I think that my generation is doing a very bad job.

I don’t think that the generation of your parents and grandparents are doing a very good job for this world. I think maybe you might be very angry with older people like me. I understand completely.

When we look at the world today we see so many big problems. North Korea is still so dangerous to the world. Why don’t we have peace with North Korea? That is not your problem. But it is a problem that my generation did not find a solution for.

When we look at the situation of global warming on the earth, this is a very serious and very dangerous situation. You did not do anything wrong. My generation, and the generation before mine did not do the right thing. We did not stop the problem from growing. That is not your problem today, but it will be your big problem in the future.

When we look at the situation where there is a huge gap between the superrich and the very, very poor we know that this is a huge problem. We did not stop the problem of food trouble in Africa. We did not stop the problem of dirty and dangerous water in many parts of the world. We did not help other countries to make peace. We did not help enough people to have safe places to live. These are not your problems. But they will make your future world more difficult for people everywhere.

When we look at the problems of COVID 19 spreading around the world and making so much trouble now it is unbelievable. You did not make this problem. My generation made this problem. Older people than your generation made this problem. Why are we not moving faster to find solutions to such problems? You are right to be unhappy.

When we look at the problems of trouble with America and racism and fascism we are in a dangerous time. You did not make that problem. My generation failed to stop these problems. My generation did not do the right thing and gave bad leaders in the world a chance to make our planet so unstable.

Sometimes it might seem like the world is so dark. Sometimes it seems like there is no chance for hope in the future. Sometimes it seems that everything has no balance, no justice, no peace, and no future.

But, we are still here. Many people in my generation did not do the right thing, but many of us will still work hard for a good future for you. Many people like your parents, your grandparents, your teachers, and people in your community still know how to be kind, and how to help others. I look at your older teacher here at Otemae. They come here every day because they will not give up hope, they will not give up to help you. They will not stop doing everything they can so you can get a good education.

It is okay if you are unhappy and disappointed with my generation. I am disappointed too. Many people who want to make a good future feel like you are feeling. But I hope that even when we see the terrible things that some leaders do that we will continue to work hard and to move forwards. We can still cooperate. We can still work together. We can still not give up to find solutions.

And we will find solutions. And from now on, we must do it together.

We will find a solution to the trouble of North Korea. We will find a solution to global warming. We will find a solution to racism and fascism. We will find a solution to hate and violence. We will find a solution so that all people can eat safe food and drink clean water. We will find a solution to COVID 19.

It is true that my generation has done a terrible job. I hope that you will forgive us, but also I hope that you will not forget that we must do better. And for all of us together, we need to keep pushing forward to a better tomorrow.

We can still find friends and partners to make a better future.

We will not give up.