I am 26, a journalist and reporter from Iran. Media is an imperative means of education, as such I can assert that I have been involved in educating the public since a very young age. I have been contributing to international publications for many years, writing about the most pressing issues affecting the global community and youth worldwide: racism, xenophobia, discrimination, freedom of democracy, violent extremism, and so on.

Flickr/Kamyar Adl. Some rights reserved.I think the most serious challenge ahead of young people in terms of learning and education, is the difficulty they face in identifying the reliable sources of information, giving them consistent analysis. Successful education takes place through youth-empowered media – media that is run by young professionals, who are not beholden to big corporations and sponsors demanding the distortion of reality in return for their contributions to the media.

There are voices in Iran hoping to change the world for better.

Bargaining away the truth and denying the people their right to know is what erodes and ruins even the most solid democracies. I'd like to be part of the World Forum for Democracy because I believe, after these long years of working for the promotion of values we all care about, I would need to share the product of my determined efforts with the young leaders attending this high-profile meeting – telling them that there are voices in Iran hoping to change the world for better. And I am trying to represent them fairly. 

openDemocracy will be at this year's World Forum for Democracy, exploring the relationship between education and democracy with a citizens’ newsroom. Register here.