As part of Geneva Democracy Week 2025, the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy (AHCD) and UNLEASH co-hosted an interactive workshop on 6 October titled Towards an Inclusive Green Transition: Local and International Youth Driving Change in Geneva. The session brought together students, youth advocates, international organizations, local officials, and community leaders to explore how young people can help shape a more equitable and sustainable transition for the city and the canton.

Discussions highlighted the need for Geneva’s green transition to reflect the diversity of its residents, from cross-border workers and international students to local taxpayers and youth organizations. Participants stressed the importance of identifying collective basic needs, from housing to mobility and food systems, and fulfilling them in socially and ecologically just ways. Several groups proposed creating citizens’ assemblies or climate councils with real decision-making power to bridge divides between international Geneva and local priorities. Others emphasized making long-term environmental projects more attractive through collaboration between institutions, scientists, and communities.

Ideas also included cultural and educational initiatives such as climate walks linking local and international spaces, open houses at international organizations, and language programmes to improve cross-border integration. Another group proposed offering international graduates community service or environmental missions in exchange for temporary residence permits, enabling them to contribute to Geneva’s sustainability goals.

Across all discussions, participants called for new forms of collaboration between local authorities, universities, and foundations to make the green transition a genuinely shared project. The workshop closed with a commitment to build on these ideas through future dialogues and partnerships.

This event was organised in conjunction with the project Youth climate activism and local institutions: reframing democratic spaces at a time of polarisation, which explores how young people can co-create inclusive pathways for democratic renewal and climate action.