On 20 November 2023, Global Peace hosted the Global Peace Children’s Forum on the theme “Children’s Digitalization, Mobilization, and Contribution to Sustainable Development and Peace”. With the understanding that children are the basis for all dimensions of sustainable development, children have the right to thrive, develop to their fullest potential, and live in a sustainable world.
At the Annual Global Peace Children’s Forum 2023, speakers asserted that children today grow up in an era of global interconnection, innovation, and technology. For this reason, millions of children understand this development as a means of enjoying a quality of life never imagined by previous generations. Speakers further noted that development has brought millions of children and families out of poverty, but for others, often out of the spotlight, it has instead contributed to even greater vulnerability.
Speakers at the Children’s Forum underscored that technology, digital media and urbanisation, with more than 70% of the human population now living in urban areas, have led to a greater disconnect with nature as many children are spending more time online in virtual worlds and people in industrial societies spend 90% of their time indoors. As a result, the environment with animals, agriculture, and nature has for many children become something distant, abstract, and far away. An overwhelming amount of research points to the links to mental and physical illness, anxiety and depression, and several other harmful effects of disconnection from nature. At the same time, research also indicates that our connection to nature influences our motivation to tackle challenges such as biodiversity loss and climate change.
The forum also noted that STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has for some time been promoted as the key to the jobs of the future, and major investments have been made to prepare today’s children for them. While many believe that these hard skills will help solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges, other voices highlight the importance of soft skills, with values such as empathy and solidarity as core in children’s education, as many of the world’s issues are deeply rooted in inequality and an unjust distribution of resources.
The forum further highlighted that, alongside the growing worry about disconnection from nature, other children are reminded of nature in horrifying ways, as disasters caused by human-induced climate change become more common, leaving millions of children in extremely vulnerable situations without their basic needs met.
It is worth noting that another big topic of our time is children’s interaction with digital technologies and time spent online. Research indicates that children aged 8 to 12 in the US spend four to five hours a day on screens, and that teenagers spend considerably more. The risks of children’s use of digital technology are many: cyberbullying, inappropriate and disturbing content, online predators, identity theft, fake news and scams. Mental but also physical illness is a known consequence for children exposed to these risks. In parallel with many parents’ growing concerns about their children’s use of technology, more and more countries are seen establishing recommendations for heavily restricting screen time for young children.
There was a shared understanding at the forum that, despite the risks and growing concerns about children’s welfare, there is also hope: hope in the millions of children rising and coming together. Evidence of this can be seen in all parts of the world where children and young activists are leveraging digital media and global interconnection to mobilise in a collective battle for a safer, fairer, and more sustainable world.
During the Global Peace Annual Children’s Forum 2023, speakers expressed interest in exploring the tools, capabilities and values children need, not only to navigate today’s complex world but to support development towards peace, both between humans and with nature. The forum espoused the need to hear the voices of children and adults fighting for children’s future first-hand and to learn from those to whom the future belongs.
The Annual Global Peace Children’s Forum also coincided with World Children’s Day, which was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improvements in children’s welfare. Since 1990, World Children’s Day also marks the anniversary of the date that the UN General Assembly adopted both the Declaration and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. World Children’s Day offers each of us an inspirational entry-point to advocate, promote and celebrate children’s rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children. The Programme shortlisted speakers from countries such as Italy, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Venezuela, Kenya and Cameroon.
About the Programme Coordinator – Cecilia Mabeldott: Sweden
Cecilia Mabeldott is a communicator with a background in the corporate marketing and communication field. Cecilia is a master’s student at Malmö University, Sweden, where she studies Communication for Development. She is passionate about communication between humans and development that is kind to Tellus and her inhabitants. Cecilia focuses especially on climate change communication and is currently with UN Climate Change (UNFCCC), where she is doing an internship within the Communication and Engagement division. Cecilia is also the Chair for the Executive Committee of Global Peace Europe.
