The Blooming Changemakers – The Youth at World Economic Forum 2020

Greta Thunberg is the name that rings in the maximum lot’s head when we come across the term “young activist”. The young girl of 17 has jolted everyone awake to stark reality of climate crisis with her daring outbursts. Luckily for us there are more than one such brave spirits on our exhausted earth. This year the World Economic Forum has invited 10 Youth Changemakers for its esteemed summit at Davos. In fact, it was refreshing to see many young activists among the otherwise archaic and recurring dignitaries. These energetic and public-spirited young minds talked on a wide range of topics and proved their genuine concern for united society.

Mohamad Al Jounde

This teenage boy with sparkling eyes from Syria was suddenly thrown into a tumultuous future when war broke in his country. Before long, he was living in a refugee camp in Lebanon. From the anguish of dreadful conditions in the camp, in 2013 he and his family built a school for children to provide education and also help them cope up with trauma and depression. For his contributions, he won “The International Children’s Peace Prize 2017”, which is awarded to children who fight for children’s rights.

At Davos 2020, Mohamad insisted on the importance of awareness on education, health, equality among others which are equally paramount as that of climate change and are crucial in fighting against the crisis. The focus, he pleads, should be spread across all of the world’s problems and not just on one major issue.

Naomi Wadler

Popularly known for her March for our Lives speech in March 2018, this 13 year old activist from the US is vehement voice for millions of black women and girls who lost their lives due to gun violence. She was listed on Teen Vogue’s “21 under 21” and is also a recipient of “Disruptive Innovation Award”. Naomi is the youngest social activist at Davos this year and shared her stage with Will.i.am on the topic of discrimination against African Americans.

As per Naomi, the education system is not robust enough in manifesting past social movements and emphasizes that imparting diverse perspectives can help to achieve equal respect for black influencers like the white ones. Being a social activist herself, she realized how many like her are ignoring mental health for the benefit of public interest and reminds her fellow members to “look at ourselves first – and make sure we’re OK. We’re not going to have the capacity to make the world a better place if we’re not taking care of ourselves.”

Salvador Gómez-Colón

In 2017 when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, it left 95% of the island without power and USD 90 billion in damage. Salvador was one among the victims but neither his age nor his fragile state stopped him in coming forward to offer his bit of support. Through his Light and Hope Puerto Rico campaign, he distributed more than 5,000 solar lamps and 3,000 hand-operated washing machines to over 3,500 households.

The young and dynamic activist believes in encouraging inclusion of more youth voices in global politics and social causes. He also asserts that his generation is not world’s future but is its present. He joined the discussion with Greta and others to voice his support on youth for global change. Salvador is an active changemaker and a frequent writer for international forums on similar topics.

Natasha Mwansa

It is a given fact that you are an exceptional individual when you receive standing ovation from prime ministers and presidents for your speech at an international conference. Natasha Mwansa is that brilliant teenager who within a short time earned incredible fame and recognition for her contribution towards Child and Women’s Rights. In May 2019, she became first Zambian youth to win the “World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Award”, honoring her work in people’s health development.

Leveraging her profess as a Child Journalist and Child Rights and Development advocate, she stresses on the importance of collaboration between older and younger generations at Davos 2020 forum on Sustainable Path. With the heaps of experience the matured have, and with the ideas and energy the juniors possess, Natasha continues, we can create more meaningful and effective solutions to the world’s problems. She firmly notes “we want to be involved from the start to the end.”

• Activists
• Climate Change
• Davos
• Greta Thunberg
• Social activists
• WEF
• Young
• Youth