2025年全球认知调查：18-34岁青年如何看待英国与世界

3.Acknowledgements4.Foreword5.Key findings6.Why Global Perceptions Matters7.Section 1Attractiveness19.Section 2Trust28.Section 3The Importance of International Engagement AuthorAlistair MacDonald Series EditorMona Lotten The author would like to thank the following for their contributions to Global Perceptions 2025:Nasreen Amin, Nicola Archer, Diana Arghirescu, Adam Brodie, Anna Duenbier, Richard James Evans,Douglas Jefferson, Callum Macmillan, Irene Paganelli, William Pearce, Christine Wilsonand B&W Studio DOI:https://doi.org/10.57884/V8XY-N723Citation: MacDonald, A. (2025). Global Perceptions 2025: how 18-34 year olds see the UK and the world. British Council.https://doi.org/10.57884/V8XY-N723British Council | The UK’s international culture and education organisationThe British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. © British Council 2025, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). The world is becoming increasingly fractious, polarised, and dangerous. One in seven peopleexperienced conflict in the past year. There’s a growing clash of values and deepening disagreementover how societies should be governed and how people should live. Disinformation is spreading rapidly, These dynamics echo those present when the British Council was founded in 1934, but today’scontext is more complex. It is shaped by intense geopolitical competition, technological disruption,and profound cultural shifts. The British Council’s new report, Global Perceptions 2025, offers timely insights into this fast-changingworld. By exploring young people’s views of the G20 nations – the world’s major economic powers –the report reveals how the next generation perceives global leadership, trust, and influence. It paintsa picture of which states are respected – and why – and highlights the values and concerns that a business, or which partnerships to pursue. But they also shape the choices of governments, businesses,and international organisations. Whether negotiating trade deals, collaborating on climate action,or sharing intelligence, trust is the foundation of international cooperation. Without it, commitments Foreword Understanding how young people view the world is essential for anyone seeking to build influence,foster collaboration, or navigate the complexities of global engagement. In a time of uncertainty, theseinsights offer a compass for those striving to build a more connected, trusted, and resilient world. Chief Executive Key findings qualities increasingly associated with non-Western governance models – over the perceivedinstability, paralysis and polarisation of many Western democracies. In a world defined by competition, fragmentation, and flux, soft power – the ability to influencethrough attraction rather than coercion – is no longer a luxury. It’s a strategic imperative. The UK has long benefitted from a strong soft power position. But the latest data from Global Perceptions2025 shows that this advantage is slipping. While the UK remains attractive and trusted, its relativestanding among G20 nations is under pressure. This poses a direct challenge to its international influence,long-term security, and economic prosperity. Crucially, soft power is no longer the preserve of a few traditional powers. Emerging players are activelyvying to become the next “soft power superpower.” The competition is intensifying – and the field islevelling. In this new race, complacency is costly. If the UK is to maintain its edge, it must act decisively,strategically, and with purpose. a window into how young people across the G20 view the world – and why that matters. Public opinionshapes policy, even in authoritarian contexts. Where dissent is dangerous, sentiment still matters.That’s why regimes work so hard to block access to global media and deter international NGOs.They fear ‘dangerous ideas’ – like democracy and human rights – taking root in the population Why GlobalPerceptions matter Bali or Barcelona. These choices are determined by our perceptions of trust and attractiveness. The samedynamics apply at the international level. The decisions of businesses, governments, and institutions areshaped in the same way. What’s more they are heavily influenced by people’s views. By understandingthe views of global publics, we gain insight into what drives the decisions of states and otherinternational actors. operating in, and perceptions of ‘the brand’, is as important in statecraft as it is in commerce. If theUK wants to remain a leading global actor, it must invest in listening, learning, and adapting. Only byunderstanding the audience, can it effectively engage and influence. And only through strategicinvestment in the programmes, networks, and relationships that build familiarity, trust, andattractiveness can the UK thrive in this new multipolar era.