Why do you want to participate?

As an International student in The Netherlands, I have not only seen the impact that access to freedom has on a population, but also, the lack thereof. Growing up in South Africa, and subsequently moving to the United Arab Emirates marked a shift in my view of freedom. From a young age, I was able to see how important it is to give people the right to free expression and worship, rights that should extend to all members of the population. South Africa has had a complex history of freedom of speech and expression, one that often resulted in the government restriction of such important societal values to only a limited subset of the population. The United Arab Emirates, similarly, faces challenges of balancing the freedom of worship and maintaining existing societal pressures that attempt to restrict it. I want to participate because my experience has blessed me with the opportunity to see freedom from a variety of perspectives, across cultural boundaries. And having seen how valuable it is and how quickly a population can be deprived from it, there would be no greater honor than to participate in the youth freedom treaty and make an impact.

What does freedom mean to you?

Freedom is a concept that is so often misunderstood. I do not perceive freedom as the ability of anyone at all times to do what they wish. This would be anarchy. I consider my views on freedom to be comparable to how it has been outlined by the founding fathers of the United States. Freedom, then, is the ability to do the things that one should do. This means, worshiping God, stewarding nature, and living a life that is ethical. This can only be achieved if one has freedom of speech, freedom from want (meaning all basic needs are met) and freedom from fear. With speech, one can ensure good ideas permeate society, with worship one can give praise to the creator, with freedom from want, one can focus on caring for the planet, and lastly, with freedom from fear, one can focus his/her attention to living ethically in society.

What are the biggest challenges?

I feel that the biggest challenge when it comes to freedom is that young people today seem to be unaware of the current global situation and political climate. So often young people focus on the most minute problems, and yet fail to see the struggle of people groups overseas to enjoy the same rights that they have in the developed world. Recent news of a terrorist attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving 70 Christians church goers dead comes to mind. These victims, and many other members of their society, clearly do not experience the same freedom of worship that exists in Europe today. Young people should be aware of these conflicts and fight to extent freedom to such places.

Do you have a message?

I believe that my message has already been satisfactorily communicated. As a concluding note, I would like to share that I am eager to participate in the youth freedom treaty, and have many views that I wish to elaborate on. I feel as though I can make an impact due to my knowledge on the topic, and my desire to leave an impact.