“We don’t really need all these structures that have power over, because with power with, it may be more difficult, we may have to be more vulnerable, but essentially, that makes for a much more sustainable process” explains Oliver, who represents the United Network of Young Peace Builders at the United Nations (UN).
My name is Oliver Rizzi Carlson, and I represent the United Network of Young Peace Builders at the UN, and I am 28. Today was really an experience in practicing some of the things that I was talking about, and being centered, and being connected with what I had to share. I would love people to take away from this talk, the importance of really thinking openly, but in a sense you think openly by being connected to what is already there. I know this is very spiritual, but I think it’s very powerful also. I was once at a conference and there was John Paul Lederach there, one of the foremost thinkers on conflict resolution and so on, and he said that if he had to break it down to one single thing that is the essential factor in resolving conflict, it is the quality of your presence. So, I would hope that people understood that, and the importance of creating a culture of non-violence and peace, from that, and for that, at the same time, by having other wonderful programs, such as YABC and all the other ones that are also led by youths around the world.
What would be your message to some of the older leadership people that might have been watching this RedTalk?
I think it would be important to drop your fear. But I think it’s important to do that with people you can relate to, maybe you have somebody in your family who is younger. But realize how we don’t really need all these structures that have power over, because with power with, it may be more difficult, we may have to be more vulnerable, but essentially, that makes for a much more sustainable process, where we can all participate, and we can all, actually, express ourselves, and have the diversity that, actually, we all strive for.
What about you? What did you learn from RedTalk #12 on youth leadership? Tell us in the comments below. If you missed the live webcast of RedTalk #12 yet, you can catch up by clicking on this link to view the recorded video
