How can young people make a significant contribution to political decisions and to the United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Goals?  How can civil society promote intergenerational knowledge exchange and work together on priority community issues?

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is working with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Portugal – a new network in Portugal linking civil society with academia and business – to promote greater involvement of citizens, and in particular young people, in issues related to sustainable development.

For the United Nations, young people are a priority audience group to involve in the sustainability sector, so that they can participate in a more strategic and meaningful way in the design and implementation of high-level decisions. Young people often have strong links and networks within communities, and have contributed positively to the climate agenda. Yet young people are regularly underrepresented in high-level conversations or involved only for ‘tokenism’ or with little regard for the diversity and socio-economic representation of their generation.

The Foundation has been committed to promoting greater civic participation in climate action, whether by organising or participating in conferences, or by supporting projects of this nature promoted by non-governmental organisations and municipalities in Portugal. The Foundation is also supporting events such as the SDSN international conference Paving the Way to the Pact of the Future, taking place in Lisbon from 17-18 June.

Featuring high-profile speakers from the UN, the EU, the Portuguese government, the private sector, international public policy and civil society, the conference will explore the role of young people in decision-making, as well as education models, multilateralism and social and economic progress beyond GDP. Recommendations will feed into the UN Secretary General’s Summit of the Future.

The conference will also be the stage for the launch of the Sustainable Development Report 2024 by the UN SDSN, of which Portugal is a member.

As part of the conference, the Foundation is co-designing and delivering a workshop on involving young people in climate action, and is taking part in a reflection working group to develop plans and activities to promote the effective participation of young people in Portugal.

The Foundation’s Clime and Ocean Programme promotes action on climate change and the involvement of all citizens at local and national levels. We support civil society, companies and local authorities to reach and involve young people and other underrepresented audiences, aiming to strengthen the environmental sector and increase public participation in climate and ocean action.