Rockefeller Releases Findings from Intergenerational Conference
In the summer of 2017, The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center brought together a group of residents around the theme of “Youth as Agents of Transformative Change.” Participants hailed from eight different countries, representing academia, the private sector, civil society, activist organizations, and the arts including novelists, composers, and musicians. And while the focus of the residency was on the subject of youth, the residents themselves ranged in age from those in their 20s to those in their 70s—with every decade in between represented. Over the course of two and half weeks, residents engaged in a unique intergenerational discussion about what motivates and inspires youth, the challenges they face, and how people of all ages can collectively enable transformational change.
Three key themes emerged from that discussion:
1. Frustration with the status quo is an important motivator leading youth to clamor for transformative change—if it’s harnessed productively.
2. Young people are more connected than any previous generation, and that impacts the way they demand and realize change.
3. Change involves everyone and to do it well, all generations—including youth—need a seat at the table...