20 countries #TwitterMarch-ed together on #YouthDay. Here’s what we learned.
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“Youth are such trouble-makers!”
No. They’re change-makers.
“Youth are the future!”
No. They’re the now.
Look around the world in 2020, and you’ll notice a powerful wave: young people.
Everywhere you turn, youth activists are driving change.
They are connecting online, organizing on shoestring budgets, and engaging with older generations to build a more just world. They recognize that peace isn’t passive. They’re on the frontlines of nearly every challenge that humanity faces, creating out-of-the-box solutions.
Something so huge deserves celebration.
So we decided to hold a global #TwitterMarch on International Youth Day.
Our invitation list was varied, with 16 organizations joining the conversation. Below, we have linked to many accounts of young peacebuilders who joined the chat. Feel free to follow them to keep the movement going!
All told, young peacebuilders and activists signed on from 20 countries, tweeting from a refugee camp in Uganda…
A rooftop in Belgium…
A balcony in Nigeria…
A backyard in Kenya…
And, the most beautiful view of all, a Search for Common Ground office in Afghanistan.
No matter the location, everyone agreed that youth leaders face major obstacles. Too often, “youth representation” translates to “sticking someone in the back of a room.”
In conflict-affected countries, young people shoulder the heavy burden of violence:
And societies tend to view youth activists in a narrow way:
These challenges hardly stop young leaders, who are finding creative ways for impact. One leader was helping to protect their society from the dire effects of COVID-19.
Another was connecting local activists to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250, a historic change to involve young people in global policy.
Still others focused on civic engagement…
Gender equality…
And resilience to violent extremism.
It turns out that peacebuilders not only do extraordinary youth work but also have extraordinary music taste. Favorite songs ranged the spectrum:
Opinions were just as varied when we ask about the issues that motivate youth today but that others may not recognize. #YouthMarch participants emphasized the environment…
LGBTQ rights…
Support for migrants…
And inclusion in decisions about security, conflict, and violence in a community.
Despite achieving superhero impact, young people rarely work alone. We asked folks to tag an inspiring youth leader, and responses took us to Tibet…
Kenya…
And even beyond Earth.
Youth activists sought not only to motivate peers but also to engage older generations. They gave us some tips:
Given so much energy, intelligence, and impact, it seems incredible that powerful institutions often exclude youth. We asked, once and for all, why youth should have a seat at the table.
By looking to young leaders, we can discover innovative solutions to stubborn problems.
Certainly, the impact and noise that we make today can echo for years.
