On Friday, 6 February 2026, The Voice of Young Netherlands will be a guest at the Utrecht Provincial House for the provincial preliminary round. This new national youth project aims to amplify the voice of young people in public debate. The project was festively launched last autumn in The Hague.
Students from 18 schools across the province participate in the debate. During various rounds, they debate in teams on provincial and national statements.
The provincial statements external link are:
• Volunteering no longer fits this era.
• Youth in Utrecht should use outdoor spaces more often for sports.
• The province of Utrecht should have a youth panel.
The national statements external link cover topics such as a minimum age for social media, rising healthcare costs due to aging, mental health, and whether youth should be required to perform military service.
Students also record a personal speech on a self-chosen topic. The best participants will debate in the final with Member of the Provincial Council Marianne de Widt of the province of Utrecht. The winning team of each preliminary round has a chance to participate in the national final.
The Voice of Young Netherlands
The Voice of Young Netherlands is the debate and speech platform for young people throughout the Netherlands. It is the successor to On the Way to the House of Commons and gives young people across the country the opportunity to practice debating, express themselves on topics that matter to them, and get acquainted with our democracy. Nationally, about 200 schools and 2000 students participate in this debate competition.
About the organization
The Voice of Young Netherlands is a project of The Debate Bureau and the Youth Debate and Society Foundation. All Dutch provinces are partners in the project and there are preliminary rounds in each province. The project is co-financed by the European Union and the National Fund for Peace, Freedom and Veterans.
For press information:
jiri.glaap@provincie-utrecht.nl
06 39 63 21 97