World Bank Meetings: Some more perspective

While I’ve yet to meet an actual youth delegation, there are still a number of young people here. Interns, assistants, conference support, information desks, coffee, photocopying, mic running, IT support, and of course depending on your definition of “youth,” active members of NGOs.

To me, they’re a silent force. We all notice each other, quietly wonder who is younger, who is more active, who has more responsibility, but there is no coordinated movement. While youth are recognized as an important demographic – one only has to pick up any printed publication to see at least one reference to “the importance of youth” – there is no active youth caucus (don’t worry, I made sure to make note of it in my conference evaluation). The young people present here are not so much young people as they are adults in training. Here to gain experience before being given greater responsibilities. Only when the adults aren’t looking can you see them hesitantly congregating, asking questions, trying to get to know one another. Into the room walks one of the European delegates. He is lost. 

The youth group is immediately dispersed – one to the photocopier, one to the coffee, another nonchalantly continues reading an article from the Financial Times. It’s almost as if the young people are afraid of acting young where their presence is needed most, for fear of having their adult-in-training title revoked.

Then again, perhaps I’m being unfair. These young people weren’t brought here to network. They were brought here as support staff for their relevant institutions. If anything, this is a step in the right direction, empowering young people with the experience of such settings. A feeling of uncertainty has settled over me. What do you think?