Georg Poensgen’s activism began at nine, when he wrote to Luxembourg’s education ministry about students’ issues. Inspired by Malala Yousafzai, he shared her words online. “What struck me most was how she proved that young people don’t just have voices, we can reshape the world with them.”
At 14, during COVID-19, he saw peers struggle with mental health. He co-founded Well-Being Week in 2021, a student-led initiative reaching 1,100 students, earning Luxembourg’s Junior Project Award and spreading across Europe. After one expert talk, dozens opened up for the first time. “It showed both the need for mental health interventions and how powerfully stigma silences young people who need help most.”
As Luxembourg’s UN Youth Delegate, he co-drafted a statement urging the UN Security Council to prioritise life, peace and accountability, later adopted officially.
In 2024, he and Veronika Novotná launched the Global Youth Call to Action on Mental Health, uniting young advocates and experts worldwide. “We didn’t try to pretend we could speak for the entire globe’s youth; we created space for young people… to share their own experiences.”
Poensgen believes kindness is his generation’s quiet rebellion. “Choosing empathy and compassion is a rebellious but essential act.” Meeting Malala confirmed his conviction: “Young people don’t have to wait their turn… they can lead now.”
This article was published in the 8th edition of Forbes Luxembourg.
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