Gianni Locatelli, 18, France. Describe your country to someone who has never been before… Charming. How do you think we can get young people involved in politics today? By listening to them. What changes would you like to see in the world? I’d like to see less people looking unhappy every day. What are your hopes and dreams for the future of our planet? Peace and love.
Sylvester Ulv Henriksen, 21, Denmark. What are the biggest issues facing young people in Denmark today? Danish youth today are too comfortable to really take chances or explore the world’s many unexplored territories. What changes would you like to see in the world? World peace! What do you think governments need to do to make those changes a reality? Please make room for everybody. I wish everyone could grow up feeling safe enough to express themselves however they wanted. I think it’s so important we use each other as support. What are your hopes and dreams for the future of our planet? Safety in every way imaginable.
Lorna Foran, 25, The Republic of Ireland. Describe your country to someone who has never been before… It can rain for about a week or more straight, and although Ireland is beautiful it’s the people that you’ll be left remembering the most. If you were a politician, what would you do differently? Pay my taxes. How do you think we can get young people involved in politics today? Perhaps making it a less intimidating subject. Currently with the UK’s vote on leaving the EU, it can be as simple as teaching young people the importance of their vote and informing them on their vote’s outcome may have on their future. What are your hopes and dreams for the future of our planet? A peaceful and united one.
Ser Brandon Castro Serpas, 20, USA. What changes would you like to see in the world? Community-based high learning structures, physical and mental health professionals on campus instead of armed guards or police. Peer intervention strategies implemented instead of zero tolerance ordinances that operate like the three strike system. How do you think we can get young people involved in politics today? I don’t want young people involved in politics, I want individual communities to become bases of power and rehabilitation in their own right. I want young people to feel comfortable enough within their own homes to want to help people like themselves. What are your hopes and dreams for the future of our planet? Renewable energy, and that we can convert plastic to food, so we don’t fucking die.
Srei Vacharaphol, 20, Thailand. What are the biggest issues facing young people in Thailand today? I think that the biggest issue facing young people in Thailand today is their lack of education on politics. They may not be able to truly understand what each candidate that they could potentially vote for represents. With so much stigma attached to different groups, they may become caught up in the whirlwind of it all without really understanding what they are standing for or against. What changes would you like to see in the world? I would like to see education become more accessible to people from every level of society. What are your hopes and dreams for the future of our planet?It would be great to see more equality in terms of opportunity.
Jan Melka, 21, France. Describe your country to someone who has never been before… It’s a free country that does everything in a chic way, but it’s also a passionate country that fought for its rights. Maybe that’s why we’re so proud. What are the biggest issues facing young people in France today? Young Parisians are bored as hell. We have attitude, we know how to talk and how to dress well, but do we really know what life means? How do you think we can get young people involved in politics today? When young people see government really making a difference, they will get involved.
HeeJin Gwon, 21, Japan. Describe your country to someone who has never been before… It’s a very small country with a lot of people, it’s full of energy and everything changes quickly. What are the biggest issues facing young people in Japan today? Finding a job. If you were a politician, what would you do differently? No lies, no corruption, and I’d act with common sense. How do you think we can get young people involved in politics today? Make them realize they actually have the power to change the country they live in. Stop mourning and go vote!
Caio Paulo, Brazil. Describe your country to someone who has never been before… Brazil has so many cultures, so many beautiful places. What changes would you like to see in the world? I would like to see more respect, I think it’s that simple. People need to respect others for their differences and respect planet Earth. You don’t need to know or love everyone, you just have to accept and respect them. What are your hopes and dreams for the future of our planet? I want the world to be a place where everyone can be who they really are, regardless of their race, skin color, sexual orientation. Where you can wear what you want without judgment, without hate, where everyone can live without self-destruction and without destroying nature.
Geelherme Vieira, 23, Brazil. Describe your country to someone who has never seen it before… It’s a giant country, socially and economically diverse, it has a lot of potential. I feel like it’s still in a very important development stage, and you can feel it when you walk down our streets. What are the biggest issues facing young people in Brazil today? Our political situation. We are unsure about our future right now, and people want change. The only problem is that the majority of the population support homophobia, sexism, and religious leaders who applaud their actions. If you are reading this, be sure, we need help. How do you think we can get young people involved in politics today? Through the internet. We need new platforms.
Michel Degas, 23, Brazil. Describe your country to someone who has never been before… Brazil is a mess, but a good mess. The people here are lovely and caring. Physical contact is a big thing in my country, we love to hug. I think our love is sincere and spontaneous. It’s something you’ll never see in any other place of the world. What changes would you like to see in the world? To see all people fully embracing who they are. We start to build a better world when we look within. What do you think governments need to do so make those changes a really? I don’t trust governments that much, I believe in self-management to make changes happen. The government is based on a very archaic and old structure, made by men, ruled by men, and to serve men. I don’t believe in it anymore.
Sophia Starosta, 27, Brazil. Describe Brazil to someone who has never seen it before… Brazil is a very paradoxical country. We are not a poor country, but the richness belongs to a minority of people and the majority of the population lives with very little. In cities like São Paulo, there are people who don’t have plumbing and people who use helicopters to go to the mall. It’s a country of contradictions. If you were a politician, what would you do differently? I would try to listen and respect people above all. A thing most politicians rarely do. What are your hopes and dreams for the future of our planet? I wish people would be more focused on being nicer to each other. And that we could all be respected and have the same opportunities, from cradle to grave.
Henok Yetbarek, 17, Ethiopia.Describe your country to someone who has never been before… The people are known for being welcoming and friendly. There are a lot of inspiring places to visit and let’s not forget about the amazing coffee, too. What at are the biggest issues facing young people in Ethiopia today? Young people like myself don’t have a place to hang out for free. Especially if you don’t have a job, and getting jobs is another big issue in my city, Addis Ababa. What changes would you like to see in the world? I wish there was no war, no conflict, more sport, more inspiration, and more focus on the youth. What do you think governments need to do to make those changes a reality? They need to be open to new ideas, understanding, respectful of other people’s thoughts. Let the youth have a say!
Esben Weile Kjær, 23, Denmark. What changes would you like to see in the world? We are an individualistic generation, who find our communities within small neo tribes rather than mass culture. I think we need to appreciate that there is room for everyone to be different despite norms and restrictions. What do you think governments need to do to make those changes a reality? This might sound old school but they showing more solidarity. I will never know how it might feel to live in a different body than the one I am born into, however, I can easily use my voice to prove a point together with others. What are your hopes and dreams for the future? I hope that people will remember us as a generation that have had a lot of fun and who have created what some might refer to as contemporary digital youth culture.