The world is changing rapidly, and events thousands of kilometres away now affect our daily lives – from the cost of living to fuel availability. With rapid change, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifting economic realities, today’s decisions will impact generations to come.

The democratisation of real-time information makes intergenerational dialogue more crucial than ever. 

At the St Gallen Symposium in Switzerland, we witnessed how meaningful conversations between age groups can flourish when informed participants share perspectives without fear of censorship, helping everyone learn. 

The quality of discussions and participants was exceptional. The gathering included 100 top young finalists from a competitive essay challenge, 100 other young changemakers, mid-career leaders, and over 500 senior leaders and decision-makers from 80+ nations.

Attendees included Ndaba Gaolathe, Botswana’s vice-president; Karin Keller-Sutter, president of the Swiss Confederation; and Jakov Milatovic, president of Montenegro. The young changemakers brought equally impressive credentials – from politicians to award-winning entrepreneurs.

Meritocracy ruled, not connections or family names. 

The two-day conference featured public main sessions and breakout events with no hierarchy of voices, just mutual respect and shared commitment to listening. All gathered to discuss this year’s theme: shifting global power.

Switzerland’s neutrality allowed all perspectives to be explored, covering topics from global warming to technology’s role in healthcare to conflict in mineral-rich countries. 

Rather than discussing specific topics, what struck us was the conference’s refreshing ethos, an understanding that collaboration rooted in mutual learning and shared responsibility is vital.

Main events featured senior and young leaders as equal co-panellists. Christian Sewing, CEO of Deutsche Bank, and Franziska Brandmann, chair of Young Liberals Germany, engaged as equals in “Designing the Foundation for Tomorrow”.

This demonstrated what most societies should practise: recognising that younger generations have informed, competent voices that matter. 

Traditional top-down leadership is giving way to circular, inclusive structures where ideas flow both ways. Side events introduced reverse mentorship – the concept that young people can and should mentor older generations. 

Simultaneously, young leaders must embrace the wisdom of experience. Senior leaders bring tremendous value through insights, patience, and historical awareness.

As emerging leaders, we must strive for meritocracy, not tokenism. Youth deserve seats at decision-making tables not to tick diversity checkboxes, but because they have earned their place through competence, creativity, and character. 

The need for intergenerational understanding became evident in participant surveys. Seventy-two per cent of youth viewed ongoing geopolitical changes as major disruptions to trade, while only 39 per cent of senior executives shared that concern.

This perception gap underscored the importance of exchanging perspectives – not to win debates, but to build shared understanding of challenges ahead.  

The writers participated in the St Gallen Symposium in Switzerland on May 7-8, 2025