CONCORD:STANDING IN SOLIDARITY,
CHARTERING A NEW ERA
The theme for the inaugural Hwa Chong Global Digital Young Leaders Convention (HC-GDYLC) is Concord: Standing in Solidarity, Chartering a New Era. Just as musical notes in concord come together to form a distinct harmony, a dynamic mix of people come forth during HC-GDYLC to reimagine our world, assembling individual perspectives into a powerful and inspiring global mosaic — all while transcending the physical barriers of geography and time zones.
In times of global adversity — not just the oft-cited COVID-19 health crisis, but even long-standing issues like terrorism, trade conflict and climate change — insular ideologies will only prove to be to our detriment. The world is in a precarious position: clouded by fear and often influenced by the deluge of misinformation, the propensity for blaming an outgroup instead of mitigating the real problem is very high. Leaders of some countries fail to realise that our interconnectedness means that the problem of one group will invariably become a global issue as well. In order to minimise the global impact of a crisis, all countries need to realise that synergistic cooperation is key to effective problem-solving, rather than the blame game.
However, all hope is not lost. The current situation is certainly less bleak than it seems, with many standing in solidarity to confront the problems plaguing the world today, all whilst reinventing the necessary methods seeming to belong to a bygone era. An increasing number of progressive young leaders are taking over the political helm, shaping policies in accordance with the world’s changing priorities. The world’s youngest Prime Minister, Sanna Marin of Finland, has recently shed new light on climate reform, pioneering the idea of how the fight against climate change need not be a burden, but can instead be transformed into a budding economic opportunity. With fresh-faced leaders establishing their revolutionary visions for the next decade, it ignites the confidence that we are capable of forging the best way forward.
In response to a less top-down approach to governance, those on the ground need to harness the benefits of a more transparent and open democracy by bringing their ideas to the forefront. With nations governed by experienced politicians with decades of experience, comes a challenge: conformity to existing ideologies and the inevitable inertia in enacting systemic change. The new generation of inspiring youth activists plays an increasingly vital role in spurring change in unison around the world. "I want you to act like your house is on fire, because it is." said Greta Thunberg at the World Economic Forum last year. The 17 year old face of the environmentalist movement has spearheaded climate strikes of unprecedented scale, uniting millions of youth to demand bold climate action from political leaders. The voices of youth have incontrovertibly been amplified, and their concerns have been heard as they helm global movements that command the world’s attention.
On the surface, youth activism promises a deviation from the conformist ideologies of politics and a passion for implementing changes that may very well disrupt the intricate process of governance. Are we ready for a series of changes that may intrude upon the peace and stability we currently enjoy? How effective has youth activism been in translating thought into concrete political action from the authorities? Despite the ascendancy of environmentalism, COP25 concluded in disappointment as conflicting nations failed to agree on many intended outcomes, such as rules to set up a global carbon trading system. In attempting to resolve any crisis which lies ahead, promises must transcend rhetoric and actualise through tangible goals in order to truly engender positive changes.
The struggle between pursuing economic growth or committing ourselves to fulfilling the buzzword of ‘global sustainability’ appears to be yet another unsolvable quandary. Yet, the unexpected crisis of COVID-19 seems to have given us the perfect answer to this paradoxical argument. When a crisis strikes, those on the bottom rungs of the economic ladder are often hit the hardest, triggering a chain reaction that comes at the high cost of our economic health. Numbers indicative of absolute growth can no longer justify the fact that our economic system is built on increasingly shaky foundations that will collapse if threatened. 80% of the world’s energy used for economic development still overwhelmingly relies on burning fossil fuels - the main perpetrator of global warming, which could very well escalate into the next crisis after this pandemic. Societies can find a way out of archaic economic strategies by means of expanding green industries and adopting responsible production practices. Low-skilled workers can no longer be the main outlet of productivity in our industry, instead, innovation and upskilling is key to revitalising our economy. While this may come at a financial cost initially, such investments have significant pay-offs in the long-run.
Education is another frontier in the long road towards sustainability. Through the COVID-19 crisis, an alarming faultline in our societies has been revealed: The Digital Divide. In our increasingly digital and interconnected world, failure to possess technology with access to the Internet has never been so consequential. The uneven distribution in the access to, use of, or impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has highlighted the gulf between the privileged and the underprivileged, hindering the growth and development opportunities of those who lack access. In efforts to increase the accessibility of education worldwide, increasing partnerships and collaboration could hold the key to the problem, especially in developing countries. In Kenya, the Information Communication and Technology Trust Fund was set up to mobilise and channel ICT resources to Kenyan educational institutions. Funded by private sector partners including Microsoft, it was implemented with the coordination of the government, as well as members of the public, helping to greatly increase the accessibility of education to children across the nation. Providing more children with education is to provide not just these children, but their families a path to break out of the vicious cycle of poverty as they grow up educated with the competencies to work in better-paying skills-based jobs.
Post COVID-19, the face of societies will change. Education will no longer be about preparing students to take tests set by bureaucrats who are not fully aware of the complexities of society. By involving businesses who better understand the working world, we can empower and enable students to be more prepared for the uncertain future. The future is now. It is of the essence that numerous stakeholders are involved in providing education to ensure wider perspectives are considered to create more rounded curricula that better prepare future generations of the world for the journey ahead. The Programme for International Student Assessment's (PISA) 2018 Global Competencies framework is an apt example of the skills that members of society need in order to adapt and thrive in our rapidly changing society.
The new decade brings the promise of actualising lofty ambitions, but we must ensure that these goals are carried out with sufficient follow-through. The time is now for us youths to put ourselves in the shoes of key stakeholders, taking on the mantle to explore novel solutions and create robust systems. In this new decade, we must tap on our global partnerships to stand in solidarity, while upholding the universal truths of peace, justice and equality in order to take the next step forward to achieve sustainable development and progress towards fulfilling the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) to create a better society for all.