This article is from a special report on the Athens Democracy Forum, held in association with The New York Times, where experts gathered in the Greek capital last week to discuss global issues.
Young people engaged in democracy movements across the globe are helping drive the fight to secure, preserve and defend fundamental freedoms. The following five attended the Athens Democracy Forum last week, where they shared their perspectives and experiences.
Ahead of the conference, they were interviewed about their work, views and experiences, by phone, video and email. Their responses were edited and condensed.
Sohee Yang
Seoul; 29; founder, Younan Movement; chief executive, Valid
Born and raised on Jeju Island, South Korea, Ms. Yang is now based in Seoul. She founded Younan Movement, a nonprofit that hosts events to educate young South Koreans on how to support democracy, and co-founded Valid, a political think tank she leads that trains young people to be political leaders.
Kash Radocha
Hometown, Pa.; 21; policy and advocacy intern, Human Rights First
Ms. Radocha, a Pennsylvania native, is a senior at Oberlin College in Ohio majoring in history, law, and society and politics. She is also a policy and advocacy intern at Human Rights First, a nonprofit with offices in Washington that advances human rights globally through policy advocacy and legal support for refugees and others whose democratic rights are at risk.
Julián Rodríguez Sastoque
Bogotá, Colombia; 29; member, Bogotá City Council; founder, JovenesEnPolitica (Youth in Politics)
Mr. Sastoque is the 2025 winner of the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize, awarded to those from 18 to 30 who are outstanding leaders in the democracy movement. A member of Bogotá’s City Council, Mr. Sastoque has advocated more young people join government organizations. He also founded JóvenesEnPolítica, which trains youth in Colombia on how to become more involved in political and civil rights and how to advance change.
Anatoli Markoulaki
Athens; 17; member, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center Youth Council; participant, Teens for Democracy Program at the Athens Democracy Forum
Ms. Markoulaki, now in her final year at Doukas School in Athens, is among the youngest members of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Youth Council, which organizes programs to promote social change, inclusion and equality. Originally from Santorini, she spoke on a panel at this year’s Athens Democracy Forum about the role of youth in civic engagement and addressed the forum in 2024.
Prince Shah Chaudhary
Kathmandu, Nepal; 25; founder and chief executive, SpeakUp Nepal
Mr. Chaudhary is the chief executive of SpeakUp Nepal, a youth-led online petition and advocacy platform that allows Nepali citizens to raise concerns about local and national issues, sign petitions and express their opinions to the national government and local authorities. He grew up in Lalbandi, a rural town in southeast Nepal.
What was the impetus for you to get involved in this line of advocacy?
SOHEE YANG I believe that no one should face discrimination or be denied opportunities. Yet Korean society, like many others, still falls short of this ideal. Being young and a woman and not coming from wealth, I experienced inequality during my adolescence. That’s when I decided I wanted to create meaningful change that solves these problems. This meant working to reform social standards. I took to the streets, organized actions, built coalitions and found myself speaking on stages.
KASH RADOCHA I was 15 when I first learned about democratic structures. This coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential race, and in the fallout it was clear to me that democracy could be threatened by policymakers who try to undermine the law. As I both studied and experienced significant global political events over the next few years, I decided to dedicate myself to working in law to understand and share insight into its uses.
JULIÁN RODRÍGUEZ SASTOQUE I have been engaged in promoting democracy ever since I was a child. However, the decision to work to strengthen democracy came after we lost the peace referendum in October 2016, when only 11 percent of young people voted. I felt frustrated after spending a year traveling across Colombia as a peace advocate, promoting the agreements and carrying out electoral education. That experience convinced me to run for office myself, leading by example to inspire others.
ANATOLI MARKOULAKI My motivation arose three years ago through a playwriting competition about children’s rights. I came face-to-face with the inequalities and injustices that exist, and that made me realize the importance of active participation. I became a member of the Young Advisors of the Greek Ombudsman for Children’s Rights, an organization that advocated for children’s rights, where I gained more awareness about rights that are violated. I have been devoted to the cause ever since.
PRINCE SHAH CHAUDHARY It began with a question I heard over and over in my childhood: Does the government ever listen to us? I come from a small town, home to the Madheshi community. We speak our own language and have our own culture, and for a long time we were made to feel like outsiders in our own country. Our roads were broken. People struggled to get citizenship documents, and their voices were never heard. I saw my parents and neighbors try to reach the government, only to be ignored. When I moved to Kathmandu in 2016 for my studies, I saw the same problem, just in a different form. That’s when I started to see that there was no structure for people to speak, be heard and follow up, and decided to get involved.
What have you learned — positive or negative — from other young people you encounter in your work?
YANG When I observe my peers in Korea working in politics, I see many focused on how to please those in power, rather than pursuing a genuine political vision. Many have fallen into defeatism and cynicism. At the same time, there are young activists and politicians who refuse to comply with existing political structures and create their own networks to bring change. These youth give me the courage to keep going forward with my cause.
RADOCHA We have an expansive set of perspectives to offer on the direction of law and democracy. My generation is creating a melting pot of ideas, brought upon by living through turbulent global political events and holding firm to a strong desire for change. I am motivated to keep going forward because of their energy.
SASTOQUE On the positive side, I have learned the importance of building identity around “us” rather than “me.” This spirit of collective leadership defines today’s generation of young leaders around the world. On the negative side, I have seen the challenges of overcompetition among some young leaders or youth-led organizations, which can undermine collaboration. Another difficulty is sustaining volunteerism over time.
MARKOULAKI A positive thing is the willingness to participate in youth councils, but the negative is that not many are given this opportunity. Youth councils in municipalities across Greece, although formally institutionalized, still do not operate. Very few municipalities have committed to activating them.
CHAUDHARY I’ve learned that young people in Nepal care about our communities, the environment, education and justice. We don’t know where to take that energy. Some shout online. Some leave the country. Some give up and stay quiet because we’ve been told that our voice doesn’t change anything. But when you give youth the right tools and trust, we rise. At SpeakUp Nepal, more than 70 percent of our users are under 30. They design petitions, organize support and run campaigns. I’ve seen young people go from feeling invisible to leading civic change because someone gave them a platform.
What have you learned that others could use to stem the erosion of democracy?
YANG That technology can be a tool to help stem the erosion of democracy. During Korea’s recent impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Suk Yeol, my team and I developed and deployed an AI-based system for citizens to draft and submit court petitions. By using technology to lower political participation barriers, we received tremendous public response.
RADOCHA Believe in the democratic structures we have and advocate for their use. I think the public is too desensitized to undemocratic acts by the sheer volume of them occurring with growing frequency around the globe. Having confidence in the systems that have been bastions of democracy in other times of history is a critical step in stemming its erosion.
SASTOQUE Empowering people, especially young people, with the knowledge and tools to understand and defend their rights, while connecting with other leaders and cocreating initiatives to transform their realities, is the most effective way to confront threats to democracy.
MARKOULAKI Reliable information and the fight against corruption can resist the erosion of democracy. Also, the topic we discussed this year with the youth group at the Athens Democracy Forum, “Resisting Extremism: Young People and Democratic Values,” is essential. It is important to explore the fractures within the framework of democracy — meaning injustice and corruption — that allow intolerant views and the demonization of diversity to creep in insidiously, spreading hate and violence.
CHAUDHARY That democracy does not survive on elections alone. It survives on feedback. What weakens democracy is when people feel like their voices go nowhere, so if we want to protect democracy, we need to fix that gap between people and power. At SpeakUp Nepal, we’ve learned how powerful it is to create small, simple systems where people can speak up.
What are some of the misconceptions you have heard regarding democracy? And which one irritates you the most?
YANG Statements like “nothing will change anyway” or “the future is already predetermined.” Yes, creating the change we want involves arduous processes. Korea is a country that has grown through the democratic momentum created by citizens who fought against state violence and authoritarian attempts.
RADOCHA That courts are politicized, partisan institutions, particularly in the American context. Years of research into all facets of the judiciary — decision-making, emergency docket decisions, public perception and more — have shown that this is an inaccurate assumption. Actually, courts are historically afforded the most insulation from partisan politics.
SASTOQUE That all politicians are the same. One of the responsibilities of the new generation of politicians — especially young leaders — is to rebuild trust: between citizens and institutions, between people and electoral processes, and between people and democracy itself. While there are many reasons for distrust, the real threat to democracy is indifference: not deciding, not participating and stigmatizing those who advocate and lead.
MARKOULAKI I’ve heard that democracy is taken for granted, but how is it when fundamental human rights, like freedom of speech, are being questioned? I’ve also heard that young people don’t care. It feels like our ability to participate meaningfully is being doubted when, in reality, we are not given the space to express ourselves. Democracy isn’t just about voting every few years. Democracy is participation. It’s about being heard.
CHAUDHARY That democracy means you vote, and that’s enough. Real democracy is when people stay involved, every day, in shaping decisions, raising questions and holding power to account. Another misconception is that only educated or elite people should speak about public issues and that rural voices are too emotional. But lived experience is also political knowledge, and democracy cannot be built on the idea that only some people are smart enough to participate.
What has been your most compelling moment or time thus far in your work as a democracy advocate?
YANG I hosted a conference for Younan in 2024, the year after we were founded. I wanted to bring together peers who would respond to the problems we were raising. In a week, over 100 citizens gathered and participated in conversations about designing the next democracy. Large banners hung on the conference walls read: “Each person for themselves cannot be our zeitgeist,” and “Let’s take the initiative in creating our future.” My heart raced seeing faces deep in thought against those phrases.
RADOCHA Incredible people are working behind the scenes for nongovernmental organizations that promote the rule of law and hold their government accountable when it oversteps its authority. I have had the privilege of working with some of these groups, and this experience has taught me that effective change is happening. This is inspiring to me in my journey of working in law.
SASTOQUE The most powerful moments are when we close a training process, whether it’s a school of youth political leadership, a program for young candidates or initiatives on human rights and environmental leadership. In those sessions, I see young people and citizens feeling empowered with new tools to change their own realities.
MARKOULAKI The most compelling moment was standing on an adult panel at the Athens Democracy Forum, representing the Teens for Democracy Program. I realized my words had weight and invited responses from adults. I gained confidence in public speaking and discovered the power of well-prepared youth voices in shaping policy. I spoke about small acts of civic engagement, such as initiating dialogues and activating Youth Councils, and received attention from those who can influence policy. This experience felt like a starting point.
CHAUDHARY The campaign we ran in 2023 for Sumad Rani Tharu, a 22-year-old Indigenous woman from the Tharu community who was murdered. Her case was ignored for months. Even newspapers demanded money to cover the story. Then we met Sumad’s mother. She was in grief and had no hope left. She wanted her daughter’s name not to be forgotten. We decided to act. We created [Instagram] reels, art and storytelling that preserved Sumad’s dignity. We used Instagram, media and community networks to build momentum. Within days, the case was raised in Parliament. Two months later, the suspect, who had fled to India, was arrested.
If there is one change you would like to see in approaches to or the exercise of democracy, what would it be?
YANG Korea has many excellent democracy advocates and civil society activists, but there’s a strong tendency to try not to appear political. They treat connections with political power as taboo. Consequently, even when they fight corrupt power and ultimately win, there are limitations in reflecting citizens’ voices within institutional frameworks. They also fail at political mobilization, and ordinary citizens’ sense of political efficacy drops again.
RADOCHA Violence should never be an answer to discontent. I would love to see the government stop using violence as a way to quell protests against its policies or actions. Nothing good comes from subduing resistance using violent force.
SASTOQUE I dream of a world where states remove barriers to political participation, for example, eliminating age limits to run for office or creating mechanisms to ensure youth representation in politics. Achieving this also requires rethinking civic and democratic education from the earliest stages: new curricula, new methods to promote critical thinking, empowerment and leadership from a young age.
MARKOULAKI I would like to see youth participation institutionalized in a meaningful way. Too often, young people are invited symbolically but not given decision-making power. If democracy is to be sustainable, it must integrate youth voices not only as the future, but as active contributors to the present.
CHAUDHARY It would be to make democracy a part of daily life, not just something that happens during elections or protests. Right now, citizens speak up when things go wrong, but often, there’s no system in place to receive that voice. We need to change that by creating regular, accessible ways for people to participate and clear systems inside government to respond. From the citizen side, that means more tools like petitions, complaint systems and online platforms so people can raise concerns easily and track what happens next. From the government side, we also need mechanisms within the system to handle public feedback. Every municipality and ministry should have a team that reviews citizen concerns, follows up and shares updates transparently.
Has your youth helped or hindered your cause?
YANG I have had countless experiences where my proven achievements were undervalued due to preconceptions about being a “young woman.” But because I’m young, I don’t have much to lose yet. There are changes I can sense, and futures I can see, and I am willing to fight.
RADOCHA Fear has enveloped a lot of us into being passive about what’s happening in our governments and in our countries, especially those most vulnerable to retaliation. In the aggregate, though, I think that fear has materialized into actions to help protect democracy. Our youth gives us this energy.
SASTOQUE Youth allows us to be more disruptive, more collective, more energetic. On the other hand, we face stigma that assumes age is proportional to talent and capacity, that being young means being incapable or inexperienced.
MARKOULAKI At times, being young can make people underestimate your knowledge or dismiss your opinions as ‘just teenage ideas.’ At the same time, my youth gives me a fresh perspective and the ability to connect with other young people who might otherwise feel excluded from civic engagement. Being a peer allows me to show that meaningful participation is for everyone.
CHAUDHARY My youth gives me energy, creativity and urgency. My youth also makes me not afraid to challenge old systems or ask difficult questions. On the other hand, my age has sometimes made people doubt me, especially in formal government spaces. I’ve been in rooms where people assumed I didn’t know enough just because I looked too young.
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