Next Generation Please

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Young people and experts attending to the planet

On Friday 19 February, participants of Next Generation, Please! met online for the first time to exchange ideas on climate and the Anthropocene. We look back on this exciting day, which was organised in collaboration with BOZAR Lab as part of Studiotopia.

BOZAR provides a platform, Next Generation, Please!, for young generations from different walks of life that prompts them to reflect on the challenges facing civil society. Throughout the school year, youngsters were able to talk with artists, experts, thinkers and politicians. In the process, they have developed artistic projects that will be presented at a festival in September 2021.

During their first online meeting on 19 February, the group followed a performative conference by climatologist Frank Raes, on climate change, the Anthropocene, sustainability and well-being in the context of today’s global pandemic.

After the break, it was time to debate! A panel of experts and thinkers was there to answer questions and debate with participants. It included Adélaïde Charlier (Youth for Climate), Frank Raes (climatologist, Museum of Anthropocene Technology), Chloé Verlinden (CityMined), Tinne Van der Straeten (Federal Minister for Energy) and Julien Lepeer (Oxfam International). They discussed possible solutions to the climate crisis.

Debate highlights

The discussions gave rise to ideas that reflected young people’s concerns, not only for the climate and the environment, but also for social issues that pertain to them directly, as these examples show: “When we talk about the coronavirus crisis, we are able to stop the economic system. But when we talk about climate, people are scared.”, “Sharing scientific facts is not enough anymore. We need to change our culture.”, “The Renaissance took 200 years, but we don't have that much time to change our culture.”, “How can we fight against inertia? We have to start off with the practical questions people are concerned about. For example, how can we create jobs?”, “Can we fight climate change without causing harm socially and economically? If we don’t do anything, the consequences will be worse than the consequences of social or economic injustice. But moreover, it is also an occasion to find solutions to the social crisis.”

Next Generation, Please!

 

We wish to thank the participants who contributed to such a stimulating event, despite the fact that it had to take place online.

Partners: P&V Foundation, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Engie Foundation, Loterie Nationale-Nationale Loterij, VGC, Studiotopia.
Project carried out with the support of the Queen Mathilde Fund, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation.
Studiotopia is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.

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