We Need More Young People At Davos, Says Nile Rodgers Foundation

Multi-Grammy Award-winning Music legend Nile Rodgers actively participated in numerous Davos events this week, notably delivering a performance alongside will.i.am at a Forbes and Global Citizen event—likely the largest, in my humble opinion, of this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF). Also present and engaging in various discussions throughout the week was Jess Teutonico, the executive director of his foundation, We Are Family Foundation (WAFF), which Rodgers co-founded in 2002. I had the opportunity to sit down with Teutonico and gain insights into WAFF’s work around “authentic” youth inclusion.

At the onset of WEF, I stressed the imperative of prioritizing the needs of young people if Davos was to have any impact. After all, half of the world’s population is under 30. Unsurprisingly then, discussions echoed the necessity of giving young people “a seat at the table.” Teutonico, however, highlighted the crucial question: how to achieve this authentically and in a “non-performative” manner. Enter WAFF, collaborating with 750 of the world’s most impactful young individuals across over 100 countries to tackle our planet’s significant challenges.

WAFF’s commitment to youth empowerment is rooted in Nile Rodgers’ personal history, where, at 16, he joined the Black Panther Party in New York. Reflecting on this experience, Rodgers states in an organizational overview, “We stood up for racial equality, provided breakfast to school children, and took various actions to address basic needs in the community. My journey as a teen Black Panther is now WAFF’s narrative, inspiring and supporting the current generation of changemakers.”

WAFF had its own youth delegation present at Davos, facilitating their participation in over 85 spaces throughout the week. In these discussions, the delegates often stood as lone voices. David Saddington, a UK-based climate scientist among the WAFF delegates, encapsulated his experience, stating, “It is not a diverse space; almost all of the roundtables and panels I attended had me, by a long way, as the youngest. That’s not okay.” Saddington utilized his time at the WEF to convey a message to fellow young individuals, encouraging them not to hesitate in seeking access to power. Emphasizing the importance of being where power converges, he urged young advocates for issues like climate change to transition from being outsiders to insiders, becoming “actionists” shaping the discourse from within.

However, Teutonico underscored to me that WAFF’s work goes beyond merely “plugging them [young people] into global conversations.” Their goal is to ensure the delegates work as a collective with a shared message on the effective inclusion of youth in decision-making, supported by research.

This week, WAFF’s delegates conveyed these messages in dialogues and panels that also included insights from it’s recent survey, revealing both the potential and gaps in existing “intergenerational collaboration.” The survey involved over 996 individuals in 104 countries, ages 14 to 74. Its findings indicated that 87% of respondents acknowledge the potential of youth ideas and solutions in addressing global challenges. In comparison, however, 72% believe organizations fail to empower young people to contribute their unique perspectives.

WAFF’s ‘shared message’ approach to inserting its youth delegates into WEF conversations aims to address tensions and miscommunications between generations and provide clear recommendations on how any private or public sector organization or leader can implement intergenerational collaborative efforts. Simply put, the youth delegates themselves were instructing their fellow panelists in an evidence-based manner on how to effectively provide young people with a more genuine “seat at the table.”

Teutonico acknowledges the common challenge of tracking grand statements at significant gatherings like Davos, which often lack subsequent action and follow through. In response, WAFF and their delegation will meticulously debrief on the handling of youth inclusion at each WEF event they attended. Subsequently, Teutonico states, they will proactively follow up with event organizers, recommending ways to improve enhanced inclusivity in future events. These recommendations are also being woven into a comprehensive set of broader policy suggestions slated for launch later this year. These are likely due out later this year in the spring.

WAFF was not alone in addressing the challenge of providing young people with an authentic voice in places of influence. Dr. Felipe Paullier, the newly appointed first Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, was also actively engaged at this year’s WEF. Dr. Paullier is the youngest-ever senior appointment in the history of the UN. In separate discussions on the WEF margins, Natalia Kanem, head of UNFPA with specific responsibility for the sexual and reproductive rights of adolescent girls, emphasized that it’s insufficient to grant young people a seat at the table merely. They must also feel empowered to contribute in the room without feeling uncomfortable due to potential gaps in background or positions of authority compared to others present.

It is easy to adopt a cynical outlook and question whether WEF event organizers will enhance their approach to youth inclusion by the time the world’s elite convene in Davos next year. WAFF has offered concrete evidence and strategies for improvement should they be willing to listen. If organizers are genuinely committed to rebuilding trust and ensuring the inclusion of voices, especially those of the youth, they would be wise to heed their messages. Failing to do so could prove detrimental to the WEF itself, as young people might redirect their time, energy and passion to alternative platforms. The responsibility now rests squarely with the Davos Man to take decisive action.