On March 21, 2021, Nowyouth held an Online Forum on Freedom of Speech. This forum focused on giving aspiring youth a chance to share their thoughts and gain valuable insight through presentations by several speakers on the subject. The first orator was Dylan, a member of Nowyouth’s UK Chapter, who discussed Freedom of Speech on social media and how that right can be infringed upon through online censorship. With the use of a variety of real-life examples, Dylan connected many issues with freedom of speech on the internet with current events. This act greatly improved people’s understanding and spurred passionate discussions in the breakout rooms. Next, Ariana, a member of NowYouth’s Canada chapter, explained how the freedom of speech of minorities around the world is being threatened and what we can do to stop it. Ariana ended with a powerful message by calling people of every walk of life to speak up for the right to free for everybody. The final presenters were from NowYouth’s Russian chapter and came to share with everyone the limits and controls of freedom of speech across the globe. In a very neutral and informative manner, the presenters gave the audience a basic overview of freedom of speech and the restrictions it is facing. Their presentation The forum was very successful in stimulating dialogue and allowed for every attendee to have a much more solid understanding of free speech and the challenges it is encountering on a global scale. Overall, it was a very effective workshop and NowYouth is looking forward to holding many more in the future!
