Nowadays, European youth is facing multiple challenges: a huge problem of global warming which is the problem that young people inherited and now it is up to them to solve that issue and push for divestment from fossil fuels. Then, a huge unemployment rate, insufficient participation in decision making processes on issues directly and indirectly related to youth, lack of youth emancipation, and an uncertain future because of the austerity policies that make many young people wonder whether they will ever get the chance to work the job they graduated for.
Is it fair and honest to leave such big problems to young people? And all that due to the lack of will, competency and vision of our leaders to tackle them timely and duly and in the right manner.
If we back away now before these challenges will we ever get the chance for them again, will there be enough time? Isn’t it better to take the action now to save the planet in every possible way? Will you be quiet and close your eyes before these challenges, or show our leaders that they are in their positions because of us? They must listen to the needs of young people and they have an enormous moral obligation towards us to include us in decision making processes.
As Martin Luther King Jr. once said :
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Unfortunately, there’s too much at stake and we can’t afford to sit idly, passively and let opportunities go by. Therefore , it is time we rose up to the challenges of the world and take action, develop grassroots movements, encourage others to do the same and work on improving the world for our own but also for the future of the next generations. So start now!