Treaty of Middelburg
When it comes to freedom, I aspire to witness a world where every youth has the right, resources, and opportunity to express themselves, engage in decision-making, and shape their own future without fear or limitation. Where everyone is safe and respectful about each others choices. I would like to see freedom of expression/speech being safeguarded both online and offline so that the youth can express their opinions without censorship, surveillance, or fear of retaliation. Of course, this expression should also be done respectfully. I would like to see everyone have equal access to education and to sources of news so that they are up-to-date with all the current affairs. It would be a major plus is the source of news is not censored or influenced by an outside source. I would like to witness financial freedom by making sure there is better job security, affordable education, fair wages and more. In this vein I hope people of all races, nationalities, gender, etc. are treated equally and have the same opportunities as each other.
Team members
- ■ Tanvi Rele
Why do you want to participate?
I am from India where freedom was hard-earned. I want to meet more people and learn more about their opinions about freedom as well. I want to make a difference and contribute to something worthwhile, while broadening my portfolio.
What does freedom mean to you?
Freedom to me means the freedom to have your own opinions and being able to express them appropriately. Freedom to be yourself. Freedom to live life unjudged. Freedom to feel safe, especially as a woman.
What are the biggest challenges?
Although we have digital platforms for sharing information, which makes it extremely accessible, censorship, misinformation and misinterpretation proves to be a challenge. There are also economic constraints, as things like student debt, job instability/insecurity and more means that one does not have financial freedom. Furthermore, climate change is a major player in threatening fundamental freedoms like freedom to have a safe environment, etc.
Do you have a message?
I know that some people might think that my opinions are "wishful thinking", but if we are able to correctly challenge and expand the current norms, then sometime down the line many things will be possible. When people from different backgrounds share their opinions, experiences, raise awareness about restrictions they face, and collaborate on tangible solutions, the freedom that we still strive towards is very much possible, especially now that there are several platforms enabling this.
