Intergenerational Collaboration
Emergence of our Intergenerational Framework & the World Wilderness Congress
At the 8th World Wilderness Congress (WWC), WILD made a concerted effort to include emerging leaders into the WWC format. Once there, delegates approved a resolution on “Wilderness and Youth and Young Professionals,” addressing the importance of building leadership and stating that, “Future World Wilderness Congresses should have Youth and Young Professionals attending as delegates from each world region.”
In response to this resolution and feedback from the 8th WWC, we developed two new elements for WILD9: Young Professionals and Youth Program. Over 50 Young Professionals from around the world and 20 youth from the US, Mexico and Canada actively participated in the Congress.
Both programs focused on intergenerational connections—between youth, young professionals and established conservation leaders. Opportunities were created for intergenerational sharing and conversation and the stage was set for emerging generations to fully participate in the WWC.
Youth and Young Professional delegates both listened to and participated in and presented in plenary and concurrent sessions. Young delegates wrote, seconded and participated in the resolution process and specifically drafted a resolution, later approved by the Congress at large, again recognizing the important role emerging leaders play in conservation efforts and calling for an integrated relationship between the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the World Wilderness Congresses to support a Young Professional Network. Overall, these new elements of the Congress succeeded in inviting the participation and contributions of the emerging generations.
From the 8th WWC to today, WILD has moved from a model of inviting Young Professional/Youth Participation through programs towards a working model of Intergenerational Collaboration. Following the 9th WWC, again based on feedback from young delegates, WILD has formally committed to an intergenerational operational model. With this model, we work collaboratively, welcoming emerging leaders to participate in the many levels of planning, implementation and facilitation of projects and future Congresses and support the Young Professionals Network.
