Treaty of Middelburg
Its meaning. As mentioned, its meaning is getting lost in social media, influencers and mediocre education. The youth plays a critical role and should be taken seriously by politicians and adults in general. This starts with making sure that the youth is enabled to talk with decisionmakers so that they can participate in the decisionmaking. This will not only make the youth feel like they are taken seriously in that time, but will also continue to foster educated and thinking citizens. If not I am afraid that we are fostering a generation which is taught to be helpless.
Team members
- ■ Stijn Verlaan
Why do you want to participate?
Freedom comes in various ways. It might be explained differently by people with different cultures, backgrounds, or experiences. I would like to participate to learn from these various visions on what freedom means and to see whether I can find myself in these visions as well.
What does freedom mean to you?
Freedom is not simply the absence of government. Freedom is something you have to find yourself, with or without governmental influence. Freedom to me is the ability to move without restrictions, share your opinion without restrictions, and pursue your own goals without barriers.
What are the biggest challenges?
Considering that over 30 per cent of young people in the Netherlands would prefer an authoritarian regime over a democracy, I would say that the biggest challenge is that people do not know anymore wat freedom means. Sure, it can have a different meaning to everyone. But to consider it to be the absence of government, or something which can be given to you is untrue. In the Netherlands I see a big challenge for schools to educate the youth better in this regard. This starts with a good history lessons. It cannot be that the Netherlands has endured five horrors of war only 80 years ago and forget what freedom should be. Another challenge I believe is impacting the youth even more is the rise of social media and the lack of factcheckers nowadays. Everyone can put stuff on social media and it will not be factchecked. Taking a look at the United States of America, this is taking on dangerous forms where president Trump is acting like a dictator and his fans believing every word he says.
Do you have a message?
If you want to foster the next generation to be productive members of society, start to take them seriously while they are still teens. Otherwise, you will see the next generation to be dull and helpless. And we are to blame for it.
