#generationsindialogue

Philbert Aganyo from Kenya is the team leader from Religions for Peace’s Youth Media Team. But considering his age, one might say es is not that young any more? But is age the crucial factor for leadership? Learn what he thinks about the difference between age and youth. An interview by Michael Scheyer.




Scheyer: Dear Mr. Aganyo, how old are you?

Aganyo: I turned 35 years old.

Scheyer: Concerning “young generations”: Do you consider yourself being young?

Aganyo: Yes. I believe I am a young generation because of two things; the last 10 years have been the decade of learning for me. Both academic and professional development. I have also been privileged to go on a journey of self-discovery, I have experienced working with youth and exercised youth leadership. Thus I believe age is and can never be the limit for being young.

Scheyer: At what age – do you think – someone cannot be considered “young” anymore? And why?

Aganyo: When one stops to support the growth and development of the youth, and the passion with which they do that work ceases, then and only then can such a person be considered not young anymore. Being young is a unique tribal identity that transcends age.

Scheyer: Do you think, the actual age and the categories of young and old are connected with each other? (Is a twenty-year-old automatically “young” and a 60-year-old automatically “old”?)

Aganyo: Well, like I have mentioned before, first, I agree that the confines of age, the numbers that count, automatically set those definitions. But that’s all they are – definitions. So whereas a 20-year-old would automatically be young and a 60-year-old be automatically old, in my view I feel that both these categories can make choices to either be young or old irrespective of their ages.

Scheyer: You are a team leader. When people think of leadership, they often wish leaders to be “experienced”. That implies that young people – without centuries of experience – should not be leaders? What do you think: Is experience that important to leadership or are there other factors, that make a good leader as well?

Aganyo: The classical definition of being a leader puts experience at the center as a core requirement, and I don’t dispute this fact because I know just how much can be at stake where experienced decision-making is needed. But again, the World is not static. It is dynamic, it is in a forward motion. A lot is changing in terms of how we view leaders. Experience too has been proven to be not the only determinant of good leadership. With all these considerations, I strongly believe that the space for learning on the job is fast becoming an integral principle of 21st century leadership. Numerous young leaders have become even better leaders because they have been allowed to first, step up and unleash their leadership potentials, that wouldn’t have otherwise been noticed, and then secondly, given the latitude to explore the possibilities of leading on the go. In conclusion, experience is not all that is required to be a great leader, other factors like passion, and willingness to learn rank top of the list.

Scheyer: The young generations are raising their voice right now. There is a global movement on environmental matters and their voices are being heard. But do you think, being loud and being heard is enough? What is missing?

Aganyo: In my view, organizing has been the missing ingredient, but I am happy that this is being overcome. I am persuaded that very soon when great organizing combines with the intelligent noise that is being made, especially the kind of organizing that is well-structured to deliver tangible results – policies, legislation, funding, you name it, then that would be a big win for youth leadership.

Scheyer: Do you think, young generations should systemically be given more power in decision-making processes – like quotas in parliaments?

Aganyo: Absolutely! There’s more to gain than to lose by trusting the youth with decision-making, leveraging their versatility, youthful energy and freshness of thought, among many other positive factors supporting youth.On a fringe thought, I am a firm believer that calculated risks are the only meaningful moves that remain in this world to cause change. The World has also witnessed the worst – COVID-19 pandemic, Ebola, Wild fires and Tsunamis not to mention widespread joblessness among the youth – so much so that taking a risk with youth in decision-making should not be a scary feat. This is because often times it is argued that the inexperience of the youth cannot be trusted to make decisions. How about we give the youth an opportunity, then judge them based on that?

Scheyer: How else could we integrate the needs of young generations in decision-making?

Aganyo: Capacity Building – Build the capacity of the young people, through inter-generational efforts and initiatives for mentorship and professional development. This would guarantee sound decision-making in these that shall have graduated from such mentorship initiatives.Institutionalization of Youth Initiative – If we could ensure that youth involvement in decision-making is institutionalized, structured and embedded in policy, then it would be a significant step towards assuring consistency. Consistency yields mastery.

Scheyer: All these questions are about age. Of course, since this interview highlights International Youth Day. But do you think, we are focusing too much on age right now? Do young people feel that – too often – they are being reduced on their age?

Aganyo: Yes. As I already mentioned above that whereas age is an important factor of defining youth, it has been used to negatively profile youth and blatantly deny them opportunity and access. I have also interacted with young people who are demotivated and demoralized against stepping up simply because they are “underage”. This may need to change at some point, so we instead focus on the abilities of youth, not on their weaknesses and age.

Scheyer: What would you like to ask from “older generations” to stop doing?

Aganyo: One, let them STOP being intimidated by the prospects of young people being energetic and having stronger drives. Instead, they can see this as an opportunity for cross-learning, experience sharing and mentorship.Two, they can STOP being judgmental of the youth whenever they make mistakes as a result of their poor judgment. They can instead reflect back to a time when they too were young and needed to learn in a similar manner to what is currently happening.Lastly, let the older generations STOP ignoring the youth, especially where the youth deserve recognition for great work. Sometimes a pat on the shoulder and recognition is the motivation to grow and become better.

Scheyer Now it is your turn: What do you want to ask the readers? For what question should they be looking for an answer?

Aganyo: I only have one question to you reading this if you’re below 35, what do you want to be remembered for? Are you working towards it and what support do you need? – Begin working on your mission statement and endeavor to bring it to life.If above 35, are you doing anything to mentor one or two people who are younger than you, showing them direction and being deliberate on making them better people? Start on a journey to mentor a young person today.



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Human trafficking is a business that is flourishing all over the world, even in Europe, because it has low risks and high profits, as Spanish social worker Alejandra Acosta explains. She is the founder of the organization “Break the Silence” that fights against trafficking and modern slavery. An interview by Alexander Görlach.


Görlach: You dedicate your time and work to combat human trafficking. How did you find this calling?

Acosta: I found this calling when I was 18 years old and heard for the first time the testimony of a human trafficking victim and I decided that I did not want to be indifferent, so I started to study about the problem and I realized that in Spain there was a great lack of information about the problem and that made impossible to implement solutions, because to change things you first have to understand them.Therefore, I founded Break The Silence, the organization that I have been leading for 6 years and that is dedicated to raising awareness in civil society, public administration and the private sector in order to generate solutions to help end exploitation in Spain and Europe.

Görlach: You are also concerned with what you call modern day slavery. How do you define this?

Acosta: Slavery is not a horror safely confined to the past; it continues to exist throughout the world, even in developed countries like France and the United States. Across the world slaves work and sweat and build and suffer. Slaves in Pakistan may have made the shoes you are wearing and the carpet you stand on. Slaves in the Caribbean may have put sugar in your kitchen and toys in the hands of your children. In India they may have sewn the shirt on your back and polished the ring on your finger. They are paid nothing.And this is the definition of human trafficking: the unlawful act of transporting or coercing people in order to benefit from their work or service, typically in the form of forced labor or sexual exploitation.Therefore, my work against human trafficking is also a work to combat modern slavery, because they are the same thing.

Görlach: One might read in the news about this topic and being inclined to think that this is something far away, but not at all: it is happening in Europe too. Could you share your insights with us?

Acosta: According to International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates, between 2012 and 2016 around 89 million persons globally experienced some form of exploitation, for periods of time ranging from a few days to the whole five years.According to the UNODC Global Trafficking in Persons report 2020, in 2018, 65 % of all victims of trafficking in persons detected globally were women and girls, while 35 % were men and boys. Female victims continue to be the worst affected by trafficking, yet it appears that over the last 15 years the number of men, boys, and girls detected has risen more than that of women: the share of adult women fell from over 70 % in 2004 to under 50 % in 2018. In contrast, there has been an alarming upward trend in trafficking in children, as the proportion of child victims increased during the same period from 13 % to 34 %, i.e. over a third of all detected victims.The data collected for the EU by the European Commission show a similar picture. According to the latest 2020 report, in the 2017-2018 period, women and girls represented the largest proportion of ‘registered or presumed’ victims – 71 % in the EU-27. Children accounted for nearly a quarter (21 %), of which the vast majority were girls (78 %). Girls represented 17 % of all registered victims and adult women – 54 %, while male victims made up less than a quarter of the total (18 % for men and 4 % for boys).Although it is not a new phenomenon, human trafficking has taken on new dimensions in the context of globalization and has been facilitated by increased mobility, especially in the EU, and the development of the internet and new technologies. Among the reasons why human trafficking is an ever more flourishing business is the fact that it involves low risks and brings in high profits. As victims, through fear or shame, tend not to declare themselves to the authorities, traffickers are hardly ever prosecuted and the real number of victims is difficult to establish.

Görlach: Europe prides itself to be the beacon of human rights in today’s world. What steps would the European Union have to undertake in order to end modern day slavery as much as human trafficking on its soil?

Acosta: I strongly believe in the unifying and supportive work of the European Union, but unfortunately human rights are often not mandatory issues for countries as we see in the case of the refugee crisis or human trafficking, because in many EU countries including Spain, we do not have legislation to address the problem of trafficking, because the member states are not required to have these laws to belong to the EU.Forcing countries to have regulations that respect international standards such as the Palermo Protocol and the Convention on Human Rights would give NGOs and especially victims, many guarantees, and a framework under which to ask for help, since the lack of legislation and economic funds for this group of people prevents them from accessing justice properly and receiving help if they report a situation of exploitation.

Görlach: In the democratic world there are ways to influence politics and change the course. How is this possible to combat slavery and human trafficking in autocratic countries or dictatorships?

Acosta: Unfortunately, there are no statistics or studies that show that human trafficking occurs more in dictatorships than in democracies.What research reveals, according to a report by the A21 campaign, is that human trafficking occurs in all countries of the world, in all political models of countries and in all economic structures.However, living in a democracy allows more space to demand the fulfillment of human rights and to hold authorities accountable and therefore, it is more likely that these rights violations will be reduced over time in democracies if society unites and demands more rights for people vulnerable to fall into situations of exploitation.

Görlach: How can religious institutions, orders and congregations help in this dire situation?

Acosta: Religious institutions have had great influence in the fight for human rights throughout history and with the problem of human trafficking was not going to be different.The first times I heard about the problem of human trafficking, it was in my church and in fact, I believe that the role of religious institutions is fundamental in the fight against trafficking because they are communities that are practically in every neighborhood and that have a transformative potential to inform about human trafficking and be a point of reference and support for potential victims of trafficking in the cities.
 
Görlach: As this year’s conference is on how the young and older generations can work together to build a better work. How do you work on your topics inter-generationally?

Acosta: All my anti-trafficking work is intergenerational because it was thanks to mentors and people with much more experience than me that I have been able to build my organization and reach more than 80,000 people, including 12,000 youth with information and tools to prevent human trafficking in their environment.I could not have achieved all the impact I have generated if I did not work with colleagues and mentors from other generations where we are constantly networking and bringing out different points of view.Moreover, although it is to said that the future belongs to the young, I believe that we all build the future together and that is the only way to make it truly sustainable and leave no one behind.

Görlach: How do you as a young person see the controversy around “boomers” and Gen Z, Gen Y? Is it really that confrontational or are there common grounds on which both sides could and should work to understand each other better?

Acosta: I think the media and social networks generate a lot of polarization on this issue that in reality is not as extreme as it seems. Of course, due to the context in which we were born, both generations have very different ways of doing things, but in many occasions we are pursuing the same goals.Therefore, I believe that we should provide more spaces for the exchange of intergenerational experiences, and it should also be common in any organization to intentionally seek to have people from different generations in the teams, as this brings collective value and shortens the gap and generational differences, because there is much more that unites us than what separates us. 



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Jeffrey Sachs takes the old generations to task: those who are now in power must act. Read also why a decision by the German Federal Constitutional Court should set a precedent worldwide. An interview by Alexander Görlach.







Görlach: This year’s Religions for Peace conference deals with generational justice – a timely topic?

Sachs: Generational justice is about moral stewardship: protecting the planet, the world’s cultures, good governance, and quality education for all, so that each generation can support the next generation and the generations that will follow, to achieve thriving lives, or as the Greek’s called put it, eudaimonia.

Görlach: Especially in regard to combating climate change generational justice is a key issue: how can the younger and older generations come to terms here?

Sachs: Most importantly, the older generation – those in power today – need to take actions urgently to ensure the Earth’s viability and habitability in the future. We are at a critical juncture. If we fail to act decisively, we will not only exceed the 1.5°C upper limit on warming targeted by the Paris Climate Agreement, but we will risk devastating runaway climate change, as the Earth hits various dangerous amplifying feedback processes (such as melting of the permafrost, drying of the rainforests, destruction of the ice sheets, and halt of the ocean circulation).

Görlach: The German Supreme Court ruled last April that law making has to take in account and balance out the interest of the generations now, using natural resources, and the ones to come who will have to deal with the consequences. The freedom of the older generation now ends where it inflicts on the younger one’s the court says – has this ruling being noticed in the US?

Sachs: Not yet. The US constitutional process on environmental justice is far behind other countries, and the US Supreme Court is dominated by right-wing justices appointed by right-wing presidents who cared little about climate change.

Görlach: Would this be a model for other countries to be followed?

Sachs: Yes. The model of constitutional protection of the environment and of intergenerational justice is very important. The Supreme Court in Colombia recognized the constitutional obligation to protect the Amazon, and a court in the Hague recently recognized the obligation of Shell Oil to slash emissions.

Görlach: Greta Thunberg and Fridays For Future have started a global rally for climate protection. It seems that in many places her parent’s generation and beyond are not happy with the movement. Why is the movement and its demands downplayed and the kids being ridiculed to simply go to school and not to bother the grown ups? And more specifically: Greta Thunberg as a person has been degraded by Donald Trump as much as the state media in China. What is she triggering in her opponents?

Sachs: The “Fridays for Future” movement has had a huge and positive impact. The fact that Trump denigrated Greta Thunberg is evidence of her impact. We should also remember that Trump is a dangerous psychopath. Even the top generals in the US were afraid of an attempted coup by Trump.

Görlach: In the US there is a broad movement that denies climate change altogether. Is this also due to a generational divide or are other reasons prevalent?

Sachs: There are many causes of America’s anti-science culture. Part is propaganda by the oil industry and its media allies (such as Fox News and the Wall Street Journal). Part is biblical fundamentalism that denies climate change because it’s not mentioned in the scriptures. Most leading religions combine faith and science, but some American-style fundamentalist religions deny science altogether. And in general, most Americans want climate action but the fossil-fuel lobbies (coal, oil, and gas enterprises) fight against climate-change action.

Görlach: How could the generations together reach the sustainability goals that keep the earth and habitable planet for the generations to come?

Sachs: We need to adopt pathways to achieve what we have promised: the Paris Climate Agreement and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Very rich older people, who have vast fortunes in the trillions of dollars should have their wealth taxed in order to help fund sustainable investments for younger people. Of course, the older and richer individuals, who hold most of the financial wealth, should make philanthropic gifts to promote global sustainable development.

Görlach: You worked most of your career with or for the United Nations. What role does this international body have or could obtain in order to tackle climate change and promote generational justice?

Sachs: The UN is the global organization that promotes sustainable development, peace, and human dignity for all. It is strongly focused on inter-generational justice and the wellbeing of future generations, through healthcare, nutrition, end of poverty, quality education, and sustainable management and stewardship of nature. The moral charter is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which declares that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” That is a universal message that we should take to heart, and should rededicate ourselves globally to that message as we reach the 75th anniversary of the UDHR in 2023.



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Human Rights can never be “won” because there are always people who will fight hard to reverse any gains made, says Andrew Gilmour. He is the head of the Berghof Foundation that offers conflict transformation around the globe. Learn, why he thinks many nations should prepare their population mentally for a rising migration. An interview by Alexander Görlach.

Görlach: The Berghof Foundation works on conflict transformation, in places such as Yemen or Afghanistan. Harvard-Scholar Steven Pinker claims that we live in the most peaceful of all times where armed conflict almost became a rarity. From your experience in the field, to his position from the ivory tower: Is he right with his claim?

Gilmour: Whatever some interpretations of certain statistics may indicate, regarding world-wide levels of conflict, the realities on the ground are clear. Conflict is growing in intensity and in scope in many parts of the world where we are operating. Afghanistan and Ethiopia spring to mind, but there is also the Sahel, Syria, Libya and Yemen, while in other places such as Lebanon, there are deeply worrying signs even if there is no outright conflict at this time.The human misery in all of these places – and many others – is so acute that it is essential not to be distracted by any suggestions that we could somehow be living in some “post-conflict” era.

Görlach: Human Rights have come under threat through a new wave of authoritarianism. China, India, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, to only name a few. How can human rights be ensured amidst such a menace?

Gilmour: Human rights can never be ensured. They have to be continually fought for, and they are never “won” because there are always people who will fight hard to reverse any gains made. And we are finding those on the front line of defending human rights are all too often targeted for their bravery and their principles in an increasing number of countries.Simultaneously with the push-back on human rights at country and local level, we face the global challenge of nationalist-authoritarian-populism, where minorities are scape-goated and threatened, and those governments come together to try to ward off criticism in an unholy alliance of violators.In such a situation, it is all the more important that voices such as Germany continue to sound the alarm, try to hold other countries to higher standards, and support the UN and human rights NGOs to do their job of promoting and protecting rights. My last job before coming to Berlin was as the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, and I can testify to how supportive Germany was both for my role and for many other human rights defenders.

Görlach: Has conflict mediation become more difficult at a time where people believe more in claims of “fake news” or advocate “alternative facts”? I would think that the first step in finding common ground is forming a consensus around the facts. 

Gilmour: It is certainly the case that all politics – domestic and international – has been complicated by fake news and alternative facts. The United States is Exhibit A in this regard, which is unfortunate both for Americans and for the rest of us, given the influence the US has – for good or otherwise – on so much of the rest of the world.All efforts to end conflict – whether through mediation or other forms of peace-building – are undermined by fake news and hate speech (often linked) not least because those who are the most keen to propagate aggression and discrimination are also the most prone to using the most dishonest tactics (including fake news) to achieve their aims. Russia Today and Fox News are both experts in this field.

Görlach: Constitutions in democratic countries protect the citizenry from discrimination, also age is one of the markers that constitutions forbid to discriminate against. In the pandemic we saw that different interests laid with different age groups. When we discuss climate change we see different generational takes on the issue as well. How do you view the relationship of generations nowadays?

Gilmour: That’s an interesting question. I’m a historian by training but I have never read of a period in history where the generational divide has ever come close to what we are already seeing, but will become vastly intensified in the coming years. The fact that our generation (let’s say anyone born before 1985) has so dramatically failed to live up to our responsibility to protect the planet and future generations, while at the same time going backwards in many areas of human rights, will understandably be seen as beyond scandalous.What apparently happened in Germany in the 1960s when the youth of that time tried to come to terms with what their parents had done and not done during what was then the recent past was quite dramatic. But I think it will turn out to be insignificant compared to what we are about to see.

Görlach: Peace and Security are the most fundamental principles for a harmonious live. In many countries migration is perceived as a threat that endangers that harmony. It is mostly young people that try to make their way to more prosperous countries in order to achieve a better live for themselves and their children. This migration will increase due to climate change. What can we do to already now mitigate and prepare for this new waves of migration?

Gilmour: The most important thing to do is to mentally prepare the populations and electorates in the countries to which migrants are likely to come. This will be extremely difficult and will require tremendous political courage – and the political savvy to face down the bigots, populists and charlatans who will try to capitalize on the misery of the migrant predicament and whip up hatreds against both the migrants and any political leaders who show sympathy for them.A huge public education campaign is required. It is not the fault of the desperate immigrants that sea levels have risen, deserts expanded, homes made uninhabitable by infernal heat, and agriculture made impossible by droughts. The countries from which the climate migrants are starting to come have contributed almost nothing to global climate change. Those in the forefront of historic responsibility are those where the industrial revolution was pioneered (including the UK, which is my country of origin, Germany and the United States). If it is not the fault of the countries that are ironically and unfairly worst affected by climate change, then we should at least show understanding for those people forced to flee them.

Görlach: What role can religion play to overcome conflict? Or is religion in your experience more the driver of such conflicts?

Gilmour: In a world where religion plays a fundamental role in the lives of the vast majority, we cannot afford to ignore religion when it comes to peace and conflict. Religion has a vital role to play in overcoming conflict. Regrettably, some religious leaders also play a role in provoking conflict – and like to stress the differences between religions and sects, rather than the fact that the teachings of all religions stress the virtues of peace and harmony.Often these two dynamics are connected and so we must approach the topic intelligently. For example, when political actors instrumentalize religious identities to divide societies, religious leaders from different faiths working together are often the best placed to counter such rhetoric. When armed groups use religion to justify violence, others can use the same religious sources to preach peace. Rather than asking whether religion is more a force for peace or more a source of conflict (given that it is both), we should ask ourselves, “how can we strengthen religion’s contribution to peace and mitigate its role in fueling conflict?”Religious ideas, values and practices are immensely powerful resources that contribute to peacebuilding on a daily basis. Religious actors are often at the forefront of efforts to build bridges and heal communities, both at grassroots and at the level of political elites. In recognition of this reality, Berghof has recently launched two initiatives seeking to strengthening the role of religion in peacemaking. “Peace education meets religion” primarily addresses faith-based multipliers who intend to strengthen the peace potential of religions by inspiring and qualifying interested persons and groups through peace education while the network of faith-based mediators supports a group of religious insider-mediators in their peacemaking work. In many of the countries where we are active, religious actors are also often active participants in processes Berghof is supporting. Of course, Berghof’s work is only a small contribution to a much larger effort to strengthen the positive role of religion in transforming conflict and building peace, and co-operation with like-minded organizations, such as Ring for Peace is an essential element of our strategy.



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