Report release on the World Youth Openness and Democracy Summit

The International Youth Think Tank (IYTT) has released the official report of the 2025 World Youth Openness and Democracy Summit, held in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Summit brought together twenty Youth Fellows from Africa, Europe, and North America for five days of democratic engagement, creativity, and dialogue alongside the 50th anniversary of the Gothia Cup, the world’s largest youth football tournament.

The report, written and edited by the Youth Fellows themselves, documents a week that combined football, urban design, and civic participation. It offers a perspective on how democracy comes to life through the active involvement of urban spaces and social actors of everyday life, like football teams. And it also captures the spirit of experimentation that defines the IYTT: trying new ideas, testing democratic methods, and learning from both successes and challenges.

Across the Summit activities, Youth Fellows explored how democracy takes shape through simple actions like conversations with strangers, critical observation of the urban environment, and engagement with social actors, in the form of football teams. This proved to be a crucial effort and, whether through art, urban observation, or exchanges with young football players, it offered valuable insights that will shape how the IYTT designs its future projects. The week also brought lessons about participation and inclusion. Youth Fellows learned how cultural sensitivity, preparation, and collaboration can strengthen democratic dialogue.

The report recognises that meaningful democratic work depends on reflection. The Youth Fellows shared honest feedback about what worked and what did not, showing that learning from mistakes can be as powerful as celebrating achievements. Their reflections point toward a more thoughtful, inclusive, and sustainable approach to civic engagement, one that values process over outcome.

In releasing this report, the IYTT reaffirms its belief that democracy grows through openness and dialogue. The Gothenburg Summit was not about delivering objectives but about learning how to ask better questions about society and politics, together.

The report is also a reflection on the current state of our democracies, showing how people feel empowered, where they experience freedom, and how everyday engagement in public life opens the way to meaningful democratic participation.

The World Youth Openness and Democracy Summit Report is a collective reflection on how young people are reimagining democracy through dialogue, creativity, and empathy. As the IYTT looks ahead, the lessons from Gothenburg will guide its future initiatives, with the belief that democracy requires not only action but reflection, care, and the courage to learn along the way.