European Young Leaders (EYL40) - Tallinn seminar

This conversation with a top military official will focus on navigating the complexities of the modern geopolitical system, and policing an increasingly dangerous divide between a nervous West and a resurgent Russia.

Digitisation and automation are changing the world of work. They may offer chances to enhance skills and boost productivity; they may also threaten jobs that can be more easily and quickly carried out by robots.

These fears are not unique to the so-called ‘4th Industrial Revolution’. Previous industrial revolutions, such as coal-powered manufacturing in the 19th century and mass production in the 20th caused upheaval and dislocation; but they eventually created new types of jobs.

But this upheaval and dislocation requires action: a focus on digital skills and offering the kind of educational opportunities that enable people to adapt to rapid changes in the world of work. Will it be the technical skills to work with intelligent machines? Or nurturing creativity and innovative thinking, to fulfil the roles that robots cannot?

This session will look at the impact of the 4th Industrial Revolution and debate ideas about how Europe and the world prepares and adapts.

PARALLEL SESSION I – REACHING NEW AUDIENCES THROUGH THE ARTS

Whether it be dance or theatre, music, film or poetry, the arts are frequently used as a lens through which civil societies examine their beliefs and experiences. But while these cultural aspects of society are accessible to the many, politics is often perceived as being reserved for an elite few, which has contributed to a widening gap between governments and their citizens in many countries around the world.

How can the arts help wider audiences to better understand the current political climate? How important is representation of minority and female experiences and perspectives in the arts in terms of affecting mainstream social attitudes and influencing political change? What lessons can be learned and what role should the arts play in our societies in the 21st century?

PARALLEL SESSION II – ENVIRONMENT: CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The USA’s recent withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement highlights the question: should any country be relied upon to lead the fight against climate change? Some speculators have looked to China, which is increasing its renewable energy capacity at breakneck speed; some to European countries such as France, which recently committed to a complete removal of non-electric cars from its transport system by 2040, whilst others warn that combatting climate change is simply too urgent and complex to entrust to the leadership of any single global actor and that a more pluralistic approach, such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) initiative, is needed.

How can governments ensure that they meet their sustainable development commitments by the 2030 deadline? With some countries already predicted to miss their targets, which accountability measures are integral to ensuring that the transition to renewable energy is inclusive? To what extent should climate leadership come from the private sector? How can we improve international cooperation on marine issues to mitigate damage caused to oceans and polar ecosystems, with far-reaching implications for the global food supply and climate change?

WORKING GROUP I – STIMULATING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Entrepreneurship has been democratised. Through digital technologies, crowdfunding, 3D printing and other innovations, turning a good idea into an economic success is possible for a greater number of people than ever before. Still, old barriers to entrepreneurship linger, whilst the changing economic and regulatory enviroment creates new hurdles for the next generation of entrepreneurs to overcome.

What role should our education and vocational training systems play in encouraging innovation? How do we ensure that new companies – their approach to markets, products and services – maintain a wider social benefit beyond profit? With increased automation, how do we avoid creating the type of “jobless society” in which an ever-growing percentage of the population finds itself not just without an income, but without a “stake in society”?

WORKING GROUP II – EFFECTIVELY MANAGE HUMAN MIGRATION

With 65 million refugees and displaced people worldwide, existing migration systems and processes have been tested almost to breaking point. The challenge: how to feed and house large numbers of people arriving, to integrate them and find them work and a purpose? One possibility is to develop a centralised database for highly-skilled refugees to facilitate matching host countries with particular skills deficits with qualified migrant candidates, thus freeing up positions for less-skilled migrants to be integrated into the economy.

Would this help to ease the strain on competition for blue-collar positions amongst domestic and migrant populations? What level of screening should be applied, especially in times of acute need? And how do regions such as the Middle East and North Africa – the source of many refugees arriving in Europe – ensure that a ‘brain drain’ does not irreparably impact its economy and security?

WORKING GROUP III – SECURITY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Security challenges are evolving, encompassing not only long-standing threats (such as conventional warfare and nuclear proliferation) but new threats like cyber-security, asymmetric warfare, climate change and space. The evolving global landscape is further complicated by challenges to the existing world order: the changing purpose of military alliances such as NATO, the uncertain role of global bodies such as the United Nations, the rise of new powers, especially in Asia, and the wide-ranging impact of security challenges in the Middle East and North Africa.

If the world continues to turn towards bilateralism and away from multilateralism, how do we rethink security in the 21st century and address the serious and cross-border threats we face? As the U.S.A. repositions itself to put “America First”, what are the implications for its transatlantic defence and security relations with Europe? What key lessons can be learned about multilateral cooperation on security from NATO’s history and how should NATO’s role evolve in light of recent displays of military ambition from Russia? Could the creation of an Arab equivalent to NATO be effective in managing security in the Middle East and North Africa?

WORKING GROUP IV – EDUCATION: REDESIGNING EDUCATION IN AN EVER-FASTER CHANGING WORLD

Increased participation, collaboration, and delegation is required to improve our democracies, necessitating a shift in the kind of education which is essential to developing the citizens of the future. Yet in many regions, including the European Union, there is little-to-no in-depth reconsideration of our education systems, nor does a redesign, driven by our future societal and economic needs, seem to be an urgent item on the agenda at any level of governance.

Future education models need to pay increasing attention to: the role and training of teachers; teaching methods; the relationship between technology and education; diversity and inclusive education policies; fostering widespread entrepreneurial spirit.

How should these dimensions be accounted for and prioritised? Should cross-border coordination aim to define educational standards? Where is innovation and  investment most needed in education? Which countries are leading the way on education, and why? To what extent can those lagging behind be motivated to invest in replicating successful education models?

Short conversations in an informal, roundtable setting with Young Leaders on issues that matter to them, to gain expertise from this useful network.

This session will be divided into two 30 minute time slots. Each timeslot will feature six simultaneous group discussions: 2 led by European Young Leaders; 2 led by NA Young Leaders; and 2 led by MENA Young Leaders.

The theoretical computer scientist Alan Turing, widely viewed as the father of artificial intelligence (AI), voiced concerns about potential risks of the technology from as early as 1951. Yet the development of AI has progressed largely unchecked, with any discussion on AI safety being underfunded and confined to the fringes of research. Many look enthusiastically towards AI as an existential opportunity, one which will have untold benefits for humankind, but without the appropriate ethical controls in place, could it also be the greatest threat to our future?

Young Leaders will discuss and commit to ways to connect, debate and change – with the support of the European Young Leaders programme.