Treaty of Middelburg
I would like to see a world where young people have more autonomy in making important life decisions without excessive pressure from society, family, or institutions. Specifically: Education choices: Allow young people more flexibility in choosing their educational paths, rather than being pushed towards 'traditional' or 'safe' options. Career paths: Encourage exploration of diverse career options, including non-traditional ones, without stigma or undue pressure to conform to societal expectations. Financial independence: Provide better education and opportunities for young people to achieve financial independence earlier, allowing for more freedom in life choices.
Team members
- ■ Juliette Neijenhuis
Why do you want to participate?
I would like to participate in this conference because I find it important to be able to make my voice heard as a young person. I believe that this is important to gain new perspectives on certain situations and thus form a more concrete picture. Additionally, it seems to me that it would be a very valuable experience.
What does freedom mean to you?
Freedom to me means that I can go and be where I want, study what I want, shop where I want, go on vacation, etc. I am not restricted in my freedom and can therefore make autonomous choices. There will always be some involvement from friends/family, of course, but the basic principle is that I am in charge of my own life. That is freedom to me.
What are the biggest challenges?
think that the biggest challenges for young people in terms of freedom are making their own choices. This may seem like a contradiction to my previous answer, but in this day and age, young people are often pushed towards the 'usual standard'. There is a lot of interference from parents, teachers, or the government regarding what is expected of young people. After all, we are the future. I believe there is still room for improvement in this area.
Do you have a message?
We need to redefine success for young people. Society often pushes us towards a narrow definition of success - good grades, a prestigious university, a high-paying job, a certain lifestyle. But true freedom comes from having the courage to define success on our own terms. I believe we should encourage young people to explore, take risks, and even fail sometimes. It's through these experiences that we truly discover who we are and what we want from life. We should create a culture that values personal growth, passion, and individual fulfillment as much as traditional markers of success.
