The International Youth Think Tank (IYTT) is celebrating its fifth anniversary with an achievement. A total of 540 young individuals from 68 countries have applied to participate in this year's international conference, marking a significant increase compared to 2022.
Shu Yu Lim, Alina Arslanova, Mahek Bhatia och Nathan Collins var deltagare på fjolårets internationella IYTT-konferens. Foto: Leon Toshach
IYTT's international conference brings together young minds to discuss and shape ideas for the future of democracy. Starting this year, the conference will be held in Europe's democracy capital, an honor bestowed upon Barcelona, Spain, in 2023.
To be accepted, candidates are required to be residents of Europe, a choice rooted in sustainability and explicitly stated in the announcement. Despite this, applications have poured in from candidates in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
"It's certainly disappointing that we cannot accommodate any of these applicants. However, it underscores the immense interest in our work and democratic issues in general, even outside of Europe. It serves as motivation for us to expand our efforts," says Urban Strandberg, Director of IYTT.
The hope is to hold conferences outside of Europe in 2024, beginning with South Africa.
Europe's Democracy Capital