As part of the ''Road to Addis'' series of events ahead of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC), and on International Youth Day, ITU held a session focused on the role of youth in shaping the digital agenda.
In her opening remarks, BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasized that young digital natives have the power to innovate for change on a truly unprecedented level.
She explained the imperative for ITU's Generation Connect initiative, and said ''Engaging in a 'dialogue of equals' will help each generation understand the challenges the other faces, and what each needs from tomorrow's technologies, so that we can ensure that digital remains a positive and catalytic force in building 'the world we want'.''
A Generation Connect Youth Summit will precede the WTDC in 2022, and will generate outcomes to be fed directly into WTDC discussions.
Speakers provided concrete recommendations to empower youth to shape the digital agenda, including: H.E. Akilah Byron-Nisbett, Minister of Health, ICT, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship, and Talent Development, Ministry of Health, St. Kitts and Nevis; Mr Ahmad Alhendawi, Chair, Global Youth Mobilization and Secretary General, World Organization of the Scout Movement; Ms Sinead Bovell, Founder of WAYE, Member of the Generation Connect Visionaries Board; Dr Kevin Frey, CEO of Generation Unlimited; Mr Roman Gojayev, Member of Experts Group on Youth Rights at European Youth Forum, Member of the Generation Connect Visionaries Board; Ms Devshi Mehrotra, CEO of JusticeText; Mr Tijmen Rooseboom, Ambassador for Youth, Education and Work at the Netherlands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Ms Jayathma Wickramanayake, UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, Member of the Generation Connect Visionaries Board. The session was moderated by David Kirkpatrick, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Techonomy Media and co-moderated by Ellen Taylor, Youth Engagement, Generation Connect, ITU.
Find the Director's full remarks here.
