More than half of the world’s population lives in cities, and by 2050, that number will have grown to two thirds. As more people move to cities for a better life, millions of young people grow up in environments that don’t meet their needs.

Fondation Botnar is extremely proud to have been able to support, from the onset, the work of The Lancet and Financial Times Commission on Governing health futures 2030: Growing up in a digital world. By looking at the intersection of youth, digital technologies and UHC, the newly released Report provides us with the insights and recommendations we need to foster a more proactive dialogue and accelerate urgent action on these issues in order to uplift the health of children and young people in an increasingly digital and data-driven world.

Through the OurCity initiative, Fondation Botnar is working with cities around the world to transform them into places where young people’s voices and needs are prioritised. In this blog, Zur Oren, Partnerships Coordinator, reflects on the partnerships under OurCluj and his recent visit to Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

In the face of the pandemic, young people from all over the world have demonstrated a willingness and desire to help rebuild their cities in a way that would ensure all citizens, especially young people, can thrive. In the coming decades, they will be leading the future of our cities, but unfortunately their voices and perspectives on urban issues are often left out of key discussions.

Since becoming the first CEO of Fondation Botnar in 2017, Stefan Germann has led us through a period of rapid growth and change. Here he reflects on how challenges in 2020 further shaped our work and our organisation.