Young people ‘closeted’ in gnration create 25 urgent proposals for the city, the country and Europe

140 young people aged 13 to 15, out of more than 200 registered, accompanied by more than 60 people, spent the night of April 24th and the morning of April 25th locked up in gnration, in an action promoted by Braga Media Arts, to to enjoy and participate in an occupation whose purpose was to imagine what it would be like to live in a totalitarian regime and reflect, as European citizens, on what their greatest concerns are and what challenges democracies, freedom and revolutions currently face.
From this experience, participants wrote the following manifesto:

They say that we are individualists and self-indulgent, that we don’t care about politics, that we don’t know anything about what’s going on around us. Maybe there is a kernel of truth, but we have something to say.
50 years after April 25th we feel that democracy is in danger and that things did not go as we thought. Today we face complex challenges that call freedom and equality into question. We are concerned about climate change, gender inequality, the growth of the extreme right, homophobia and transphobia, xenophobia, racism, lack of housing, inequalities in health and culture, war, misinformation and fake news, corruption.
We still don’t have the right to vote, but democracy isn’t just about voting. We share with you 25 ideas for the city, the country and Europe. These are not vague ideas, they are concrete proposals. And they are urgent.
We highlight some:
Recover the East River;
Create awareness-raising actions and organize intercultural festivals for people to learn about other cultures;
Talk about stereotypes and the cultures present in the country in the various subjects of the school curriculum;
Invest in political education for citizens of all ages;
Reduce rents and take advantage of uninhabited homes for those who need it most;
Ensure that everyone has the right to psychological and dental services;
Guarantee equal pay between genders, with heavy consequences for those who do not comply;
Combat ableism, listening to the voices of people with disabilities, working on empathy among young people and children;
Promote more affordable prices for access to culture;
Guarantee diversity and plurality in political participation;
Implement anti-corruption programs;
Create measures to combat fake news and misinformation.
Above all, we want to be heard and questioned. We want spaces where we can participate. We want to be an active voice in a society undergoing constant transformation. After all, we are the future, but we are also the present.

This action, carried out by the company Teatro Circo de Braga EM SA within the scope of the EU Digital Deal program, co-financed by the European Commission, also had the exceptional support of Agere, Edigma, the Portuguese Red Cross (in particular the Braga Delegation and the National Emergency Coordination), the National Archive of Torre do Tombo, the IPCA, as well as a wide range of local volunteers and professionals who provided all the necessary support for an event of this nature and size, contributing to its success.