The Chair of Generations

Mères au front and youth across Quebec have contributed to the adoption of nearly 170 Chairs of Generations by municipal councils, provincial and federal constituency offices and institutions. Crafted by children, each chair is placed at a decision-making table to symbolize a voice for future generations. The creative process empowers children to express themselves artistically, to learn principles of eco-citizenship and ultimately, to positively influence decision-making processes. The Chair of Generations embodies one of the core objectives of Mères au front’s movement: that leaders consider the environmental impacts of their decisions to safeguard our children’s future.

No formal research was conducted before launching The Chair of Generations project. It simply originated organically when two Mères au front—a decentralized environmental movement of mothers, grandmothers, and allies—volunteers were inspired by a chair symbolically placed in Quebec City’s council. The chairs resonated with the two women, who saw an opportunity to give Quebec youth a voice and to raise awareness on the importance of civic engagement. They realized that the empty chairs symbolizing the voice of future generations would have meaning not just to those who saw them, but to those who created them. In the face of climate change and the eco-anxiety it generates, children need hopeful and creative opportunities to act as well as learn and the chairs were sitting right there.

Once the Chair of Generations project was approved, a few Mères au front members began organizing the creation of chairs for their municipalities. In early December of 2022, three creative workshops were held at L’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) giving children the space and freedom to transform recycled chairs using natural pigments and reclaimed materials. Adorned with silhouettes of vulnerable animals, the chairs, the Chair of Generations’ carried children’s messages. Simultaneously, the Chair of Generations’ project was brought to the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity held in Montreal in December 2022.

Mères au front worked to develop tools to help citizens replicate the initiative locally. The project quickly gained attention and has been the most popular project led by Mères au front so far. In 2023, 80 Chairs were adopted, mainly by municipal councils in Quebec. In 2024, 126 more were added. To date, nearly 170 Chairs have been adopted, across all levels of government and institutions—including a corporate headquarters.

A major milestone for the project is the prospective adoption of a Chair of Generations by the Quebec National Assembly. Created in 2023 by renowned artist Marc Séguin with students from École de la Magdeleine, the Chair was an old teacher’s chair painted with all colors visible to the human eye—symbolizing possibility. Its black pigment was made from charcoal gathered by Audrey-Lise Hervieux, an Innu mother from Baie-Comeau, and her two children from land damaged in the 2023 wildfires. Though it has yet to be confirmed, since May 2025, over 2,000 Quebecers have signed a petition in support of finding that chair a place at the table.

The project has exceeded expectations in scope and influence. It is now a flagship initiative of Mères au front, widely seen—by members, the public, and political representatives—as hopeful, unifying, and deeply positive: it “creates beauty.”

The Chair of Generations initiative embodies one of the core objectives of Mères au front’s movement: that leaders consider the environmental impacts of their decisions to safeguard our children’s future. Organizationally, the chair project has greatly enhanced citizen engagement and empowered Mères au front members. It continues to raise awareness and encourage action among the public and decision-makers. Significantly, the project aligns with the Kunming Declaration’s commitment to integrating biodiversity conservation into all decision-making.

Municipalities and elected officials at all government levels have a chance to reflect on their role in addressing climate change, a gentle nudge in the form of an empty, hopeful chair. The Chair of Generations project offers children an important but delightful lesson on the importance of civic engagement. It’s showing the youth of Quebec that they are not just part of the furniture and giving them a voice in the ongoing conversation about climate change.