Highlight 27/2024 –Encouraging Youth Aspirations: Acknowledging the Role of Youth in Peacebuilding
Sahanuxi Tiliewujiang, 24 July 2024
In 2007, the then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivered a speech at Tongji University, stating, « A nation with people who look up at the sky has hope; a nation solely focused on the ground has no future. Our nation is full of hope! I hope you can embrace not only knowledge and skills but also compassion and reflection. May you become guardians of our shared destiny, caring stewards of both country and world. »
I believe this statement is not only advice for Chinese youth but also a call to action for youth worldwide. Today, whether it’s internal turmoil within nations or international conflicts, the crisis of peace looms large. The path to peacebuilding is increasingly challenging. Apart from the complex historical legacies, one of the root causes lies in the insufficient inclusivity of the current national and international political systems, with youth participation in political decision-making and peacebuilding being inadequate.
However, youth political apathy is not solely their own fault but primarily because their voices are not heard, and their status is marginalized. Although there is no universal definition of youth, the United Nations defines ‘Youth’ as persons aged 18-29 years in its Resolution 2250(2015) on Youth, Peace, and Security. As one of the most populous generations globally, youth deserve to be treated correctly and included in political decision-making and peacebuilding efforts.
Youth should be valued. They play a crucial role in peace and security issues, not only because they constitute a majority and have the right to express their political needs reasonably, but also because they represent innovation. As the Chinese saying goes, » The rear waves of the Yangtze River drive on those before. » The progressive insights and abilities of youth have the potential to bring novel problem-solving methods to political decision-making and peacebuilding, such as offering recommendations for national security sector reforms. Additionally, youth possess a high level of social sensitivity, enabling them to perceive potential problems and opportunities relatively promptly. Therefore, allowing youth to voice their opinions is conducive to promptly addressing social issues, avoiding conflict and its escalation.
Although youth are both participants and major victims of violent conflicts, people often tend to overlook the latter, thus labeling youth as « destroyers of peace. » This bias directly or indirectly affects youth’s participation in political decision-making, thereby diminishing their crucial role in peacebuilding. This bias also diminishes youth’s political enthusiasm because their immature views may be branded as « politically incorrect » or even as « destroying peace ». I believe the key to addressing this issue lies in education.
Youth are at a crucial stage of knowledge construction, where their understanding of the world is continually forming. Through education, correct knowledge of history, politics, society, and other subjects can be imparted to youth, helping them develop an objective, comprehensive worldview and values. In today’s information-laden world, education can cultivate youth’s critical thinking skills, enabling them to actively think, question, debate, and examine issues from multiple perspectives. This critical thinking not only helps youth break free from extremist ideologies but also enables them to better participate in political decision-making, making positive contributions to social stability and development. This necessitates the responsibility and cooperation of education ministries of various countries, UNESCO, and other relevant organizations.
No one remains young forever, but there are always those in their youth, valuing the power of Youth in Peace and Security is of utmost importance, as they are the leaders of tomorrow.
Sahanuxi Tiliewujiang, Highlight 27/2024 – Encouraging Youth Aspirations: Acknowledging the Role of Youth in Peacebuilding, 24 July 2024, available at www.meig.ch
The views expressed in the MEIG Highlights are personal to the authors and neither reflect the positions of the MEIG Programme nor those of the University of Geneva.