The Brussels premiere of Generation Trust: A Global Climate Story in the Making, hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 24 March 2026, convened representatives from European Union institutions, EU Member-States, the UN, and youth organizations. Together, they underscored a shared message: young people are already driving climate solutions on the ground, and stronger institutional support and more inclusive mechanisms are needed to help scale their impact.

Held at UGC Toison d’Or as part of the Millennium International Documentary Film Festival, the event brought together more than 200 people and provided space for reflection on youth leadership, implementation of climate initiatives, and the role of institutions in enabling locally grounded solutions.

Generation Trust follows five young climate leaders from Uganda, Liberia, Pakistan, Colombia, and Bolivia as they work to bring concrete climate solutions to life in their communities. Across sectors including energy, circular economy, food systems, and coastal adaptation, the film shows what becomes possible when young people are trusted with resources, responsibility, and room to lead. It was produced by UNDP in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MEES), with support from the 8x1000 funds of the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai.

Opening the evening, Camilla Brückner, Director of the UN/UNDP Office in Brussels, and Marica Cicconi, Environment and Climate Coordinator at the Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU, underscored the importance of investing in youth-led solutions and reaffirmed the value of the long-standing partnership between Italy and UNDP in advancing youth engagement in climate action and in promoting a new approach to tackle climate change through investments and innovation. Through the Youth4Climate initiative, that partnership is focusing on accelerating growth and providing direct support to youth-led climate projects through funding, mentorship, capacity-building, and visibility. To date, the initiative has supported more than 150 youth-led climate projects in 59 countries.

“At a time when the climate conversation is increasingly focused on implementation, Generation Trust shows that young people are not only advocating for stronger ambition, but are already helping deliver climate solutions on the ground and create a vibrant business environment conducive to investments and mobilize climate finance,” said Camilla Brückner, Director of the UN/UNDP Office in Brussels. “Bringing this conversation to Brussels matters, because institutions have a key role to play in creating the conditions for youth-led solutions to grow. Initiatives like Youth4Climate, co-led by Italy and UNDP, show how direct support to young leaders can help accelerate innovative, locally grounded solutions and strengthen the impact of our collective climate response.”

“This screening in Brussels reflects a partnership that has continued to grow since the Youth4Climate process launched in Milan during Pre-COP26 in 2021,” said Marica Cicconi, Environment and Climate Coordinator at the Representation of Italy to the EU. “What began as a space to bring youth voices into the climate conversation has evolved into a joint commitment by Italy and UNDP to support young people not only as advocates, but as actors in implementation. Through Youth4Climate, we are investing in solutions that are scalable, internationally relevant, and led by the generation that will help shape the climate future.”

The post-screening discussion featured Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Climate Action; Luca Brusa, Chief of External Relations at UNFCCC; and Margaux Mannaerts, Belgian UN Youth Delegate for Climate. The exchange highlighted the role young people can play not only in calling for stronger climate ambition, but also in helping translate commitments into action through innovation, community engagement, and practical local solutions.

“Climate change confronts us with a fundamental question of fairness between generations,” said Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Climate Action. “The choices we make today determine the opportunities, prosperity and security of those who will live with their consequences. Young people are not simply the beneficiaries of climate action; they are already among its most important drivers. Our responsibility as institutions is to work with them and turn that energy into lasting transformation.”

The Brussels premiere of Generation Trust reinforced a broader point: youth-led climate action is already underway, and trust remains one of the most powerful enablers of its growth and long-term impact. The public screening also reflected UNDP’s commitment to amplifying the voices of young climate leaders not only in institutional spaces, but also in wider public conversation. The screening was organized in the framework of the European Climate Pact’s Climate Action Days.