Cities that listen to youth

Living democracy is much more than voting or being a candidate for elections, although they are undoubtedly of the utmost importance.

According to the Council of Europe, participating and exercising full citizenship means having the rights, tools, space, opportunity and support to influence political decisions and engage in actions and activities that contribute to building a better society.

Achieving it in our cities is the joint task of citizens and city councils, through an exercise of neighborhood responsibility and ensuring public participation channels, respectively.

It has been proven that the direct involvement of citizens in all phases of public processes raises the quality of democracy, reinforces trust in governments, promotes innovation and can improve the results of public policies.

In Spain, for decades we have been experiencing slow but constant progress in the promotion of citizen participation: financing civic activities, consulting sectoral plans, through participatory budgets, virtual platforms for public consultation or the first citizen assemblies, among others. Actions.

It is said that we are a passive or disinterested generation.

However, recent studies show that we are organizing in other ways.

At the last World Congress of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), in the South Korean city of Daejon, it was addressed precisely what path localities around the world should follow to improve their relationship with their citizens.

In the previous months, young and old activists, civil society leaders or technicians from international organizations had developed proposals to outline a Pact for the Future.

And for five days, in Daejon, they debated with the political leaders of cities around the world and it was agreed that it was time to listen to their neighbors.

The new generations

Youth is an important piece, even if they are less involved in public processes.

In recent decades, there has been concern that the new generations reduce participation in traditional politics: it is said that we are a passive or disinterested generation.

However, recent studies show that we are organizing in other ways.

Thousands of young people participate every year in exchanges, events and programs where they discuss and decide what is relevant to them and how to make it happen.

More and more small associations or large movements are being created, deliberately or spontaneously, occupying the streets for a few hours or meeting from the comfort of their sofa in the digital world.

It is not that young people want to participate, it is that, with few resources and great seriousness, they are already having a huge impact on the life of cities

In Seoul (South Korea), Beijing (China), Tokyo (Japan) or Taipei (Taiwan), these movements have filled the cities to demand a dignified future.

In small towns in Mali, young people organize themselves to protect their families from terrorist attacks, and in Lagos (Nigeria) to end police violence.

In Nairobi (Kenya), in the comfort of a cafe, young people reflect on how to produce an innovative company that improves the lives of their communities.

In Colombian towns, they meet to protect peace.

And in Barcelona, ​​the Youth Council sits down those under 30 to discuss what is important, and then puts pressure on the institutions so that the proposals are taken into account.

In short, it is not that young people want to participate, it is that, with few resources and great seriousness,

Any governance proposal for the 2023 elections should include listening to and collaborating with citizens, and especially with young people.

And after the elections, it should be reflected in the composition of the councils, and through their work plans.

There is a mobilized youth that is already improving the lives of their communities, and many others have the potential to do so, even if they lack the habit, the resources or the confidence to do so.

The greatest effort will be to normalize that democratic life is also a life of citizen collaboration and debate, and to create the structures so that young people can do the same.

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