Are you under 30 and care about the challenges facing the world? The Center for Strategic and International Studies is looking for 100,000 young professionals to set a global agenda for the future - and its using the web to make it happen.

Yesterday Collin Powell helped kick off Next America, a project designed to engage future American leaders in a substantive foreign policy debate.

Speaking to a crowd of over 300 Powell said it is the youth who best understand the digital information-age we live in and have the most capacity to use that understanding to shape positive change. He added that information access, transparency, and 'connectedness' have substantially altered the international policy landscape. He challenged the group to set an agenda focused on 3 key areas: economics and wealth creation, energy, and education (you can watch the recorded video of the event here).

Liz Sullivan, the project's co-director, wants that debate to happen online. She has organized an amazing group of young thinkers, bloggers, and leaders to make up the first set of Next America fellows. They are already using NextAmerica.CSIS.org to debate and discuss smart power, energy and climate, economic integration, defense and security, and human rights.

Over the next several months the Next America web site will host the ongoing conversation through weekly debates, blogging, video commentary, and good old social networking. All of this online activity will culminate with a summit in Washington DC to finalize the agenda before the next president takes office.

So if you're under 30, and have something to say, go join the debate!

We're pleased to have helped Liz and her team launch the site, and for the opportunity to be there for Colin Powell's address. Congratulations on your successful launch!