The Young Global Changers at the Global Solutions Summit

"AS A MODERN STORYTELLER ONCE SAID, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A WORLD A BETTER PLACE, TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF AND MAKE THAT CHANGE.” 

This quote is by Shakil Ahmed, a ‘Young Global Changer” attending the Global Solution Summit in Berlin from 16-19 March, an event which is supported by FES. Shakil, among 90 participants, had the opportunity to discuss major G20 issues and the future of multilateralism. Upon his return to Dhaka, Shakil emphasizes the following:

“It was indeed a humble reminder, as being part of the Young Global Changers and Solutions Summit, that we are all in this together, that our solutions cannot be addressed through the work of a single sector or a single group. The frustration with youth as always being hailed as the next generation was well summed up with the statement: "I'm 24 and I'm African and I'm tired." There seemed to be consensus in various panels that media or education alone cannot save multilateralism and that GDP alone can no longer be used to measure success. It is important going forward that whatever solutions we come up with for the G20 or for global challenges in general is not based in current paradigms or thinking, but stems from a shift in paradigm. 

Pedagogically, it is important that we not just include people from all walks of life in the dissemination of solutions, but in the very processes that we used to generate solutions. In these processes, it is important that people with differences are able to interact closer with each other. As Brene Brown also advocates, it is difficult to hate once up close, as I could clearly see barriers being broken and relationships being forged inside and outside the summer school and summit sessions among Israelis, Palestinians, Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshi, Myanmarese, etc.

I, personally, take away the work that needs to be done to encourage this paradigm shift of bringing people and sectors together. It is important to think and organize globally and regionally in order to act locally. I hope, as Global Changers, Young and Old, we continue to do this work from wherever we are.”

Read more about the Global Solutions Summit here: https://www.global-solutions.international/scholarship and check out the "Global Changers" video and get a glimpse of 90 inspiring voices full of courage and good ideas.