What sets Generation Z apart from other generations? What drives today’s youth, and what keeps them awake at night? No one can tell us better than Gen Z themselves. That's why we are portraying 24 students from Radboud University. In this episode: Sermin Sahin, 23, Health Psychology and Ties van den Boogaard, 25, Philosophy. They were actively involved in the encampment protests 'against genocide'.

Sermin: ‘Surely we should all be alarmed when we see what is happening in Gaza… That’s why we are speaking out and why we set up a tent camp on the campus in May and held protest marches from there.’

Ties: ‘Students have always been socially engaged. Look at demonstrations against climate change or the loan system. But that is agitating against policy. In this case, it is about speaking out against extreme injustice and genocide. This gives it more urgency, and makes the protests more intense.’

Sermin: ‘Remember that the inequality between Israelis and Palestinians has been going on for years. I fully understand that this can evoke certain emotions, especially in recent months. I immediately felt called to help with the camp: finally, here was a place where people could freely express those pent-up emotions.’

Ties: ‘That kind of activism is just in me. I’m an outspoken communist, and I stand for a more sustainable world. What you see in many cases is that society is socio-economically and politically structured in a way that creates conflicts. Everyone says they are for human rights and against genocide, but how come there is no intervention in Gaza? It’s because of the interests of the West, which is very clearly on Israel’s side.’

Sermin: ‘I learnt from my upbringing and my religion to look after everyone. Not just people close by, but people around the world. When I see injustice, I use my voice to fight against it. Whatever the injustice is. Ethnicity, religion, and gender play no role in it.’

Ties: ‘People often think they cannot change the world, but that is not true. The useful thing about a movement like this is that the protests raise awareness and hopefully also lead to action.

Sermin: ‘You notice in our generation that people have opened their eyes. Things can’t go on as they have; change is really needed. That is why students are speaking out. And that is a good thing: after all, these are tomorrow’s doctors and lawyers.’