On Monday, the ReGeneration 2030 Declaration was adopted at the ReGeneration Week. The Declaration, presented at the evening Gala, was handed over to the EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius.
With the ReGeneration Week currently underway on the Åland islands, the third day, Monday, provided three major happenings.
In the morning during the Plenary session, all of the participants in the ReGeneration Week came together and debated to decide on the new Declaration that will form the basis for our future activities. With steady hands, the plenary chairpersons Nicholas Kujala, the former chairperson of the Nordic Youth Council, and Rebecca Coluccino, engaged within the Swedish UN Association, conducted the Plenary session.
The Declaration is a two-page document which outlines the state of the world, identifies the causes of the crises and provides a vision of a sustainable future.
The vision “is that we and future generations will live in a society based on an economy in balance with ecosystems, built on circular principles and sustainable nature-based solutions. In a sustainable society, we are all able to live without existential fears. We wish to live flourishing lives, within the planetary boundaries.”
The Declaration also paves the way for five coming position papers in the behavioural domains Food, Stuff, Move, Money and Fun. The new board received the mandate to finalise these during the upcoming months.
NEW BOARD
Moreover, the Plenary session participants elected the new board of the ReGeneration 2030 Foundation. The board consists of the chairperson Violetta Massala (Finland) and the board members Johanna Ekebom (Åland), Judith Olofsson (Sweden), Bára Örk Melsted (Iceland), Isaac Parkes (The UK), Olga Sobota (Poland), Jessica Brunnberg (Sweden) and Nikolai Fedostsev (Russia).
"I am very grateful for the work which was done both by the board and the participants of the ReGeneration Week. I would really want to make sure that the ReGeneration 2030 movement becomes even more inclusive so that everybody can take part in the decision making for the future, says Violetta Massala, the new chairperson of the movement."
The previous chairperson Bára Örk Melsted, concludes the previous mandate period with gratitude.
"It has been a rewarding experience to have the chance to work with all the people of the movement throughout the year. I am proud of how far we have come, now having grown and developed immensely. I am looking forward to continuing the work towards a sustainable tomorrow with the newly adopted declaration as our guide."
DIALOGUE MEETINGS
Following the Plenary Session, senior change makers were invited to the Dialogue meetings. Challenging the traditional conference structure, the ReGeneration Week created intimate discussions between youth and senior change makers from different sectors of society.
Many of the participants confirmed that the dialogues brought them new insights and thoughts.
"What is obvious to some is not obvious to others. Therefore, it is important to hold meetings where people from different generations listen to each other", says the Åland Government Development Minister Alfons Röblom.
THE GALA
The Gala took place in the Alandica Big Hall during the evening with the special focus to celebrate the newly adopted Declaration. The night’s orchestra, led by Jesajah Mårskog, provided an inspiring sound landscape to the hostesses Heidi Kråkström and Ella Turta.
Former board member Robert Peter, who presented the Declaration on the Gala, explains the feeling in the Big Hall:
"I could see in the audience that the urgency concerns us all. Because we all need to act now. We, the young generations, are ready."
The Declaration was then handed to the EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius.
The Gala can be watched on the Finnish Public Service Broadcasting Yle Areena in the entire world.