GREETING EDITORIAL CO-CHAIRS
Dear partners, companions and friends of Youth7 Germany 2022, Dear Delegates, dear Track Sherpa, A more than eventful year lies behind us and it is difficult to put the complex endeavour, that has been Youth7 during the German G7 Presidency into words. Nevertheless, we would like to try: Our shared journey towards the Youth7 Summit started in March with the KickOff Meeting, when we welcomed Delegates representing the G7 members. Countless working meetings and research work were complemented by impulse from international experts, renowned researchers of different scien- tific backgrounds and from representatives of the G7 Ministerial Tracks. In May, we finally convened in Berlin with all 48 Delegates, including repre- sentatives of our partner Delegations from Indo- nesia, Senegal, South Africa and Ukraine. Over the course of five days, policy debates were held, e.g. with Minister Lisa Paus, policy recommendations were finalised and culminated in an intense voting session, leading to an unanimous adoption. Finally, we were honoured to hand-over the Youth7 Commu- niqué 2022 to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz. However, the Youth7 Summit was just the begin- ning of our advocacy journey that followed throughout the second half of the year: We have both been active in international youth work for ten years and have never had the opportunity to
influence political decision-makers as directly as we did in this process. We presented and discussed the Youth7 Communiqué in various ministries: the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), the Federal Foreign Office (AA), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Federal Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs (BMAS), the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the Federal Ministry of the Envi- ronment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUV), the Federal Ministry of Digital and Trans- port (BMDV) and the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB). Further, we found excellent support from the Federal Press and Information Office. The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) generously funded Youth7 2022 and facil- itated the implementation of the Youth7 Summit 2022. In addition, we highly appreciate the contin- uous support by the G7 Sherpa and the entire team at the Federal Chancellery, who established a series of meetings with the engagement groups and a direct exchange with us.
Looking at the G7 Leaders’ Declaration, we draw a mixed conclusion though:
As Youth7, we repeatedly called for action and political commitment in support for mental health. The disruptive impact of the Covid19 pandemic has laid bare the urgency to address growing
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