Through our joint initiative on “A New Generational Contract”, we engage diverse actors and launch impactful projects to enable cross-generational leadership and learning. This commitment was evident in the fantastic turnout at our session at the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi!

Key Insights Were Shared by High Level Participants

The 2024 UN Civil Society Conference (UNCSC), featuring global leaders including UN Secretary General António Guterres and Kenyan President William Ruto, brought together around 2,000 participants in Nairobi, Kenya. The main agenda: Preparing for the Summit of the Future in September 2024, which aims to pass the Pact for the Future. This Pact, negotiated by UN Member states, is pivotal in evolving the meaningful involvement of young generations in politics at both national and multinational levels.

Intergenerational Leadership Session at the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference in Nairobi

In light of this focus on the role of young generations in decision-making, the Club of Rome, the St. Gallen Symposium and the Kenya Climate Change Working Group co-hosted an official side event of UNCSC, focused on accelerating the sustainability transition in business and politics through intergenerational leadership. This insightful session, led by Lynn Modester, skillfully bridged the global themes of the conference with tangible local actions in Kenya. Esteemed speakers included Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of The Club of Rome; John Kioli, Chair of the Kenya Climate Change Working Group; Wanjiku Thiga, Communications Specialist and Politics Advocate; and Felix Rüdiger, Head Content and Research at the St. Gallen Symposium. Their collective expertise illuminated pathways for intergenerational collaboration in advancing sustainability.

Cultivating Healthy Intergenerational Leadership and Learning

Wanjiku Thiga is the founder of Gears for Change Initiative, a grassroots organisation focused on youth development. She also serves as a political inclusion advisor and a communications expert. Sharing her expertise from local politics in Kenya, Thiga challenged the notion that young leaders are less credible due to their lack of experience, and emphasised the many challenges young political challengers can encounter when running for political office.

Thiga’s vision for more sustainable politics and democracy focused on senior leaders actively supporting emerging leaders. She advocated for creating a healthy and inclusive environment where experienced leaders guide and mentor the next generation, fostering a collaborative and supportive leadership landscape.

John Kioli, Chair of the Kenya Climate Change Working Group, stressed that policy-makers need to be deliberate in their actions towards intergenerational inclusion, as youth represent the future. He also underlined the importance of recognising when it is time to hand over responsibilities, emphasising that the sooner this transition occurs, the better it is for ensuring continuity and addressing issues related to poor leadership.

Lynn Modester, Youth Coordinator at the Kenya Climate Change Working Group, emphasised the importance of respecting ideas and opinions across generations so that healthy connections can take place in terms of leadership and engagement.

Felix Rüdiger shared key learnings from a wealth of research findings that demonstrate the tangible benefits of involving diverse generations in decision-making. He focused on three mechanisms through which intergenerational leadership can accelerate sustainability in businesses and policy institutions: increasing commitment, fostering sustainable business model innovation, and rebuilding trust.

Watch the recap video interviewing three speakers of our session below.

Flavia Conti Rossini