2022 Youth Delegate Communiqué
Take action for a more inclusive, sustainable future with the input and policy recommendations of young people across 130+ countries
2022 Youth Delegate Communiqué
Take action for a more inclusive, sustainable future with the input
and policy recommendations of young people across 130+ countries
"As the lines increasingly blur between our physical and digital experiences—and our identities—ethics, access and equity of opportunity are vital considerations, as are the implications on health, socio-emotional wellbeing and personal privacy. How are we showing up in the world and what does that mean for our self-awareness?"
- Kelly Lovell,
Global Chair, YOUNGA
CEO and Founder, BridgingTheGap Ventures
Global Chair,
CEO and Founder, BridgingTheGap Ventures
This Communiqué summarizes the recommendations and tangible action steps our Younga ® 2022 Youth Delegation wants to see our current decision-makers implement. The 2022 Policy Working Groups met over the course of six weeks to…
Download the full 54 page 2022 Communiqué report to learn more about the future youth want and the action we need to accelerate progress towards an inclusive, sustainable future for all.
- Understand the priorities
- Identify the external factors, challenges and opportunity gaps
- Summarize the results and develop recommendations for action
Download the full 54 page 2022 Communiqué report to learn more about the future youth want and the action we need to accelerate progress towards an inclusive, sustainable future for all.
"Our theme this year—Bridging our meta-physical worlds—has provided the space and platform for our Youth Delegates, speakers and partners to further discover these new dimensions and ways to drive action in their own communities and around the world. On behalf of the 2022 Youth Delegation, I’m excited to unveil this year’s Communiqué and hope it will serve as a launchpad for increased awareness, advocacy and action."
- Jaclyn Stief,
Director of Programming and Global Policy,
BridgingTheGap Ventures
Director of Programming and Global Policy,
BridgingTheGap Ventures
The Younga 2022 Youth Delegation¹ were…
Underserved groups
0
%
Representing countries
0
+
¹ Of those who chose to identify themselves
² Includes those who identified as Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and Indigenous peoples (4.7%)
3 Includes those who identified as low-income persons and persons who are underemployed/unemployed or experiencing barriers to employment
4 Includes those who identified as persons with mental health challenges and persons with mental illness
² Includes those who identified as Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and Indigenous peoples (4.7%)
3 Includes those who identified as low-income persons and persons who are underemployed/unemployed or experiencing barriers to employment
4 Includes those who identified as persons with mental health challenges and persons with mental illness
Recommendations
Select a thematic track to view its key recommendations
Climate Action and Sustainable Living
Issues
- Food insecurity and waste
- Pollution, emissions and energy
- Vulnerable communities
Key Recommendations
- Implement sustainable agricultural technologies and innovations to effectively tackle food insecurity and waste
- Increase protection and restoration of land, water and air affected by climate change and the communities surrounding them
- Regulate financial accountability for emissions and invest in renewable energy solutions
- Prioritize vulnerable communities in decision-making processes and address the intersectional impacts of climate change
Input from Working Group Leaders...
Neeshad Shafi
Qatar
Anam Rathor
Pakistan
Achare Elvis Ayamba
CAMEROON
Brian Gomez
USA
Laura Guthrie
Belgium
Kelvin Muli
Kenya
I believe events like YOUNGA are important because they give youth and young people a platform to raise concerns, ideas and also solutions.
I feel empowering and equipping young people to lead social innovation is important because we are living amongst the largest generation of young people in history—with their collective power, they will become the drivers of change and be able to transform our world for the better. Empowered young people are the future.
I think industry stakeholders can start 'BridgingTheGap' to make the world more inclusive and sustainable by engaging more youth in decision and policy-making.
Events like YOUNGA are important because there's a greater disconnection between all people and a lack of initial connection for young people. These events are able to connect young people and also be a space where we can feel like active actors in our own future.
I feel empowering and equipping young people to lead social innovation is important because young people are the future, and by leading social innovation now, we can create more sustainable and effective solutions to create more impact.
I believe events like YOUNGA are important because they are rare opportunities that equip youth with leadership skills.
Equality and Inclusion
Issues
- Food insecurity and waste
- Pollution, emissions and energy
- Vulnerable communities
Key Recommendations
- Formulate, pass and enforce policies, rules and regulations to prohibit discrimination and reduce poverty
- Allocate funding for the creation of appropriate infrastructure that upholds the dignity of everyone
- Create education and employment environments where all can thrive, feel empowered and achieve their full potential
people are still offline,
most of them women and
in developing countries.
(United Nations, 2021)
most of them women and
in developing countries.
(United Nations, 2021)
0
billion
people are still offline,
most of them women and
in developing countries.
(United Nations, 2021)
most of them women and
in developing countries.
(United Nations, 2021)
0
billion
Input from Working Group Leaders...
Grace Chenxin Liu
United States
Simran Sahni
India
Lydia Gara
Nigeria
Jehan Idsassi
United States
Nothing gives me more joy than advocating for gender equality and sustainable development. I have been a researcher and advocate for these issues for the past 3 years.
I feel empowering and equipping young people to lead social innovation is important because young people have great potential and passion to change the world. This generation is thinking about changing the world for the better. I think there is an untapped potential in young people that can be leveraged through guidance and capacity building.
Young people are powerful and full of ideas. We need platforms to creatively showcase the solutions we have designed to address specific problems young people face especially in marginalized communities.
Diversity and inclusion are important to me and my generation because I, alongside many others, are simply tired of being neglected, feeling as though they would rather disappear than go through immense scrutiny and quite frankly done feeling as though they simply do not have a voice.
Future of Education
and Work
Issues
- Flaws in the school curriculum
- Non-inclusive education
- Skills gap and unemployment
Key Recommendations
- Review the curriculum regularly to incorporate emerging trends, tools and knowledge
- Improve access and inclusion in education
- Rethink traditional education delivery to better prepare students for the future of work
Input from Working Group Leaders...
Frantz One
Haiti
Maneeza Khan
India
Daniel Orievweruvwe
Nigeria
Paul Mensah Amanor
Ghana
Alexandrina Mehandzhiyska
Bulgaria
I believe events like Younga are important because they help young people be involved in bringing forward solutions to the greatest challenges our world is facing.
We are the future generation and have formidable power, unity and creativity to provide unique and sustainable solutions to the world's most pressing problems.
Events like Younga are important because they provide an opportunity to deepen knowledge, promote connectivity among the young and expose participating youth to developmental opportunities and how they can consolidate on social impacts.
I feel empowering and equipping young people to lead social innovation is important because it creates a fairer world where young people are contributing to the advancement of the world.
I believe events like Younga are important because they help young people build skills that are essential to their personal, academic and professional development and will bring them closer to their dream of becoming impacting leaders who inspire society.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Issues
- Access to health services and resources
- Health stigma and discrimination
- Accessibility-based regulations and standards
Key Recommendations
- Increase diversity in clinical settings to ensure all cultural, ethnic and racial groups have equitable access and treatment
- Revise policies for mental health accessibility and affordability
- Prioritize health supports and services for underserved populations
- Expand educational efforts for mental health and physical wellbeing
- Ensure inclusion, accommodation and support of the health and ability of all workers
Input from Working Group Leaders...
Arthy Suresh
United States
Mary Taiwo
Nigeria
Chijioke Nwokocha
Nigeria
Aliza Lopez
United States
To make the world more inclusive and sustainable, industry stakeholders should connect like-minded individuals to collaborate on issues and co-create solutions based on their knowledge and experience in their sector.
One way industry stakeholders can start 'BridgingTheGap' to make the world more inclusive and sustainable is by creating employment, organising trainings for young people and equipping people with the right technology skills needed to create sustainable economies.
I feel empowering and equipping young people to lead social innovation is important because it will help implement individual and group-based capacity building, create opportunities in response to availability and accessibility through Civic Tech and Education; social Impact and networking; life mentorship and empowerment.
Industry stakeholders should acknowledging our melting pot of beliefs, customs, muses, and backgrounds. To maximize community engagement, stakeholders must create approaches that are time-efficient, transparent to build trust, representative of the population as well as attainable.
Peace and Justice
Issues
- Persistence of conflict
- Youth in peacebuilding and decision-making processes
- Good and inclusive governance
Key Recommendations
- Establish and implement official safeguards to ensure the security of victims during conflict
- Develop policies to safeguard the rights of all people in the context of human mobility
- Ensure youth representation in public spaces
- Create educational programs that nurture conflict resolution and peacebuilding for the SDGs
- Set up accountability measures for governments, organizations and institutions to ensure peace and justice are upheld
is the global economic impact of violence—equivalent to 10.9% of the global GDP.
(Institute for Economics
and Peace (IEP), 2022)
(Institute for Economics
and Peace (IEP), 2022)
$
0
trillion
is the global economic impact of violence—equivalent to 10.9% of the global GDP.
(Institute for Economics
and Peace (IEP), 2022)
(Institute for Economics
and Peace (IEP), 2022)
$
0
trillion
Input from Working Group Leaders...
Sergey Shkolnikov
United States
Meng-Ping Hsu
Mexico
Doha Maaty
United States
Events like Younga are important because they allow similar-minded youth to meet each other and build a community of individuals who hold similar ideals and values.
To start 'BridgingTheGap' and make the world more inclusive and sustainable, industry stakeholders can create open, transparent and collaborative governance, that enables everyone to participate in the construction of tomorrow’s paradigms and systems.
I believe events like Younga are important because they offer a space for young people to become the leaders that are needed and they also help increase our knowledge and curiosity about the life around us.
YOUNGA
Organized by BridgingTheGap Ventures, Younga ® is the largest global festival for impact. Using mixed reality, Younga unites young people with decision-makers to co-create solutions for a more inclusive, sustainable world during the United Nations Decade of Action from 2020 to 2030.
Through interactive and intergenerational experiences,Younga equips young people with skill-building opportunities, action-oriented programming and curated connections.
As a global participatory platform, Younga empowers youth to share their hopes, concerns and ideas for the future with the world’s top industry leaders, celebrity influencers, brands and organizations.
Through interactive and intergenerational experiences,
About BridgingTheGap Ventures
BridgingTheGap Ventures was founded with the goal of bringing together young changemakers with the world’s top industry leaders, decision-makers and influencers to usher in a new era for humanity that is more connected, collaborative and empowered than the status quo.
We curate content, agency and audience for influential talent and global brands—giving them a platform to connect with young people around the world in an authentic and relevant way to drive meaningful results.
Providing access is central to all that we do—bridging opportunity gaps for underrepresented and underserved groups in order to foster inclusive innovation, prepare for the future of education and work, and co-create solutions to community challenges.
Through interactive, intergenerational and intersectional live experiences, we create spaces for youth-led innovation and future skills development so the next generation can adapt and thrive.
Our policy efforts and research insights not only inform the work that we do but are leveraged and highly valued by partners to understand, engage and amplify the youth voice.
We’ve built a global, curated community of active youth champions and passionate young people that organizations, brands and thought leaders can directly tap into—whether it be to showcase new initiatives, gather youth input or scale social impact.