The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) is set to launch Generation Trust: A Global Climate Story in the Making, a new feature-length documentary spotlighting youth-led climate action across five regions, with an exclusive virtual avant premiere on 20 November on the world’s largest media platform for climate We Don’t Have Time, followed by a public global release on 25 November on the official UNDP YouTube channel.

Produced by UNDP’s Youth4Climate initiative, implemented in partnership with the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, and supported by the 8x1000 funds of the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai, Generation Trust follows five young climate leaders from Liberia, Uganda, Pakistan, Bolivia, and Colombia as they tackle complex local climate challenges with creativity, courage, and community. The film, produced in collaboration with the award-winning film studio What Took You So Long, sheds light on the evolution of Youth4Climate from its launch at the pre-COP26 to a fully-fledged initiative led by Italy and UNDP, focused on intergenerational dialogue and meaningful youth engagement in climate action. To date, Youth4Climate has committed funding to youth-led climate solutions in 59 countries.

“This film is a reminder of what’s possible when we stop seeing youth as future leaders and start trusting them as the leaders they already are,” said Agostino Inguscio, Coordinator of UNDP Rome Centre. “It’s about real people, real stories, and the kind of action that can only happen when young people are given the space, support, and trust to lead.”

The film will also be screened at COP30 on 21 November in the UN Hall on the virtual Maloca platform, reinforcing the COP30 call for greater intergenerational cooperation and inclusion of youth in climate governance, a spirit embodied by the Global Mutir?o’s emphasis on collective, community-driven climate action.

“Following these five young leaders changed the way we see the climate crisis. It’s not just about science or policy, it’s about courage, frustration, hope, and the relationships that make change possible.” said Clara Wetzel and Fanny Lindstr?m, Co-Directors of the Generation Trust. “What struck us most was how much they shared despite living worlds apart. Underneath it all was trust, trust in themselves, in one another, and in the organizations that believe in them. Each carries enormous responsibility, trying to change systems that feel so much bigger than them, yet they keep moving with clarity and tenderness. Along the way, we realized that storytelling itself can be a mirror, not just a record, helping them reflect, dream, and find purpose.”

As the largest youth generation in history faces mounting climate and social risks, Generation Trust serves as both a call to action and a celebration of youth-driven climate solutions, many supported through the Youth4Climate Call for Solutions, a UNDP initiative funded by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security and the 8x1000 funds of the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai.

“Italy has always believed in the importance of placing youth at the centre of climate and environmental action,” said Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security of Italy. “Through our partnership with UNDP and initiatives like Generation Trust, we are investing in the creativity, determination, and leadership of young people worldwide. Their ideas and actions are essential to building a sustainable and inclusive future, one that transforms ambition into concrete change and ensures that no one is left behind.”

“Generation Trust clearly shows that trust is the starting point of all change. Through the 8x1000 funds of the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai, we seek to make our commitment to supporting young people concrete, convinced that trusting them will make possible a sustainable future. Buddhism teaches that every person holds within the power to transform reality and this film is a living example of that truth. As Buddhist teacher and peacebuilder Daisaku Ikeda taught 'Young people not only possess the strong desire to transform the world, they inherently possess the capacity to do so on a broad and expanding scale’.” said Alberto Aprea, President of Soka Gakkai - Italian Buddhist Institute.

Youth4Climate is just one example of what becomes possible when young people are trusted, not only with their ideas, but with the financing, resources, and support to bring them to life. Generation Trust shows that the transition ahead won’t happen for youth; it will happen with them. Change begins when we choose to trust them.

The launch of Generation Trust exemplifies the success of international partnerships that translate commitments into tangible results. Through initiatives like Youth4Climate, Italy and UNDP continue to turn global pledges into real opportunities for young people to lead transformative climate action.