Our Future Agenda

About Us

Unlocking the Power of Next and Future Generations

Our Future Agenda was born out of a powerful belief: young people belong at the heart of global decision-making. Today’s young people are inheriting an increasingly complex world, facing challenges – climate breakdown, economic instability, technological disruption – that impact their lives and futures profoundly. Yet, too often, their voices remain unheard or marginalized in the spaces where critical global decisions are made.

Our Future Agenda exists to bridge that disconnect – meeting young people where they’re already driving change: grassroots movements, informal communities, digital activism spaces, and other non-traditional platforms that institutions like the United Nations have historically overlooked. We ensure young people’s energy, ideas, and leadership directly influence global decisions that shape our collective future, fostering meaningful connections between youth-driven initiatives and formal international processes.

“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.”

Malala Yousafzai

How We Began

Our Future Agenda began in 2021 as a response to UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call for youth input into the landmark Our Common Agenda report. A group of visionary young changemakers – known as the Next Generation Fellows – gathered insights from more than 600 peers globally and presented their groundbreaking findings to the United Nations leadership. Their work culminated in the foundational Our Future Agenda Report, a bold manifesto outlining concrete actions needed to secure a just, equitable, and sustainable future for young people everywhere.

Since then, Our Future Agenda has grown into a dynamic program, powered by the United Nations Foundation, that continually elevates young voices, supports emerging leaders, and mobilizes intergenerational collaboration to shape an inclusive global future.

What We Do

Our Future Agenda empowers young people and connects their ideas and solutions directly with global policymaking processes. We achieve this through:

Intergenerational Mobilization

We host and support global coalitions – such as the Unlock the Future coalition and the Impact Coalition for Future Generations – to promote genuine collaboration between generations. By amplifying youth-led advocacy and action, we place intergenerational fairness firmly on global agendas.

Youth Leadership Development

Through initiatives such as our flagship Next Generation Fellows program and our digital community, the Engine Room for the Future, we equip young leaders with tools, mentorship, and platforms they need to influence global policy. Our Fellows represent diverse regions and sectors, advocating at high-level global events, while our Engine Room on Discord provides an accessible, inclusive, and interactive online platform for global youth mobilization and collaboration.

Innovative Initiatives and Storytelling

Our innovative initiatives include the Funders Collective, mobilizing resources to address persistent youth funding gaps globally, and the Story Lab, which turns complex global policies into relatable narratives and compelling visual stories. We use storytelling to amplify young voices, shape global conversations, and inspire action toward sustainable and inclusive futures.

Our Commitment

We adopt a future-focused mindset. Most young people today live in young countries across the Global South where 50-80% are under 30, and by 2100, approximately 80% of humanity will call Africa and Asia home. Yet, young people and young countries continue to be significantly underrepresented in global governance. We are determined to change this. Our Future Agenda ensures that solutions emerging from these regions not only gain visibility but actively inform the global decisions that define our shared future.

Aligned closely with the principles and values of the United Nations, we believe deeply in the power of inclusive multilateralism, intergenerational equity, and meaningful youth participation. By making global governance spaces genuinely accessible to young people – especially from traditionally excluded communities – we ensure that the international system remains relevant, responsive, and effective for generations to come.

Join Us

At Our Future Agenda, we’re not just preparing young people to lead in the future – we are empowering them to make a real difference right now. Together, let’s shape a more just, inclusive, and sustainable world for everyone.

Together, we unlock the future.