I meet so many inspiring and humbling individuals on my journeys. One of these people is the awesome Sera N Onalan. I met Sera in Washington DC. She is an activist, youth diplomat and scholar studying in the USA. Sera is originally Turkish as was serving as Head of State for Turkey at the G20 Youth Summit. Her passion, knowledge and sense of justice is so infectious. We at D2L are honoured to have her guest blog for us below :

“Globally we are currently at a crossroads. Although we have come a long way intellectually and technologically, the world that will be handed over to us is less than perfect and filled with unprecedented challenges (the environment, socioeconomic injustice, human rights, human security – to name a few). The only way we can solve these issues is through gaining a global consciousness and accepting our responsibilities as citizens of the world. ”

“At present we see the disconnect between those in positions of power and those whom they should be representing. This is especially obvious given the plethora of social movements and protests that have sprung up recently – from Occupy Wall Street to the Arab Spring to riots in Montreal or England. The injustice faced by the majority and disproportionately by the youth and disadvantaged has culminated in a worldwide stance against the current system. Taking place simultaneously with the G20 Summit and the Rio+20 were alternate summits appropriately called the “People’s Summit,” where average citizens protested the elite’s role in defining the majority’s strife. What has been up until now the status quo is no longer sustainable. The victims of the current regimes, those who are disadvantaged by government policies or due to the lack thereof of adequate ones, are dedicated to making their voices heard. ”

“It is up to us, the youth, to understand the system we are governed under and either change it for the better or replace it completely. Yes, this is an arduous task, but everyone can take part and be leaders in their own way by spreading knowledge and setting examples. Toppling dictatorial regimes and protesting (although highly encouraged) are not the only avenues for change. Dialogue and forums are important mechanism to foster change as well. This can translate to posting an article related to human rights on your Facebook, or refuting your right wing peer’s unyielding, somewhat naïve praise for trickle down economics, or attending youth summits and writing up communiqué with fellow young people from all over the world, or blogging about the importance of the youth’s participation in civil society (wink, wink). We, the youth, have an essential role to play in reconciling the present with the ideal world we want to lead in the future. ”

“In an increasingly interdependent world it has become ever so clear that our actions and decisions impact others halfway across the world. Therefore, the leaders of our generation must be innovative and most importantly, (globally) inclusive in policy making. As a result, a good leader will not be defined or confined by her country’s border or her nationality, but realizes and accepts her responsibility to all the people of the world and works to better the lives of the global community. Being a good leader is not about how big or small your contribution is, its about the initiative and intent behind it. Do you accept your responsibility to yourself, the people of the world and future generations? Do you dare2lead? Prove it.”