The world’s youth are inheriting a system in need of change – on a local, regional and international level. In response, assertive youth leadership has emerged in a variety of sectors, including the press, politics, business, and healthcare. These young voices have made an immediate impact in shaping the global agenda. Countries around the world are taking note; the White House has hired an advisor on Global Youth Issues. What are the key ways in which today’s youth are most effective in creating dialogue among the civilian population? How are youth using their voices to make government accountable, and how effective are those voices in instigating long-term change? Panelists will discuss the evolution of youth involvement in global affairs; investigate how large scale unemployment in youth populations contributes to economic and political instability, and in extreme cases, order and security (Sudan, Somalia, etc); and explore what lies ahead as new technologies and voices emerge.
Moderator
- Lotfullah Najafizada, Head of Current Affairs, TOLOnews (Afghanistan)
Panelists
- Lina Ben Mhenni, Tunisian Political Blogger, 'A Tunisian Girl' (Tunisia)
- Jonathan Gosier, Entrepreneur, Blogger, Designer, TED Fellow, & Founder of metaLayer (USA)
- Abdulsalam Hayak, Founder & CEO, Haykal Media, Transtek Systems, TMS Mobile (Syria)
- Alfredo Romero, President, Foro Penal Venezolano (Venezuela)
- Mary Shuttleworth, Founder, Youth for Human Rights International (South Africa)