On the occasion of International Youth Day, the Datasphere Initiative spoke to a range of youth activists, and young professionals to ask them why leveraging youth voices is important in efforts to unlock the value of data, and how can education on data governance equip youth globally with the skills they will need to promote a greener future?
Natalia Loungou, Events & Communications Coordinator, at the Datasphere Initiative, shares insights on the importance of providing a space for youth to amplify their voices and participate in decision-making processes to responsibly unlock the value of data for all.
Read more about the campaign and other contributions here.
Being the most connected generation ever, it’s surprising how little power is given to youth to shape new regulations around data.
What are companies doing with your data? How is it impacting government decisions? What can it do for the benefit of society? Youth are absent in these important decisions.
Providing a space for youth to amplify their voices and participate in decision-making processes is essential to responsibly unlock the value of data for all.
Through the #Youth4OurDataFuture project, we are striving to create an inclusive platform for dialogue, ensuring that the youth are not just beneficiaries, but leaders in building a sustainable and inclusive data-driven world. We are actively accomplishing this by organizing interactive workshops designed by and for young individuals, while also curating a repository of events where youth can participate and amplify their voices.
Building a greener future relies, among other means, on using data-driven technologies responsibly. And youth are key to achieving this goal.
As a millennial, I have grown up understanding climate change’s profound implications. Our generation’s unwavering commitment to environmental preservation positions us as agents of positive change. To transform our aspirations into tangible outcomes, we need the right tools, skills, and knowledge.
Data and technology should be an ally in the battle against climate change. Right now we need a better understanding of the environmental footprint of digital technologies. Universities, schools, and governments play a vital role in educating youth on the use of technology to create a greener future. At the #Youth4OurDataFuture project, we have taken a first step to raise awareness of the importance of data governance in ensuring a better future for all.
Natalia is the Events and Communications Coordinator at the Datasphere Initiative. In this capacity, she organizes events, devises branding and social media strategies, creates communications materials and campaigns, and identifies strategic events relevant to data governance.
Prior to her role at the Datasphere Initiative, Natalia served as an Events and Communications Consultant at the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network, as well as Executive Education Program Coordinator at Instituto de Empresa (IE), and as Marketing Coordinator at SAP Business One.
Natalia earned her degree in Tourism from Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain), earning honors for her final thesis, and the Munich University of Applied Sciences (Germany). Natalia is fluent in Spanish, English, and Russian, and speaks basic German.
