European Youth Week is behind us. This year, as ever, it was marked by many events, but young people in Slovenia certainly experienced it in a completely different way this time.

The past year has been full of challenges for them due to the epidemic and limited socialising and mobility. They have realised that nothing can be taken for granted, neither hanging out with friends nor going to school every day. When the epidemic started, no one thought that young people would be its silent victims. But for some time now, experts who work with them on daily basis has been loudly warning about the consequences of the epidemic for young people’s mental health. This is also supported by a recently published study “Mladina 2020” (Youth 2020), which has identified negative trends in young people’s mental health, stress, and fear of unemployment.

However, the authors of the study speak of the bittersweet situation of this generation, as they also perceive many positive trends: young people are more interested in culture, health, and sports, have a higher level of environmental awareness and sustainability, and are engaged in active citizenship.

Perhaps the time has finally come to listen to them.