Not “lazy” at all: How Gen Z is rewriting Europe’s future

Times are tough, especially for young people. Picture this: You are coming of age during many crises. Yet as you navigate uncertainty, public debate about your generation seems stuck in stereotypes: You and your peers are either dismissed as lazy or framed as radical – whether far-left and climate-obsessed or far-right and drawn to authoritarianism. These narratives resurface around elections. And before you know it, attention quickly moves on.

This attention deficit matters – not only for young people, but also for leaders across media, civil society, government and business. Too, often, we overlook how young people are already shaping the future in unique ways. 

This session debunks common myths about Gen Z. It draws on new research with 8,500 young people in France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain, and brings these findings to life through a conversation between two young Europeans who refuse to give up. Their civic action – from viral campaigns in Poland to unconventional bridge-building efforts in rural East Germany – show how young Europeans help shape a better tomorrow.