Youth’s Role in a Fast-Changing World

Abstract

Change is an intrinsic characteristic of the universal reality in which the human being is immersed. Not only nature, but also the products of human life in its multiple dimensions remind us that nothing is permanent: everything is doomed to change. Yet, the thought and actions of mankind play a fundamental role in determining the quality of this change: if the current world order is destined to decline, the way in which human beings think and act will influence the quality of the new rising order. In this moment of transition, one actor may prove its strength and become decisive in the construction of a new and more just order, thanks to the tools made available by technological advancement, today more than ever Civil Society can unite to realise that positive change that millions of people today are asking for. But the opportunities made available by new technologies will not be enough to overcome today’s challenges. In an increasingly interconnected world in which learning to manage diversity becomes the ‘condicio sine qua non’ for reaching shared solutions and actions, the concept of collective leadership becomes increasingly central. By analysing recent case studies, this article aims to shed new light on the contribution that younger generations can make in achieving a new type of leadership by working within the framework of a concrete intergenerational partnership.

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