YOUTH IS NOT WASTED ON THE YOUNG

*photo from Sarah Bautista

On our sleeves, we wear the best traits this generation could ever come up with: well-informed, open-minded, innovative, optimistic, and passionate. And while apathy and distance form the yang to our values, I am quite optimistic that we'll eventually get the majority to fall on the yin.

Last week, I was given the privilege to participate in the Youth Engagement Summit 2009 (YES2009) at the Putrajaya International Convention Center. Along with 50-plus Filipino delegates, I got on a plane to Malaysia to converge with almost 500 participants from Southeast Asia.

A few weeks ago, hopefuls logged on to www.yesasia2009.asia to share their thoughts on change. A short survey was all it took to let one's concerns be heard, and a handful of those who answered were given an all-expense paid trip to join the summit.

Truth be told, the initial meeting with the Filipino delegates at the airport was quite overwhelming. The Pinoys have this inexplicable knack for taking too many photos, and it wasn't an entirely mellow affair. Everyone was animated, and one could only hope that the energy could be carried over to the conference.

Fortunately, most delegates were just as involved during the summit. It was refreshing to see everyone so driven in their own causes; clearly, youth is not wasted on the young. The organizers flew in a stellar roster of speakers, and each had an amazing story to tell. Participants were given time to ask questions, and they did. Some questions even traipsed on personal territory—someone asked Facebook's Randi Zuckerberg if she was single—but it was all in good fun.

I'm sure that everyone had a different favorite speaker. Personally, my favorite talk was from Twitter's Biz Stone; he was just very casual and relaxed. I also enjoyed listening to Sir Bob Geldof because of his amazing advocacy. Moreover, it was cool to listen to David Magliano's narration of his pitch for the next Olympics. 

For anyone who gets picked to participate in the summit, the event could well instill a sense of purpose in an individual. I knew I was going to be part of something that had a potentially massive impact on various issues. While the thought was nerve-wracking, I knew it was just about time that I got involved in something noble. To be amidst a group of young leaders was an empowering experience; the hope for better things was written on everyone's faces.

There were no workshops for interaction, and neither was there a group pledge that one would expect after a conference. But I think YES2009 still had that impact on the participants, because we were encouraged to spark the change from within. One is presented with endless possibilities for the future, as long as one is able to harness immense power.

Saving the world would be too much to hope for in just one day; after all, we have countless issues to address. But then again, starting with oneself sure sounds practical and doable. And then eventually, we can get the rest of the world to join in.