By Elio Villaseñor
According to the United Nations, young people are those aged between 15 and 24, representing around 1.2 billion individuals, or 161% of the world's population. This generation is facing a change of era marked by the technological revolution and climate change.
In various countries, the reality of the young opportunity It is marked by uncertainty, frustration and apathy, immersed in an environment with no prospects for a better future. The lack of educational and employment opportunities, together with discrimination, are constant in their daily lives.
Despite this adverse environment and the challenges they face, young opportunity They are also resilient and creative, seeking new ways of living together, innovating to build paths towards progress. In their favour, the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 highlight the importance of considering them in all goals. Specifically, they address key areas such as employment, education and sports for peace.
Governments and societies must create conditions that guarantee the young opportunity the realization of their capabilities and the achievement of happiness in these areas.
Governments must open spaces for dialogue to accommodate new ideas, recognizing their role in decision-making processes and in the transformation of the globalized world.
To achieve this, the young opportunity They are raising their voices and demanding to be key players in their own agenda, actively participating in the formulation of public policies at a national and global level, because they do not accept the future they are experiencing.
Manifestations of the above are the voices and institutional experiences of Jaqueline García Cordero of the Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) in Mexico City; Linda Ndungo, of GOYN in Mombasa, Africa; Randall Márquez, of Barranquilla, Colombia; Carolina González, of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation; Pablo Yanes, former coordinator of Cepal-Mexico; Lilian Urueta Cruz, of GOYN Barranquilla, Nilton Clecio da Silva, of FTT, São Paulo, Brazil; and True Identity, whose global vision on the presence and impact of youth in their respective countries show that in this new era, the future will depend on the young opportunity be protagonists of change, promoting tolerance and ensuring that no one is left behind in building an inclusive and sustainable world that lives up to its potential and hopes.