A strong and clear call for a new generation of European citizens, no longer passive spectators but leading actors in their own future. From the Young Factor stage, in front of an audience of students from across the continent and the governors of the main central banks, Andrea Ceccherini, President of the Osservatorio, launches an ambitious challenge: to combat youth disaffection with politics and institutions through the only tools capable of setting them free: critical thinking and financial education.

The starting point is an alarming fact that cannot be ignored: Europe is losing its young people.

“At the last European elections, 64% of young people under 25 did not participate in the vote. And where does this Europe think it can go without six out of ten young people on board in the decisions that matter?”

The answer, according to Andrea Ceccherini and his Osservatorio Permanente Giovani-Editori, is not resignation, but action. The mission is clear and summarizes the entire project, a true manifesto for the new generations.

“Don’t be content with being subjects; do everything you can to be citizens. Young Factor was born precisely because we believe you should be actors, not spectators.”

But how is this transformation achieved? The proposed path is based on two fundamental pillars. The first is the ability to analyze reality autonomously, training the mind not to be a passive container of information. The second is to acquire the tools to decode the economic world, moving from emotional reactions to conscious choices.

“If you want to move from emotion to reason, you must know what every choice costs and what that choice is worth. Financial education helps you to have a lens through which to see the world in 360°.”

The urgency of this change is amplified by a global context that does not wait. Quoting President Mattarella, the speech underscores the need for a faster, more decisive Europe, capable of overcoming its sluggishness to become a true political union.

“'Nessun dorma, let no one sleep.' It meant that in a rock world, those who go slow are out of step. The Europe we want is not one that stands still, but one that moves forward.”

The initiative culminates with the presentation of a European digital platform, created in collaboration with the governors and universities, to bring these tools directly into schools. A project based on a final realization, made even more evident by the pandemic.

“COVID, guys, taught us this: no one is saved alone. Together we go further.”