Nationality: British

Present residency: Prague, Czech Republic

Year of birth: 1998

“My personal development will be enhanced through this amazing opportunity by being able to learn from the ideas of other young people to build a more open society. These ideas I can apply to my understanding of solutions to conflict within my own university degree. I will be able to contribute socially because there is nothing I love more than meeting new people and understanding their backgrounds and beliefs. The opportunity to discuss ideas in an open and constructive manner I believe is the basis of democracy. I will be able to contribute ideas that come from my own experiences of working in various settings such as health care, education and now for an NGO which monitors conflict. These experiences have taught me that we can’t have an open and democratic society until all members of societies voices are understood in the context of their situation.”

Nationality: Russian (tatar)

Present residency: Helsinki, Finland

Year of birth: 2000

“Personal development is about self-awareness, about getting your ideas challenged and about being subjected to thorough reflections on the information flow you get exposed to. I am convinced that IYTT will provide me with a golden opportunity to go beyond my current perception of the world through fruitful cooperation between participants and invited guests. Since I have been an active participant of various forums and summits, I could see how powerful and thought-provoking such platforms might be and I definitely have a lot to share. While I do believe in the power of words, I am also an action- and impact-driven person and for me it will be inspiring to start working on some socially important project with like-minded people that conference will gather together. Being a representative of an ethnic group within a big state I can safely say that democracy is ruthlessly violated when the voices of minorities get silenced. Attempts to establish open and democratic society are doomed to be futile when the principle of pluralism is being neglected. But once there is a high level of respect, accountability and empathy expressed by the government toward their nation, democracy is no longer unattainable. Even though this issue is complex and multifaceted, I firmly believe that novel solutions to problems that hinder democracy nowadays and perspectives on policy-making shared by young people at the conference, will one day reach the implementation stage.”

Nationality: German

Present residency: Windeck, Germany

Year of birth: 2003

“I hope to understand better how I can participate in sustaining and improving our democratic and open society. I hope to find new ways of being politically active and get to know other experiences how our democracy works right now and ideas how it should be in the future. I hope to get to know other young people from Europe who are eager to work in and on our democracy. I hope to learn more about the situation in other European countries and maybe even make new friends along the way. I want to share my own experiences in being politically active, especially in a party and their youth organisation. Furthermore, I would like to present my ideas how we get more people interested in being politically active and how more people have the ability and opportunitity to be active in our democratic societies.“

Nationalities: Italian

Present residency: Pisa, Italy

Year of birth: 1999

“I’m looking forward to studying democracy from a unique standpoint and I am firmly convinced that this experience will provide me with the tools to critically assess reality. It is a thrilling opportunity to further develop my political and economic conscience and background. For the experience to be most formative, it will be crucial to exchange ideas and thoughts with my fellow candidates. I have always loved debating and discussing social and political matters, getting the chance to do so with peers from all over Europe will be special. My empathy and respect for others’ ideals and values, together with the economic quantitative tools developed during my university career will enable me to contribute to the conference in my own analytical and passionate way.“

Nationality: Bulgarian

Present residency: Frankfurt (Oder), Germany

Year of Birth: 2000

“Participating in events like this is what I was made for. It is a dream come true. With that being said, it is an essential step in achieving my goals, as well as developing myself in the right direction. To be a better citizen of this world. My contribution would be to offer a diverse and well-formulated opinion on a variety of topics, which will always spark debates between the participants and myself. Also, I am planning to bring my sense of humour with me, so we are up for a show. To put it plainly, I will contribute by making sure that the truth remains not neglected by emotions, personal agendas or a misplaced sense of self-righteousness.”

Nationality: German

Present Residence: Gothenburg, Sweden

Year of birth: 1997

“By participating in the International Youth Conference 2022, I will learn how to work with other young people to develop transformative ideas and present them in a compelling way. Sharing my views will enrich the perspectives of other participants, and their views will enrich mine. Based on an optimistic orientation, I will present ideas that aim to support the resilience and participatory elements of democracy while encouraging long-term, sustainability-based thinking.“

Nationality: French / British

Present residency: Salamanca, Spain

Year of birth: 2001

“Through participating in this conference I will gain further confidence in myself through the close collaboration with other individuals, which will teach how to  transcend linguistic and cultural barriers within academic contexts, while maintaining a common focus. Socially, I will use my background in languages to foment a positive atmosphere in which more comprehensive discussions can take place, whilst truly getting to grips with the optimal means of combating authoritarianism. To contribute to the path towards a wholly democratic society, I will undertake a multifaceted approach that goes from the individual level (working with conference members), to outlining the optimal means of consolidating democratic norms internationally. This is the best way of creating a long-term plan for international collaboration that will hold fast against autocracy and authoritarianism in all its forms.”

Nationality: Italian

Present residency: Lisbon, Portugal

Year of birth: 2002

“I am starting the third year of my Bachelor degree and by now I have covered many topics that seem equally interesting and relevant. I have always been used to studying from textbooks and notes and never actually had the opportunity to ‘train’ myself to come up and share new ideas. I hope that the conference can be my ‘gym’, a safe place where I can not only learn more about others’ perspectives on topics I consider important, but also push myself to go out of my comfort zone and put myself to the test. By living abroad I have learnt that I enjoy being around people and creating a sense of community with those around me. I think that the conference is the best place to make this happen because it will bring together people with similar goals and hopes. I cannot wait to work with like-minded people to come up with new ideas with the curiosity that I think characterizes me. Growing up is not about ticking the boxes and reaching specific accomplishments by some ‘set’ age. I truly believe that experiences, mistakes and random encounters are some of the elements that shape the person one is meant to become. The idea of a democratic society is to me one in which individuals can create bridges amongst each other by relating to the stories of others. What I consider extremely important is to build a connection between generations that too often happen to keep a distance one from the other. To this, I am also strongly aware of the fundamental international dimension that must exist in today’s society. This is why I would love for there to be a system of “grandchildren exchange”. Not only could it create connections between young people (who in some cases would have to act as translators), but it could also give comfort to elders who too often feel lonely. Furthermore, by getting to know what the society, family or work life and economic realities were like, young people would have the chance to relate and resonate to what others have been through most of it and put it in action.”

Nationality: Germany

Present residency: Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Year of birth: 2000

“I believe that we can only create open, peaceful societies together, by including each and every person, especially those who are marginalized in society. That is why I am very much looking forward to learning more about bottom-up approaches to policy-making that I hope to apply in my future career! I am excited to meet and to discuss issues pertaining to our common future with my fellow IYC peers from all kinds of different backgrounds! I have an academic background in psychology and international development studies and am particularly passionate about issues of child protection, youth empowerment, migration, and global mental health. In my eyes, these are all issues that are at the heart of creating sustainable, peaceful, and democratic societies!”

Nationality: British

Present residency: Berlin, Germany

Year of birth: 1999

“Taking part will be a step towards my professional goals of working for a think tank and my personal goals by being more active in political organisations and fora. I am extremely excited to meet people from across Europe who also want to engage critically with the current situation and the values of open and democratic societies. I had the opportunity to meet people from across Europe during my Erasmus year and made long-lasting friendships. I hope that this will be the result of the IYTT too. I’m looking forward to discussing the most fundamental and important aspects of our systems and how they can be improved or strengthened. I’m also excited to bring knowledge of European political systems to understand what can be actively achieved.”

Nationality: German

Present residency: Germany, Ulm

Year of birth: 1998

“The conference offers the unique opportunity to exchange ideas with other participants and gain new perspectives on how we can defend democracy and democratic values in an internationally shrinking democratic space. Driven by my curiosity, I would like to learn from others while bringing forward my own ideas, thoughts, and visions for an open and democratic society. During the conference, I would love to share my personal stories with others to find solutions on how to create an open and inclusive society, where we can live in and act as a democracy. I will seize the opportunity to listen to other stories, visions and participate in lively discussions with like-minded influential European decision makers and research scholars. Having learned how to build bridges between cultures and therefore different points of views, I would like to act as a mediator during the international youth conference 2022. With my leadership and moderating skills I want to make sure that every voice is heard equally and everybody feels comfortable and safe during our discussions. For a democratic society it is essential that everyone has the same chances and possibilities to contribute to the society.”

Nationality: British

Present residency: Aix en Provence, France

Year of birth: 2002

“I hope that by meeting other interested young people with similar intentions, yet varying methods to achieve these intentions, I can broaden my perspective whilst challenging, and consequently strengthening my own ideas. I aim to provide a perspective from a nation moving quietly away from a democratic society in the hopes of showing how valuable such a society is and how important it is to protect. I am a strong believer in the importance of addressing issues head on, without fallacy, pretention, or blinding rhetoric. I believe this is the key to creating an open, democratic society in which the voices of all groups are heard as opposed to simply those who already hold power, backed up by generational myths of importance.“

Nationality: Italian

Present residency: Muggia (Trieste), Italy

Year of Birth: 1999

“In the past, I have taken part in international events such as the IYC22, and these experiences enriched me on many levels: the people I have met, the ideas I have exchanged, and all the other skills I have developed. I believe that this will be a great opportunity to keep evolving myself as a global citizen, being engaged in the articulation of the ideas for the future of Europe and the world, starting from the current crisis. I consider myself to be easy-going and I love to engage in discussions of all kinds, i.e. I will be an active member at the Conference, and I will surely publicize it as much as possible. First of all, I will put into practice common ground rules that I consider to be the bases of a fair and democratic society: all opinions matter, as long as these do not represent an obstacle to other people’s rights. Hence, I will employ my knowledge and experience with creativity in the various sessions of the Conference, addressing critically the challenges of modern democracies.“

Nationality: Indian

Present residency: Leamington Spa, United Kingdom

Year of Birth: 2004

“I hope to broaden my perspectives on the ideas of a democratic society- I believe that each participant will certainly have a fresh vision, enriched by their experiences. I hope to use the interactions at the conference as a platform to learn and develop my own views. By utilizing my experience in working within research roles, I hope to research issues thoroughly, delve deeper into diversity and inclusion policies, as well as research statistics. This will help me to look at world issues through multiple lenses, analyze approaches to tackle these issues and come up with more efficient policy proposals that favor a broad group of people than a selected few. I hope to introduce the concept of ‘decolonization’ as an attempt to foster an open and democratic society. By identifying and tackling effects of ‘coloniality’ and structures that reinforce colonial power relations, we can strive for a more inclusive democracy, creating a secure space for minorities.“

Nationality: British

Present residency: Leamington Spa, United Kingdom

Year of birth: 2003

“I hope this opportunity will allow me to develop my appreciation for different cultures by meeting new people from all across Europe! I also hope to prove my independence and tenacity by living abroad and travelling all by myself, proving sustainable travel is possible and necessary. I hope to be an open and welcoming person to my other participants, making sure they feel confident in their opinions and helping inform them on my views where appropriate. I also might provide some British humour when needed! Using my experience in both studying Economics and Politics as well as my practical experience working for my local council, I know what young people demand from our democracy and the exciting new ideas we have to share for our generation to move forward.”

Nationality: British

Present residency: Mannheim, Germany

Year of Birth: 2002

“I hope that my ability to communicate and publicly speak ideas regarding the conference themes on international politics and democracy are developed and enhanced through discussions, negotiations and compromises with other participants. I look forward to meeting many other young people and students from international and diverse backgrounds in order to share our experiences and perspectives to make new connections. I am also eager to engage in the range of social and cultural events on offer from eating food to seeing the surroundings of Gothenburg! I believe it is important that the policymaking of an open and democratic society has an input from the voices of young people to promote long-term, sustainable development. I am also eager to contribute to ideas on issues affecting people and threatening democracy currently including the war in Ukraine, the energy and cost-of-living crisis, in part due to my background in economics.”

Nationality: Swedish

Present residency: Karlsruhe, Germany

Year of birth: 2001

“I am looking forward to improving my idea development skills and especially in groups. I wish to be part of making the group dynamics optimal for developing ideas through my openness and curiosity. The ideas I am bringing to the conference, which I hope will be challenged, are based on my past experiences and encounters with people from various international exchanges.“

Nationality: South Africa

Present residency: Prague, Czech Republic

Year of birth: 1997

“I believe that by meeting like-minded individuals from all walks of life, I can be inspired and cooperate with my peers to working and finding solutions to empower and establish a brighter and more democratic society that I wish everyone to live in. I believe my diverse and open background, experiences and knowledge will be able to contribute. I bring with me a high level of optimism, friendliness and most importantly a passion for social issues enveloped in a deep appreciation for the liberties I enjoy today. I am beyond elated to meet diverse young leaders and find unity in diversity with them. My contribution will be through an open heart, an open mind, and a tolerant and consistently warm one. Hailing from very humble beginnings and being the first in my family to grow up as a free citizen post-apartheid I have a deep and genuine appreciation for freedom and democracy, as it has not always been a given and at times still feels far away. My family and my people fought incredibly hard and even died for the liberties I am privileged to enjoy today, yet still far too many are restrained by the confines of intolerance and oppression. My advocacy, and contribution is deeply personal, and comes from a place of appreciation and a desire to ensure a more promising future for all.“

Nationality: Singaporean

Present residency: Coventry, United Kingdom

Year of birth: 2002

“As a Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore scholar, I hope to learn more about other countries’ aviation systems and regulations. Additionally, I also hope to learn more about the think tanks present in other countries. I have an extremely bubbly demeanour and hope to induce waves of laughter as we work through these three days of Conference together. Singapore ranks extremely low in the Freedom in the World 2021 Index (scoring 48/100) and is touted as a country of “flawed democracy” by the Economist Intelligence Unit. I hope to shed light on the reasons for Singapore’s approach. At the same time, I hope to learn from other individuals of differing democratic systems and adopt insightful approaches that Singapore can learn from. This not only helps to improve democracy in Singapore, but also helps to strengthen multilateral ties with other countries we learn from.“

Nationality: Swedish

Present residency: Gothenburg, Sweden

Year of Birth: 1999

“I believe that the conference will contribute to a big personal development in terms of being able to cooperate and having interesting discussions with people from completely different backgrounds and nationalities. That will create a super interesting cultural exchange. I’m very much looking forward to it! I will contribute to the conference with my big passion in discussing and exchanging ideas with all different types of people! I am very fond of meeting new people and new social networks. My main ideas are about the importance of promoting different opinions and values, as well as the freedom of speech. (Especially on the internet) It’s important to reduce opinion”corridors” and cancel-culture.“

Nationality: Italian

Present residency: Creazzo, Vicenza, Italy

Year of birth: 2000

“I relish opportunities to challenge myself and others by motivating reflections and inspiring action. During the course of the conference, I expect to be intellectually challenged and stimulated to devise solutions to effectively energize democracy. I will drive decisions by working with fellow participants with curiosity, optimism, and determination. I will draw on my interest and background in Philosophy, specifically Ethics, to discuss solutions that involve applying a criterion of a moral consideration, in the optics of collective interest and open democracy.“

Nationality: Indonesian

Present residency: London, United Kingdom

Year of birth: 2001

“IYTT conference would be a perfect platform to address challenges, principles and strategies to promote inclusive growth and establish the vitality of an open and democratic society through sharing what works and what not for young people from different backgrounds and perspectives. My work so far has been oriented towards my goal to engage strongly with young people, I strongly believe that young people can play a key role in addressing current and future global challenges and as we aim for a more inclusive and peaceful world, young people must be at the forefront of leading change. Coming from Indonesia where young people have entered a new era of participatory democracy, I have learned the importance of initiatives and strategies to encourage young people to create peaceful and inclusive societies.”

Nationality:  Polish

Present residency: Wrocław, Poland

Year of birth: 1998

“As an inequality researcher, I firmly believe that we research not only to know, but to change the world through knowledge and use research results in an applied manner. Joint discussion and work in an international environment of people who strive to solve urgent problems will be one of the steps towards the development of my research and its use in practice. I hope that my experience in working in the third sector (NGO) combined with research work, as well as enthusiasm and diligence will make me a valuable member of the conference team. I would like to focus my presentation primarily on presenting real proposals for reducing inequalities, and, as a result, building a democratic and equality society. I want to use my previous research results on supporting women in Central Europe.”