Not Spectators but Active Subjects in an Age of Crises: The 5th Arayüz Youth Summit Took Place!
On 18 May 2026, the 5th Arayüz Youth Summit, organized at Galatasaray University in partnership with Arayüz Campaign and the Galatasaray University European Youth Studies Club, addressed the experience of being young in a changing world and in an age of crises in all its dimensions. Bringing together prominent content creators from the world of ideas and a large number of young participants, the summit focused on the role of younger generations in a world order that is being reshaped.
Held this year under the theme “The Changing World Order” the summit explored how artificial intelligence and new-generation digital tools accelerate the transformation of our lives, how this transformation is reflected in social life, and how young people can move beyond the position of being “spectators” to become “active subjects” in the face of these changes.
Session 1: The Objectification of Social Good in the Digital Age
In the opening session of the summit, we discussed digital activism and its reflections in everyday life with content creator and brand strategist Ayşe Eser. We questioned the extent to which visible reactions and digital forms of action on social media correspond to real-life practices. The session focused on the risk of “inaction” faced by individuals who raise their voices in digital spaces when it comes to producing social good in the physical world, as well as the theoretical limits of digital activism.
Session 2: Rediscovering Meaning in the Post-Modern World
In the second session of the summit, we examined the healing and transformative power of art in the current age of speed and consumption with Nil Şahlıoğlu. While listening to the stories of artistic subjects producing in different fields, we engaged in in-depth analyses and case-based discussions. In this session, we discovered that “slowing down” in response to a rapidly flowing world is not an escape from the outside world; rather, it is one of the most radical and active forms of action through which we reconstruct fragmented reality in our own minds and participate in the world through our own interpretation.
Session 3: Being “Nine-Lived” in an Age of Crises
In the third session, held with the participation of content creator Deniz Durdu, we deepened the intensity of thought by focusing on the world of numbers and the meanings they carry. At both the beginning and the end of the session, we collectively attempted to count from 0 to 9, creating an interactive experience that developed the ability to truly listen to one another, act as a team, and think together in moments of crisis.
Session 4: The Changing World Politics
In the final session of the summit, we approached global political developments with a more critical and analytical perspective together with M. Yaşar Altundağ. We concluded the session by discussing the major geopolitical conflicts whose roots extend back to the twentieth century and whose effects continue to be felt today, as well as the implications of these conflicts for the future of youth.
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank all our speakers, who enriched the 5th Arayüz Youth Summit with their valuable ideas, and all the young participants, who filled the hall with their energy.
This gathering was not merely a one-day event; it was a meaningful step that documented the shared experience of a generation in the face of crises, kept collective memory alive, and helped shape the future.
As Arayüz Campaign, we will continue with determination to amplify young people’s voices, defend their rights, and place them at the very center of public debate and decision-making mechanisms.
