At the same table

From 18 to 21 March 2024, 80 young people from all over Europe gathered in Milan at the Bocconi University and ISPI premises for the Planet Needs YOUth event. They put themselves in the shoes of the heads of state of the major world powers, simulating the G20 which will be held next November in Rio De Janeiro.
After passing an initial selection phase, I also found myself sitting at the negotiating table. The goal was to reach consensus on issues related to multilateralism, the green transition and cybersecurity. A consensus that is truly not easy to reach if one takes into account that each proposal, in order to be included in the final declarations of meetings of this kind, must be approved in whole or in part by all the individual member countries. The form of consensus as a decision-making process is today applied both in the various "g" (informal groups of states, such as the G20) and in many of the UN bodies. The young people present, called during the "Global Ambassadors" event in Milan, wanted to share some reflections on their experience which saw them take on the role of officials representing specific national interests.
 

What did you feel as the country you represented?

I have often felt helpless, because as the European Union I have always aimed very high in my proposals, in particular on the issue of decarbonisation.
But then I had to deal with the no's from other countries. I said to myself: decarbonisation is something right and necessary for our planet, how is it possible that we can't agree?
In other contexts, however, I felt ashamed. On the first evening we met informally in the hotel lobby with the guys representing the G7 countries; we had dinner together and agreed on the choices to make during the simulation, to respond unitedly to the brics+ of the Global South. At a certain point, I thought about the kids who represented the Global South and who we didn't invite to that dinner: I realized that contrasts between people arise like this, when they can't all sit around the same table.
(Y., 25 years old, European Union)
I felt powerful and, at times, it was even fun knowing I had all that political clout, I have to admit. However, I also realized better that on several occasions the United States has not been the bearer of democracy and peace as it claims to be and has not lived its responsibility to serve the world.
(M., 22 years old, United States)

Based on your experience, do you think we should focus more on multilateralism and the G20, or are there other paths to take?

At the G20, countries that are normally engaged in war are forced to talk to each other face to face. The fact that two nations with different political and economic weight such as the USA and Indonesia have the same time to express their opinion on a topic and the same power to oppose or support certain declarations is a great exercise in democracy.
(T., 26 years old, France)
I think that multilateralism is the solution, but that the consensus formula leads to generic and non-binding resolutions that are unlikely to bring concrete results.
To date, I think that the qualified majority formula, already adopted by the European Council, could be the best to apply also to contexts such as the G20. The qualified majority is reached if 55% of the states vote in favor of a proposal and the states that support the proposal represent at least 65% of the total population represented.
(G., 22 years old, Canada)

What are the biggest difficulties you have encountered in dialogue with other countries?

At first it was difficult to put aside my ethnocentrism, especially my being a white and European person. I realized that proposals and objectives that may have seemed universally valid were in truth the result of privileged realities that were barely achievable in poor contexts and, moreover, impoverished of their own resources.
(B., 21 years old, Canada)
At one point we were discussing the green transition and renewable energy. A country like Saudi Arabia is on the one hand very advanced in the production of energy and green technologies and in the construction of green cities, and on the other it has grown based on oil trade. Switching to a green economy overnight would cause the entire country to collapse.
(R., 23 years old, Saudi Arabia)

This was a youth event, and they were given a lot of confidence. How do you think young people can make their voices heard more in our society?

First of all, you need to be informed. Then you need to organize yourself to bring your requests to an increasingly wider audience. This is good not only for society and the world, but first of all for ourselves, because we can meet many people and develop our ability to communicate with them.
(M., 22 years old, United States)
For me it is very important to write and publish articles and use social media in a more constructive and informative way: very often instead we risk focusing on social profiles that have no value and do not help us grow.
(R., 23 years old, Saudi Arabia)

At the end of the simulation, the ISPI managers gave their feedback on the final document that was drawn up. They complimented the realism demonstrated, in particular regarding the issue of multilateralism. After discussing for hours about a possible UN reform, we realized that it was not even possible to propose a suspension of the right of veto in those cases involving genocide and mass atrocities, because it would affect the internal balance of the G20 itself. Bear in mind, for example, that in last year's G20 in New Delhi a consensus was reached on the issue of the war in Ukraine, with Russia present at the table, only thanks to a diplomatic balancing act on the part of the Indian presidency: instead to openly criticize Russia, in the final declaration it was written that all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to try to acquire territory. Seeing what is still happening in Ukraine today, one might say that forums like these are useless because they do not allow resolutions to be made. Also because the consequences of every geopolitical tension fall on those peoples who have less capacity for diplomatic and political action. However, taking care of multilateralism is necessary: ​​the states that 80 years ago were at war with each other, today find themselves around a table discussing. It's not much, but it's not little either.
 

Giulia Grimaldi
NPFOCUS June/July 2024