- More than 2 million young people took part in the Davos Lab Dialogues to discuss the future of society, government, and industry.
- Overall, they trust robots more than people and see corruption, climate change, and stale political leadership as the greatest threats.
- They propose a global wealth tax to safeguard social safety nets and a global digitalization goal of 2025.
- Young people’s voices were incorporated into 40 policy recommendations to help establish a more fair future.
This year’s Global Shapers Community created the world’s largest geographically varied Youth-Driven Recovery Plan.
More environmental protection, financial security, technological access, and programs to encourage more young people to enter politics are part of the strategy. These future world leaders’ ideas will soon be the standard.
Young people conducted polls in 150 cities and 180 countries. They drew over 2 million participants and 40 policy ideas to reduce intergenerational injustice.
We need to rebuild differently after COVID-19 is broadly accepted. We need a society, economy, and international community that cares for everybody, especially the youth who are our global future’s most important and vulnerable. That’s why we need them,” said Wadia Ait Hamza, CEO of the Global Shapers Community.
Plan apex
Young people support the UN IPCC Report’s call to suspend all new coal, oil, and gas exploration and production to keep global warming to 1.5°C. They urge financial institutions to avoid funding or underwriting new fossil-fuel exploration and production, and businesses to actively replace board directors unwilling to phase out fossil fuels or shift to renewable energy.
They are really concerned about their finances. Global wealth tax on assets worth over $50 million to protect social safety nets and avoid austerity measures that disproportionately hit young and working poor. With an unexpected medical bill, nearly half of the young people surveyed said they would risk debt.
Young people support an open internet but fear abuse. Half of the world’s population lacks internet connectivity, and many face internet blackouts. Close the gap with a $2 trillion digital access plan, especially in a socially distant world that relies on virtual interactions.
Politics is in turmoil
Young people believe politics is in turmoil. They feel that society’s divisions reflect an underlying political issue. Concerns about corruption and old political leadership have become major considerations for young people. The survey indicated young people trust machines more than humans. They want more money invested in programs that assist young progressives to enter government and become policymakers.
According to the Davos Lab Survey, young people are most concerned about their physical safety, maybe due to growing monitoring technology and militarized policing against activists and people of color.
Participants led talks on what youth activism may look like to make these recommendations real. They developed guidelines to guide their campaigning towards a post-pandemic future. The result is a Millennial Manifesto.
The Millennial Manifesto is the world’s first attempt to redefine youth activism in a post-COVID era of increasing systemic disparities. “This Millennial Manifesto functions as a guide providing timeless ideals to improve their activism,” Wadia Ait Hamza remarked. It is in the report.
Youth Recovery Plan
The Youth Recovery Plan is a project of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community, a network created to empower young people aged 20-30 to shape our shared future. They work together to enhance the world’s state in over 450 cities and 150 nations.
The Global Shapers Community hosted virtual talks and polls around the world in January 2021. Local conversations included everyone from unauthorized migrants to leaders of state and public figures.
The report is based on 344 talks in 146 cities and 19,000 Davos Lab Survey responses in 187 countries. This effort has impacted nearly 2.3 million people. Young people offered their opinions, thoughts, and anxieties through debate and survey, resulting in practical insights and recommendations for key decision-makers.
Global Shapers
The Youth Recovery Plan is a project of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community, a network created to empower young people aged 20-30 to shape our shared future. They work together to enhance the world’s state in over 450 cities and 150 nations.
The Global Shapers Community hosted virtual talks and polls around the world in January 2021. Local conversations included everyone from unauthorized migrants to leaders of state and public figures.
The report is based on 344 talks in 146 cities and 19,000 Davos Lab Survey responses in 187 countries. This effort has impacted nearly 2.3 million people. Young people offered their opinions, thoughts, and anxieties through debate and survey, resulting in practical insights and recommendations for key decision-makers.
