Generation Z, better known as Gen Z, was at the center of a panel discussion hosted yesterday by the Embassy of Italy in Washington on "From A to Gen Z: Activism and Influence in the Social Media Age," which featured some 30 leaders-including young and very young-to address topics such as activism in the digital age, politics and digital, the role of influencers, and the evolution of the concept of leadership.

The event, part of the Embassy's Digital Diplomacy Series, was organized in collaboration with the National Digital Roundtable-nonprofit network specializing in events on digital-related topics-and touched on issues central to the current debate on technology and social media platforms, focusing on the challenges around the centrality of algorithms and the continued growth of TikTok and other new apps such as BeReal.

There is no doubt that Gen Zs have taken on a diverse and increasingly representative role in all sectors, including in government circles-this is the case, for example, with Joe Vogel, the 26-year-old elected to the State Assembly of the State of Maryland and present at the Roundtable-as representatives from groups such as Gen Z For Change, Women in Politics, Youth in Government, and Path To Progress recalled throughout the discussion. Even the White House, represented at the event, valued the administration's involvement of active GenZs on social media.

Representativeness and inclusion are important issues, including in foreign policy, where the voice of younger generations is increasingly strong on issues such as climate, equality and diversity, technology and its impact on the economy and development. Gen Z have succeeded in creating real online communities that are increasingly engaged in lobbying governments and finding concrete solutions.

The roundtable follows an initial discussion organized by the Italian Embassy in November last year on the links between Gen Z and the media, with speakers including Carmella Boykin of the Washington Post and Alessandro Tommasi of Will. On that occasion, the Ambassador of Italy to the United States, Mariangela Zappia, had opened the proceedings and encouraged continuing the conversation in an increasingly inclusive way, actively engaging younger generations to enrich the debate on digital diplomacy and foreign policy.