Zapopan, Jalisco; March 21, 2024.- With the aim of encouraging the participation of young people in the country's politics, the Political Talent Club and the Alumni Society of the Universidad Panamericana campus Guadalajara, organized the "Youth for Democracy UP" Forum.
During his inaugural speech, Dr. José Antonio Esquivias, Rector of the Universidad Panamericana campus Guadalajara, said. "Democracy is precisely the basis for the freedoms classified in our Magna Carta that allows us to express ourselves. To move for the national character, to dedicate ourselves to what we do best in the professional field, to associate with those who share our ideas, to seek consensus with those who do not and to work for a better future".
Panels
The event was divided into four sessions. The first session was led by Mexican politician, jurist and economist, Dr. José Antonio Meade, with a talk entitled "The Value of Democracy", in which he highlighted the importance of the upcoming elections in Mexico and the questions they raise, such as infrastructure financing, the country's economic potential, security, poverty, among other issues. He stressed the importance of the winner of the election to govern for all citizens, and emphasized the fundamental role of young people in the democratic process.
"One element that is central in a democracy is that democracy ends with an election. But very wisely, in our constitutional design, when the election ends and the president or the governor arrives, they swear in front of God and in front of the people that they will govern for all. And that, I believe, is what gives quality to our democracy".
The second session was given by Dr. Jose Antonio Lozano, President of the Board of Governors of Universidad Panamericana and IPADE, with the theme " Full-time citizenship in Mexico", in which he spoke about three major challenges for citizenship in the world: decadence, polarization and futurophobia. Emphasizing the importance of strengthening citizenship and the responsibility of citizens in the public space to achieve positive change in society. "The public is our responsibility as citizens, it is beyond the state," he said.
The third session was led by Panamericana students, in which they developed a panel called "Voices for Democracy", in which they explained how to be responsible young citizens in terms of democracy and the scenarios in which they can develop.
And to end the event, Gerardo Vera, "The Tik Tok Politician", spoke about the importance of civic participation in Mexico, especially among young people, highlighting the need to generate a culture of respect, information, collective awareness, organization and seek good leadership to promote change in the country.
I do not share the idea that young people do not participate in politics, in the 2018 elections 63% of the electoral roll participated, being 18 year olds who voted the most.
The Universidad Panamericana campus Guadalajara recognizes and congratulates the efforts of the organizers of the meeting "Jóvenes por la Democracia UP", which has been a vital space to promote the active participation of youth in the political life of the country. The words of the experts and the reflections shared highlight the importance of young people exercising their right to vote and getting involved in public affairs, not only during elections, but as engaged citizens all the time.
"Young people, we invite you to overcome the challenge of participating actively in the electoral process and in daily political life. They have a very significant voice that must be heard by decision-makers in the national public sphere so that it can have a strong impact on the country's direction. Federico Torres, Director of the Bachelor's Degrees in Communication, Advertising, Public Relations and Journalism at Panamericana.
Context
According to the National Electoral Institute (INE), in the 2024 elections, a total of 26.2 million young people between the ages of 18 and 29 will have the right to vote, making them the most significant to date. This sector represents 30% of the nominal list nationwide, reflecting the growing role of youth in changing the country through their active participation in the democratic process.
