Today at TILE… Voicing Your Opinion

November 10th, 2009

Today at TILE we talked about voicing our opinions. Have you ever had something to say, but weren’t sure that anyone cared to listen? Have you thought you had a great point to make, but weren’t sure where (or how) to make it? Ever feel like today’s leaders don’t consider the next generation’s voice when making decisions?

According to the 2007 World Bank Development Report, “Parents do not represent the views and aspirations of young adults as they do those of younger children. Yet youth may still lack the opportunities or self-confidence to represent themselves in public fora. Young people need to be encouraged to participate more fully in public life. And governments and other agencies need to learn to communicate with young people, make their programs attractive to them, and deploy the immense talents of youths as partners in service delivery.”

The Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum are trying to answer that call. This group of 30 and 40ish types (young by traditional standards) is taking part in the “Global Redesign Initiative.” The goal of the initiative is to move leaders beyond words, to action – with a focus on six specific topics:

  • Mitigating Global Risks & Addressing Systematic Failures
  • Creating a Value Framework
  • Ensuring Sustainability
  • Strengthening Economies
  • Building Effective Institutions
  • Enhancing Security

Recognizing that young people have an interest in the future of the world, amazing insights, and few meaningful outlets to share their thoughts, the Global Redesign Initiative is looking for your input. Armed with your comments and feedback, the initiative will move leaders to action. So if you think you can redesign the world, now is your chance to stand up and be heard. Share your ideas over the month of November and they will be presented to global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos at the end of January. Join the online conversation at: http://taskforce.tigweb.org/ygl_youth.

What does this mean for the TILE Community? First, it is important to recognize that it takes more than just having a point of view. Let yourself go further, take initiative, and participate. Admittedly, it isn’t always easy to find ways to engage – but this is an example of a group that really wants to hear what you have to say. As we mentioned in our September 22nd post on “The Power of Networks,” communities are a great way to help people take action. Second (relating all this to personal finance), remember that benefits and responsibility go hand in hand. It is one thing to have financial means and it is another to take responsibility for understanding your money and putting it to good use (spending, growing, and giving). The more you practice empowering yourself (taking action) the more you will realize how amazing it feels.

If there are terms within the discussion topics you don’t understand, look them up in the TILE Library. And if you still have questions, ask us. We want to be a place for you to come and learn and ask the questions you can’t ask anywhere else. So try lending your voice to the Global Redesign Initiative – sharing your opinions on an issue you care about is a great place to start building the kind of future you want to live in.

- Amy

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