On Friday, September 25, Be Just hosted the event “Be Just Coffee Talks: Democracy belongs to us,” a forum for dialogue aimed at young people to reflect on one of Guatemala’s greatest challenges: citizens’ disengagement from democracy and public affairs.
Against a backdrop marked by low voter turnout, institutional mistrust, and growing polarization—which makes it difficult to bridge the gap between differing visions for the country—twenty young people gathered for three hours in a participatory and horizontal setting, far removed from the traditional lecture format.
The event combined active listening exercises with a Socratic seminar structured around rounds of open-ended questions. Participants explored, among other topics, whether low youth participation stems from apathy or a form of silent protest; the ambivalent role of social media as a tool for critical engagement or propaganda; and the real challenges of building bridges with those who think differently, even when those differences are uncomfortable.
True to the spirit of the Socratic method, the meeting did not conclude with conclusions or certainties, but rather with a summary of the questions that remained open: a reminder that critical thinking and civic engagement are built precisely through the ongoing practice of questioning, listening, and engaging in dialogue.
Through initiatives like this one, Be Just reaffirms its commitment to engaging new generations in the democratic process through critical dialogue and concrete action.
