The first-ever Generation Connect Global Youth Summit, co-created with young people, took place between 2-4 June in Kigali, Rwanda ahead of ITU's World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) 2022.
Young people from over 100 countries travelled to Kigali, and many more joined online from their homes or from the more than 70 official Youth Summit Hubs, universities, research centres, tech incubators, schools and other entities that organized activities around the Summit.
BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin said, ''I encourage you all to think creatively, collaborate, listen to each other, and share your experiences and ideas on how we could be using technology to accelerate progress in critical areas like health, education, environmental sustainability, conflict resolution, gender equality, accessibility, and youth opportunities.''
Over the course of an energized, action-packed three days, young people drew upon their experiences as digital natives, and shared and deliberated their ideas to build a better digital future for all.
As the Summit drew to a close, Ms Bogdan-Martin together with the Honorable Paula Ingabire, Minister of Information and Communications Technology and Innovation of Rwanda, applauded the enthusiasm and dedication that young people demonstrated as they assumed leadership roles already.
The BDT Director noted that the Summit only marked the beginning of the Generation Connect movement, and that what we started in Kigali will continue on across the globe.
She said, ''The digital future is yours. The digital present is yours. You are our future. You are Generation Connect.''
Missed the Summit? Peak into the happenings at Intare Arena, Kigali (and listen to the Generation Connect song!) here!
