Encouraging youth-led and sustainable development
[Project's news]
"In 24 industrialized at least 16.7 million young people are not employed, in school, or in training, and about 10 million of those aren't even looking"
OECD in December 2010
In Japan they are called the freeters, in Egypt shabab atileen, in Tunisia hitties (French-Arabic slang for those who lean against the wall), in the US boomerang, in Spain mileuristas, in Britain NEET (Not in education, employment, or training), while in Italy they are the so-called Bamboccioni. In all this countries very often educated young people can´t find well-paying work and a lost generation of unemployed or underemployed, disaffected, viewless is growing. Who´s responsible for this situation? The lazy young people? Economies that can´t generate enough jobs to absorb its young people? An older generation that fought for their rights in 68´ movements, but is now settling and holding on to their positional status, just as their predecessors? How will the generational change develop? Are there ways out of this scenario and how do they look like?
This and many more questions were raised during the opening ceremony of LiberaMente, on Friday the 25 of March at the University of Bozen. The debate was held in three different languages (Italian, German and English) and moderated by Francesco Palermo, the scientific coordinator of LiberaMente, who introduced the three guests. Each guest came from a specific regional and linguistic background developing a rich discussion on the topic with the participants of LiberaMente.
First, Matteo Fini, researcher at the University of Milan and author of the book "Non e´ un paese per bamboccioni", explained the idea behind and the significance of his latest book, a collection of examples of a "different" Italy. Eleven Stories of "normal" young people in their twenties that "made it" and build their future with their own hands. The focus of the book is less the actual result of the stories (an innovative enterprise, a sustainable association, an intresting experiment), but more the ways how they got there, the path out of the mischief. He expressed his believe through his eleven examples to a whole generation of young people who is ready to take risks and face of hard times. They were able to achieve their goals coming out with fresh ideas and overcoming old schemas and structures.
Our next guest was Leo Hickman, journalist The Guardian and author of "A Life Stripped Bare: My Year Trying To Live Ethically". As one of the most important international analysts of enviromental issues, he stressed the role of youth participation and leadership in grass roots movements promoting sustainable projects. Our guest from Cornwell (England) emphazised the importance of dialogue between generations. As an example of such kind of interaction he mentioned a project of intergenerational exchange from different countries working like a partneship between "twin towns". He also highlighted the function of new technologies and social media and their weight in the development of new loyalities and identity belongings. Exemplifying on their role for the current uprisings and revolutions in North Africa and the Middle East, he showed their immense potential: Through social media it is possible to reach masses of audiences and get them passioned and engaged for important issues in a very short time. This is becomes even more relevant and one of the greatest challenges of the present considering the strong diffusion of distracting factors in the aspirations of the youth like the ideal of role models like football players, top models or pop stars.
Gerhard Mumelter, former head of the editorial staff of the local news network and current correspondent of Der Standard in Rome, was our third and last guest. His attention was on the local context of South Tyrol: He expressed his disapprovement and exhaution on the current "ethnocultural" issues in the region that were put on the top of the political agenda in the last months(years/decades). It is time to look forward and consider people as single individuals and not only as part of a "cultural community." Of course this changes to happen require on one hand the political will, for example on trilingual schools, and on the other a youth movement that put itself on the line and is able to make itself visible. In the end he brought forward the content issue: Which are the topics and models young people want to focus on?
Sustainability - Solidarity - Engagement
Three concepts that are at the heart of our agenda. They sum up the results of debate and the inputs of our experts. Youth-led initiatives are in a unique position to develop and address issues from a youth perspective using new technologies such as social media and the Web 2.0. Elders have to take in account young people in all decision-making processes and recognize that youth empowerment and participation is a precondition to implement sustainable models and lifestyles in the future.
Press Release: http://www.provinz.bz.it/usp/285.asp?aktuelles_action=4&aktuelles_article_id=356833
