We are not waiting
Amplifying youth-led initiatives for systems change
Photo credits: Pedro Inacio / Pexels
This project is a joint initiative by The 50 Percent and UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES UK Hub that centres young people aged 14–35 as designers of alternative systems already in motion, showcasing real-world initiatives.
WHAT ARE WE BUILDING
An open-access anthology
6 themes, 6 chapters, the aim is to launch at UNESCO MOST Forum 2027.
A webinar series
1 Q&A session and 2 youth-led sessions over the 6 themes in 2026.
THE SIX THEMES
#RegenerativeEconomics
Re-weaving the future: networks and economies that make the world anew
#CircularLiving
Living circular futures: small changes, big difference
#MutualAid
Communities of care: youth-led networks built on solidarity, not charity
#ArtForChange
Stories that move systems: art, culture and storytelling as tools for transformation
#ClimateJustice
Building resilience through ecological resistance and restoration
#PeaceBuilding
Between fracture and repair: youth-led peacebuilding and social cohesion
AN OPEN-ACCESS ANTHOLOGY
‘We are not waiting’ will produce an open-access anthology of six chapters. This will not be just a collection of essays, but a durable, policy-relevant record of youth-led systems change in practice.
What makes it different:
- Written, reviewed and edited by young people themselves.
- Grounded in real-world practice.
- Published in open-access format.
SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT
Whether you are organising your community, restoring ecosystems, building alternative economies or using art to shift narratives — your experience is what this anthology is looking for.
This call is open to anyone aged 14–35 who is actively working on one of the six themes. You do not need to be an academic or an established writer and you do not need to have all the answers. What matters is that you are doing the work.
You may submit as an individual or as part of a small team.
Write in your own voice, clear and simple. Abstracts should be no more than 500 words. Contributions from the Global Majority and indigenous communities are especially encouraged.
If your abstract is selected, you will be invited to develop a full piece of approximately 2,000 words for the anthology. You will not be alone in the process, our editorial team will support you every step of the way.
Before you submit, read our Q&A guide – it answers the most common questions about the process, the themes and what we’re looking for.
Deadline: 31 August 2026
WATCH THE WEBINAR SERIES
This series highlights youth-led projects that are already modelling ethical, ecological and socially just futures. Each session was grounded in real-world action and hosted, moderated and shaped by young people.
1. We are not waiting: Q&A webinar
Can’t watch? Read our Q&A guide here
2. We are not waiting | Building new systems: from regenerative economies to climate justice and circular living
3. We are not waiting | The human side of systems change: peacebuilding, mutual aid and cultural transformation
About the partners
The 50 Percent at the Club of Rome works to place youth leadership at the centre of systems change. It supports and amplifies the work of young people who are already building the transitions that older institutions are still debating.
The UNESCO–MOST BRIDGES UK Hub generates humanities-informed research from the ground up, working with inclusive knowledge systems to drive social transformation and inform policy and practice.
