The Young People, Old Peat (YPOP) Symposium is a two-day event bringing together youth, experts, and creatives from across Europe to explore peatland restoration and climate justice.
Taking place on 18–19 May 2026 in Oosterwolde, the Netherlands, the symposium offers a mix of interactive sessions and hands-on experiences, all centred around understanding and restoring peatlands, no prior knowledge needed.
Day 1 (May 18) focuses on learning and collaboration, with expert-led sessions linking peatlands to topics like land use, wellbeing, culture, and climate justice. Participants will then co-create ideas for peatland restoration camps, at the end of the day ideas will be pitched to a jury and the most promosing concepts will be selected to join RE-PEAT’s pilot programme, contributing to the intergenerational network across Europe and receiving a budget of 10,000 € budget to design and participate in a hands-on restoration camp in the Netherlands this summer.
Day 2 (May 19) heads outdoors, with a field visit to Fochteloërveen, where participants can experience a healthy peatland ecosystem firsthand.
Overall, YPOP is about connecting people, sharing knowledge, and turning ideas into action.
The symposium is organised by RE-PEAT as a part of the Erasmus+ funded Restoration Academy Project.