UNICEF’s Youth Foresight Fellowship brings children and young people together with UNICEF to develop foresight skills, participate in global trends analysis and lead their own projects, shaping a future where youth voices are heard, respected and influential. Nahjae Nunes shares his experience.
As a recent UNICEF Youth Foresight Fellow representing the United States, I deepened my understanding of why it’s critical to involve youth in shaping a sustainable and equitable future.
The Fellowship gave me the extraordinary opportunity to co-design foresight workshops to share this work with my peers, contribute to UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children report and collaborate with peers from diverse regions to envision a brighter, more equitable future for children everywhere.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this Fellowship was contributing to UNICEF’s 2050 Future Child Personas — a forward-looking initiative that brings the voices of children and young people into discussions about the future. These personas, unveiled at the Dubai Future Forum, reflect the power of participatory foresight research. They capture the aspirations, challenges and opportunities of young people across the globe, offering actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to build a world where every child thrives.
This Fellowship has been a journey of profound learning, collaboration and impact. From understanding how global megatrends like climate change and technological innovation intersect with childhood to co-creating pathways for a more sustainable future, this experience has reshaped my understanding of what meaningful youth engagement can look like and achieve.
Imagining childhood in 2050
Imagining the future of childhood alongside my peers forced us to grapple with three megatrends — demographic shifts, climate change and frontier technologies — and consider how these forces are interconnected and will fundamentally shape childhood in 2050.
We began by grounding our work in regional realities and exploring how these trends manifest differently in various contexts. For example, fellows from the Maldives highlighted the existential threat of rising sea levels, while those from Argentina emphasized the potential of technology to bridge educational divides.
These regional perspectives created a tapestry of insights that informed our work on the Future Child Personas. Through participatory foresight exercises facilitated by Artefact, we identified key questions:
- How will children learn, play and build connections in a world transformed by these megatrends?
- How can we ensure equity in access to opportunities?
- Most importantly, what does a better future for children look like?
Co-creating solutions
This collaborative process was also about co-creating solutions. The personas we developed were grounded in the lived experiences of children today while also reflecting aspirational visions for 2050. They were a testament to the power of critical examination of real problems paired with hope and optimism and the importance of centering youth voices in these conversations.
Imagining childhood in 2050 was both inspiring and sobering. It required us to think beyond immediate challenges and consider how the world could change — and what needs to be done today to ensure that change is positive.
Helping children thrive in the face of adversity
One of the most impactful parts of this process was envisioning children who thrive in the face of adversity. For instance, we imagined a child growing up in a climate-resilient city, where green infrastructure and adaptive education systems ensure safety and opportunity despite the escalating climate crisis. We also envisioned children who benefit from frontier technologies, using AI-powered learning tools to access personalized education tailored to their needs.
But this exercise wasn’t just about painting an idealized picture. It was also about grappling with the hard truths of inequity, systemic challenges and the need for structural change. For example, we explored how digital divides could exacerbate inequality if not addressed, and how demographic shifts could strain resources if we fail to plan for them.
Ultimately, this exercise underscored the importance of youth engagement — not just as participants but as co-creators of the future. It showed us that the solutions to these challenges are already emerging, driven by the creativity, resilience and determination of young people worldwide.
The conversations reinforced the idea that the future is not something that happens to us — it is something we actively shape. One of the key lessons I took away is the power of participatory foresight to surface insights that traditional research methods might overlook.
These conversations also taught me the value of intergenerational collaboration. While youth bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, we also need the support and experience of older generations to turn those ideas into actionable policies. This dynamic is not just beneficial — it is essential for creating sustainable change.
I left these conversations feeling a profound sense of purpose and hope. The process of imagining the future wasn’t just an intellectual exercise — it was a call to action. It reminded me that while the challenges we face are daunting, the potential for positive change is immense.
A message and a promise
To the children of 2050, my message is this: “The world you inherit will reflect the decisions we make today. We are working tirelessly to ensure that you grow up in a world that values equity, sustainability, and opportunity — a world where your dreams are not just possible but inevitable.
But know this: The future is not fixed. It is yours to shape. Take the tools we have built, the lessons we have learned, and the aspirations we have shared, and make them your own. Push boundaries, challenge norms and create a world that exceeds even our most ambitious visions.”
Ready to take action to make a difference in your community and in the world? Start by forming a UNICEF Club at your school or by applying for youth leadership opportunities like the UNICEF USA National Youth Council.
Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.