More than 90% of all children are enrolled in school, even in developing countries. Thanks to digitalization we are more interconnected with each other than ever before.

Knowledge and ideas flow throughout the World and transcend all previous boundaries.

At the same time, the World is younger than ever. Almost half of the World’s population is younger than 25. Together, we now have a unique opportunity to continue creating a better, more sustainable future.

For the first time in history the World has one, integrated agenda for both development and environmental sustainability. We can not have one without the other.

Poverty eradication without respect for the ecosystems and the planets limited resources is a dead end.

This creates new visions, new possibilities – and challenges. But we all know that plans and visions are not enough. The urgency is putting words into action.

Millennials get a bad reputation. You have probably heard all of the labels: selfish, narcissistic, manic, lazy, over-confident, ambitious.

While some of these labels may be true, the generalisation that Millennials are devoid of caring for the collective good of the community and are the generation most likely to be voted off the island for putting themselves first is confronting.

Many generations in history have fought for change, and so it is not a new phenomenon to want to do better: the end of slavery, women’s right to vote and the end of Apartheid, etc.

Young people seem to love social change.

But this generation could be dealing with it on a scale unlike ever before, thanks to our handy little devices that we carry with us everywhere.

We are the first generation that can end poverty, the last that can end climate change.

This generation has fully embraced this new World and everything technology has to offer. They are harnessing its power towards ending extreme poverty.

It requires practical steps from all, but particularly from governments.

This includes investing in critical programs through foreign aid, ensuring countries have good governance, that funding is directed where it is needed most and prioritising legal reforms that level the law for women and girls.