together 50 adolescents – 25 from Latvia and 25 from across Europe and beyond – to connect, collaborate, and create a shared vision for a more sustainable and peaceful world.
Over three days, participants will move through a powerful journey of listening, co-creating, and speaking their truth.
Day 1 – Discover and Connect
Students meet one another, explore global challenges that matter to them, and discover Riga through interactive activities linking history, culture, and youth voice. Workshops introduce the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and empower adolescents to see themselves as changemakers.
Day 2 – Co-Create and Commit
Working in diverse teams, participants take part in a youth-led hackathon to shape the Riga Declaration 2026 – a bold statement of adolescent perspectives on sustainability, dignity, peace, and agency.
Day 3 – Speak and Be Heard
Adolescents step onto the Congress stage to present the Riga Declaration to all delegates. They will stand together as a collective, voicing their concerns, hopes, and commitments, and issuing a call to action for the years ahead.