Young people under the age of 18 are not allowed to vote in general elections in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. However, this does not mean that democratic participation in other ways among youngsters below this age should not be promoted. If anything, it makes active citizenship education even more important: policies tend to affect young people disproportionately, as they will live longer with the consequences. If the perspectives of young people are not taken into consideration, this will negatively affect their futures. On top of this, many of the issues young people face today do not stop at national borders. Challenges such as climate change, migration, and international economic shocks require international deliberation including by young people. With the 2025 edition of Building Bridges, hosted on Bonaire for the first time, we aimed to: -Strengthen democratic citizenship skills through debate -Involve students in democratic decision-making processes -Foster intercultural exchange within the Dutch Caribbean -Increase awareness of European citizenship and values