Youth voices from the Nordic Baltic Youth Summit: “Listen to us! We are the future”
Barn & unga
14 okt 2024
"Decision-makers must listen to youth. We are the ones who will be impacted by today's choices." This was one of the key arguments raised during our workshop at the first-ever Nordic-Baltic Youth Summit, held in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The Nordic Baltic Youth Summit gathered around 250 participants from across the Nordic and Baltic regions. In the first session, there were 15 workshops, two of which were arranged by the Nordic Welfare Centre.
Youth participation in decision-making
In the workshop Youth summit: Convince decision makers to listen to youth on a regular basis Nordic and Baltic youth worked on how to advocate for youth involvement towards decision-making by refining rhetorical skills, test arguments, and get recommendations to share with local decision-makers.
After engaging in small group discussions the participants shared their thoughts on the importance of youth involvement in decision-making processes. Through a real-time Mentimeter survey and deep discussions, participants voiced their opinions, calling on policymakers to include them in shaping the future.
Their responses were passionate and insightful, highlighting the unique perspectives young people bring to the table.
Key reflections from participants
The workshop offered young people a platform to practice advocacy and argumentation, equipping them with tools to communicate their views to policymakers effectively.
“Youth are the future and need to have a say about the future!” wrote one participant, capturing the essence of the summit. Another echoed this sentiment: “Nothing about us without us!”—emphasising the fundamental right of youth to be involved in decisions that affect their lives.
One young leader pointed out the expertise youth bring: “Young people are experts on being young,” reminding decision-makers that their lived experiences are vital for crafting relevant policies. Another common theme was the importance of long-term thinking: “Decision-makers should listen to youth because they will face the impact of today’s choices,” underscoring the urgency of involving young voices in policy dialogues.
The role of youth in shaping the future
The workshop ended with a real time testing where the participants used their mobile phones to record their arguments and see how they landed. People tried different approaches and sharpened their arguments using rhetorical knowledge.
One of the participants was Fannar Logi Waldorff Sigurðsson from Samfés, Iceland.
– Young people heavily use public systems like schools and transport, and we have a different perspective from older generations—sometimes, we even have the ideal solutions to current problems. Youth are the future, so let us gain the experience and power to lead the way forward, he said.
The Right to Be Heard
Youth voices are not merely welcome, they are a protected right under international law. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) specifically emphasises this in Article 12, which grants every child the right to be heard. It obligates governments to ensure that children have the opportunity to express those views freely in all matters affecting them. Moreover, these views must be given due weight. This reinforces the need for youth participation in decision-making processes.
Alexander O’Neill, representative of Young Moderates, Denmark, expressed the importance of youth-driven participatory structures:
– Young people are the only true experts on how policies affect them. We must avoid repeating the mistakes made during past crises, like Covid-19, he said in his argument.
A platform to develop solutions
There was a strong sentiment that decision-makers need to broaden their perspectives and ensure that youth are part of decision-making processes—before, during, and after crises.
– Attending the Nordic-Baltic Youth Summit has shown me how important it is to bring together young people from the Nordic and Baltic countries. It’s not only a chance to strengthen the ties between our regions but also to create a platform where we can discuss common challenges and develop solutions together, said Alexander O’Neill from Young Moderates, Denmark, emphasising the value of collaboration.
Concluding the Summit
The Nordic-Baltic Youth Summit concluded with workshops compiling policy recommendations in various areas, including peace and security, democracy, well-being, climate, and governance.
– The Baltic and Nordic regions want to become greater places, and to do so, we need to work together with everyone, says Fannar Logi Waldorff Sigurðsson from Samfés, Iceland, to sum up the youth summit.
