Eager to explore human rights from the perspective of young people, we are interested both in their understanding and in their lived experience of being active citizens, able to participate in civic society and to speak up on the matters that are most important to them. In 2011, UNICEF defined child participation as “an ongoing process of children’s expression and active involvement in decision-making at different levels in matters that concern them. It requires information-sharing and dialogue between children and adults, based on mutual respect, and full consideration of children’s views in the light of their age and maturity” (Handbook on Child Participation in Parliament). True participation in all aspects of social, cultural, and political life therefore require the upholding of freedom of expression.

Freedom of expression is one of the fundamental values uniting the member states of the European Union. It is protected by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and is a right guaranteed both to children and adults. According to the “Explanatory Memorandum” of the Council of Europe on human rights, children and young people under 18 – regardless of their race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation or other status – ”should have the right, the means, the space, the opportunity and […] the support to freely express their views, to be heard and to contribute to decision making on matters affecting them, their views being given due weight in accordance with their age, maturity and understanding”. Freedom of expression may thus be seen as a vital factor shaping both the pan-European identity (Tekiner 2020) and conceptualisations and practices of diversity and belonging in Europe in each member state.