Rethinking Intergenerational Dialogue?

Today's crises don't arrive one at a time. Climate, conflict, inequality, technology - they collide, compound, and reshape lives, communities, and futures together. Responding demands new thinking, new alliances and genuinely different ways of working across generations.

But still too often, intergenerational collaboration happens in spaces that are formal, performative or designed around existing power structures. Young people are invited to participate, but rarely have the opportunity to engage as equal contributors in honest, meaningful conversation on the issues that affect them the most.

Unscripted was created to change that.

Developed and co-hosted by the United Nations Youth Office and as part of the Ģ��Ƶ Youth Compass, Unscripted is a youth-centered engagements series that brings together diverse young people and senior decision-makers in facilitated spaces designed for genuine connection, shared learning and hopeful action.

Rather than panels, prepared remarks or one-way consultation, Unscripted creates the conditions for authentic intergenerational dialogue, where lived experience, curiosity and empathy shape the conversation.

Why Unscripted?

Research and experience continue to highlight a growing intergenerational leadership gap across sectors. At the same time, while both young people and senior leaders recognize the value of stronger collaboration and shared decision-making, meaningful opportunities for these conversations remain rare. This gap persists not because of a lack of willingness to engage, but because there are too few spaces where young people and decision-makers can meet as equals and build trust through genuine dialogue.

Young people often find themselves sidelined at major global gatherings or invited into highly curated engagements that fail to reflect the diversity of youth experiences. Senior leaders, meanwhile, are seeking opportunities to connect with young people in ways that are authentic, constructive and grounded in mutual learning.

Unscripted provides that foundational step, a low-risk moment that allows leaders to experience authentic connection with young people and provides an entry-point for young people to engage meaningfully with senior leaders.

Our approach is built on:

Youth co-creation: the content is shaped by participating youth
Youth hosts: each engagement is hosted by a young person
Inclusive processes: the majority of young people will have never been invited to an engagementt like this before
Active listening: connectors are listeners, not experts
Intentional connector selection: connectors are champions of youth voices
Mutual respect and shared learning: no one is an attendee, everyone is a participant
Focused on hope and action: each engagement carries a central ethos of hope and takes a solution-focused approach

How It Works?

Each Unscripted gathering brings together an intimate group of participants (typically around 50 people), with youth making up the majority of the group.

Young People

Young people aged approximately 15 to 35 years old from diverse backgrounds, with a particular focus on young people local to the city we are convening in and who are new to global conversations and decision-making spaces. They bring their lived experiences, ideas and aspirations to the discussion.

Connectors

A carefully selected group of senior leaders from business, philanthropy, government, the United Nations system and civil society.

Rather than speaking from a stage or showing up as experts, connectors act as facilitators and listeners, moving between conversations, helping participants build connections, explore ideas and link insights to broader systems, institutions and opportunities for change.

The format

A typical Unscripted session lasts 90 minutes.

Participants gather in small groups for facilitated conversations around challenges and opportunities identified by the youth participants themselves. Connectors rotate between tables throughout the engagement creating new perspectives, relationships and exchanges of ideas.

The result is a dynamic, highly participatory experience that encourages honest dialogue and meaningful engagement across generations, ultimately strengthening intergenerational trust and solidarity.

Coming Up Next

Unscripted at Ģ��ƵGA81 (New York, September 2026)

The Ģ��Ƶ Youth Office and Project Everyone, in collaboration with SAP,, will convene the next edition of Unscripted during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at .

As with every Unscripted gathering, the session will bring together diverse young people and senior leaders for open conversations that challenge assumptions, build understanding and explore solutions for a more hopeful future.

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Interested in Bringing Unscripted to Your Community??

Meaningful intergenerational dialogue should not be limited to global summits.We are continually looking for opportunities to bring Unscripted to new regions, communities, and convening spaces around the world.

Whether you are:

A foundation or philanthropic organization;
A private-sector company;
A youth-focused network;
A global or local convenor; or
An institution committed to intergenerational leadership...

We would love to hear from you.

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Unscripted