Friday Closing Ceremony: Summit of the Future Action Days
20 Sep 2024 18:20h - 19:15h
Friday Closing Ceremony: Summit of the Future Action Days
Session at a Glance
Summary
This discussion focused on the outcomes of the Youth Action Day at the Summit of the Future, highlighting the importance of meaningful youth engagement in global decision-making processes. The event brought together young leaders, UN officials, and government representatives to discuss key issues affecting youth and future generations.
Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed emphasized the significance of youth participation in shaping the future, particularly in areas such as peace and security, technology, and international financial architecture reform. Young rapporteurs presented recommendations from various thematic sessions, including gender equality, digital inclusion, intergenerational solidarity, climate action, and humanitarian efforts.
Key recommendations included ensuring youth representation in national delegations to UN processes, scaling support for youth-led initiatives, and integrating young people into global security dialogues. The importance of indigenous knowledge, multilingualism, and inclusive technology was also highlighted.
The discussion underscored the need for reforming democratic processes to better include youth voices and address global challenges. Participants stressed the importance of investing in education, capacity building, and creating opportunities for young people, especially in humanitarian contexts and for refugees.
Amina Mohammed concluded by emphasizing the UN’s commitment to placing youth at the helm of affairs and the importance of intergenerational collaboration in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future. The event demonstrated the UN’s efforts to meaningfully engage youth in global governance and decision-making processes.
Keypoints
Major discussion points:
– The importance of meaningful youth engagement in policy and decision-making, especially for the Summit of the Future
– The need for intergenerational solidarity and equity in addressing global challenges
– Recommendations for inclusive digital futures and technology access for youth
– The role of youth in governance, peace, security and humanitarian action
– Calls for reforming international financial systems and governance structures to be more inclusive of youth voices
Overall purpose:
The discussion aimed to gather youth perspectives and recommendations on key global issues to inform the Summit of the Future and broader UN processes. It served as a platform for youth representatives to directly address UN leadership with their priorities and demands for meaningful inclusion.
Tone:
The tone was energetic, passionate and optimistic throughout. Speakers conveyed a sense of urgency about the need for youth voices to be heard, while also expressing hope about the potential for positive change if youth are genuinely engaged. The UN leadership responded encouragingly, reinforcing the importance of youth participation.
Speakers
Based on the transcript, the main speakers and moderators were:
– Felipe Paullier – Moderator/facilitator, Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs
– Amina Jane Mohammed – Main speaker, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations
– Isidora – Youth rapporteur, activist from Chile focused on gender equality and inclusion
– Zongxu Xie – Youth rapporteur, PhD researcher from China
– Jana Zghabi – Youth rapporteur, university student passionate about global policies
– Leticia – Youth rapporteur, indigenous woman from Ecuador
– Aryan Sanghrajka – Youth rapporteur, young leader for refugees, migration and human rights
– Martin Manyozo – Youth rapporteur, founder of Clean Cities Project focused on climate action
– DJ Cuppy – Master of Ceremony/DJ
The transcript indicates these were the main speakers, with Felipe Paullier moderating and the youth rapporteurs presenting recommendations from different thematic sessions. Amina Jane Mohammed provided responses and closing remarks as the senior UN official present.
Full session report
Youth Action Day at the Summit of the Future: A Comprehensive Overview
The Youth Action Day at the Summit of the Future brought together young leaders, UN officials, and government representatives to discuss key issues affecting youth and future generations. The event, moderated by Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs, featured Amina Jane Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, as the main speaker, alongside several youth rapporteurs presenting recommendations from various thematic sessions held in different rooms.
Key Themes and Discussions
Felipe Paullier opened the event by challenging the myth of youth political apathy, stating, “Today we have demonstrated that young people are interested and capable of engaging at the highest level.” He highlighted the visual projection of recommendations and mentioned the “fishbowl” where additional suggestions were placed.
Jana Zghabi, speaking on youth inclusion, advocated for increased youth representation in national delegations to UN processes. She emphasized, “We need to advance the commitments laid out in UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security.”
Zongxu Xie focused on technology and digital inclusion, stressing the importance of ensuring digital skills are accessible through education. He stated, “We need to view youth as active participants and co-creators, rather than passive recipients of policies and technologies.”
Martin Manyozo called for structured laws to empower youth in decision-making processes, saying, “We need concrete, actionable recommendations for youth empowerment in governance structures.”
Leticia, an indigenous woman from Ecuador, began her speech in Kichwa before switching to Spanish. She emphasized the importance of combining traditional knowledge with technology to address climate challenges, stating, “Youth are leaders in caring for the environment.”
Aryan Sanghrajka, a young leader for refugees, migration and human rights, called for scaling up support for youth-led humanitarian action. He emphasized, “We need to ensure young refugees move beyond education into decent work and invest in displaced youth potential and leadership.”
Isidora, an activist from Chile, advocated for establishing consultative mechanisms with young people, especially those with disabilities.
Amina Mohammed’s Closing Remarks
Amina Mohammed reinforced many of the points raised by the youth speakers. She highlighted the potential of technology to connect people and provide equal opportunities, stating, “Technology can be used to leapfrog development and equalise capacities across the world.”
On climate change, Mohammed identified it as an entry point for youth engagement. She also agreed on the need to address root causes of displacement and humanitarian crises, praising Chad’s response to refugees as an example.
Mohammed emphasized the UN’s commitment to placing youth at the helm of affairs and the importance of an intergenerational approach to shaping the future. She also stressed the significance of democracy and addressing humanitarian crises, stating, “We need to ensure that democracy delivers for people.”
Event Conclusion
Felipe Paullier acknowledged the UN staff and the Youth Office team for their contributions.
The event concluded with a performance by DJ Cuppy, who expressed her excitement about participating in the Youth Action Day and her commitment to youth empowerment.
This Youth Action Day demonstrated a strong commitment to meaningful youth engagement in global governance and decision-making processes. It highlighted the potential of young people to contribute to solving global challenges across various domains, from climate action to humanitarian efforts, while emphasizing the need for structural changes to empower youth and the value of intergenerational approaches in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Session Transcript
Felipe Paullier: Hello. Good afternoon. How are you? Welcome back. That’s great. So, welcome to everyone to this ECOSOC Youth Chamber, I can say, because it’s quite different than what it’s usually done. And I’m very excited to be here. I’m Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs, and we’re here for the closure of this Youth Action Day in the Summit of the Future. So let’s start with a lot of energy, and I invite you to join on this stage a very special guest we have to end this Action Day at the highest level. And I invite all of you in the room to receive her with all your energy, the Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Amina Mohammed. Please join us on stage. It’s very nice how this chamber looks from this side. And you know, this has been a crazy but incredible day, from the opening ceremony to the dialogue with the Secretary General of the United Nations, to all of the thematic sessions. I think that this day is a clear testament that youth political apathy is a complete myth. This day has shown us the interest, the capacity. of young people to engage at the highest level. So, during all of the thematic sessions in this afternoon, substantial discussions took place. A lot of energy got into this room, but also the conference forum, the trusteeship council, and everything that happened will be compiled in one outcome document that will reflect the actions that young people identified as priority areas in the implementation of the pact for the future and beyond. And after this brief introduction, I want to ask our guest, the Deputy Secretary General, we want to hear from you. I want to ask you, why do you think this is an important day? And why do you think that it’s important that we advance on more meaningful youth engagement when it’s about policy and decision making, especially in the frameworks of the summit of the future? DSG?
Amina Jane Mohammed: Okay, no pressure. Thank you very much, everyone. It’s fantastic to have you all in this room. If you were not in this room, it wouldn’t look like this, I can assure you. It would look like the ECOSOC chamber, the trusteeship chambers that we understand and know, so why is it important to have you here? Well, first, I’m not going to take the whole blame. There is a gentleman who is in the corner there, very quietly, and that is Guy Ryder, who runs the show for the summit of the future. And really important was his conviction that without youth starting off the summit of the future, what’s the point of the future if we can’t address that now? And if we can’t address that with those of the vision, those of the energy, and those really with the ideas that are going to make this work. He brought in for us the word meaningful. And we took that seriously every step of the way when we spoke with you, Philippe, that if it wasn’t meaningful, then of course everyone would say we ticked the box and what happened, what next? So really important that you’re here today. We didn’t know that today, perhaps tomorrow, but we hope today, would be when we would get to agreeing the pact. And I think, you know, you brought in a certain energy and spirit that that helps us to get over those difficult hurdles where, as yet, not enough young people in the room negotiating. And if there were, we probably would have a pact that was the ambition that we really want. But it just might happen, and it’s happening because you’re here in this room. What difference is this all going to make? A lot of difference. First, if you look at the pact, it’s about meeting commitments. And there’s still six years to go on the SDGs. So it’s important that you take whatever you got out of these rooms and you reinforce the momentum and the pressure that we need on governments, on leaders, and on everyone at country level, at the regional level, and the global level to get the SDGs done. And we’re not done until we get there. And when we get there, we’ll have another look at them. But until then, you cannot give up on the life of every single one that is being left behind today. The SDGs matter. The second is that we’ve got these three really important areas that we have to dig into. And this is what you’ve been talking about. And essentially, you will be the energy, the wind beneath the wings of this. It is peace and security. And we have to think about women peace and security and youth peace and security. And that’s gonna be at the core of finding ways to get out of the conflicts that we have today. It just doesn’t reside in these halls. We play a big role or not. But it is you in these very, very tough environments. The second of those three big important things is the new era of technology. You know it best. And are you going to… Shape the narrative and really what it is that we do with technology We can help to put guardrails around it. But in the end, it will be you that determine what happens with technology You’re using it already. It’s an extension of you In my generation, we’re still catching up SG will tell you he’s still analog. I think I’m a little better because of my six kids But I have to tell you it’s yours and it’s yours to make or break and we will give you the tools To try to help in that world. Last but not least, Philippe, I think it’s the international financial architecture Sounds incredibly technical, but essentially it is about the means of implementation It’s about resources, finance, money And where is it? And SG this morning talked about power And the power in this world is where money is and that money has to be accessed to invest in each and every one of Our futures much more equally than it has been done today And so when we look at the financial architecture that was designed and I’m going to underscore it here by a few men a few years Ago today, we’re redesigning it with a few more women and it has to be inclusive, responsive, and fit for purpose And that’s what we need in order to have the fuel for the SDGs, for the technology, for everything that you’ve agreed to this afternoon
Felipe Paullier: Thank You DSG Thank you Thank you for bringing Guy into the conversation because he’s I think the most humble UN official I have met but he’s always and he’s a real youth champion and And that’s why we are here, you know since the beginning pure support for this to happen and So now we are getting into the core of this conversation DSG. So I will invite by two, six young rapporteurs, six young experts, young people that were participating in each of the thematic sessions, and they will come here to share what are the outcomes of these conversations. And I will initially invite two incredible young leaders, Isidora and Zongxu, to join us on stage. Let’s give him a lot of energy, and her. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Welcome Isidora. Welcome Isidora. So before I give Isidora and Zongxu the floor, I want to draw everyone’s attention to one fact, that is that during this session we will have the visual projection of the recommendations of the six thematic sessions on screen by the fantastic job that the artist Malik Afegbua has done, symbolizing the path that we need to take towards a more just, inclusive and sustainable future. And I have noticed that both rapporteurs, they are bringing something with them and I think that’s something for the DSG but I will let them to explain what’s that about. So I will start with Isidora. Isidora, eres un activista de Chile. You’re an activist from Chile and you work on gender equality and inclusion and you have been following the discussions in the gender meeting and the slogan of inclusion. So what would you like to share with us? What would you like to share about the recommendations from that meeting?
Isidora: First of all I had prepared what I wanted to say in English so that everyone could understand but I’m gonna give you some context in Spanish and then I’m going to finish in Spanish too. Participating in this meeting was really an amazing experience for me and it was very exciting because for the first time me as an activist and I have been working with the UN for quite a while now as young leaders for SDGs and I’ve been part of UN Women as well, it was amazing to put things into practice and look at intersectionality and diversity for women in different contexts and realities in different countries and that really gave me some hope. Hope because we can really see that a reality is possible where every person despite their differences is able to participate and so I’ll start with the recommendation saying that first of all let’s seek to establish consultative mechanisms working with young people so allowing all of us to participate in equal conditions in particular persons with disabilities and women with disabilities. We need to be seen, we shouldn’t go unnoticed, we shouldn’t be left behind. Let’s also try and establish good practices like generation equality. the UN Trust Fund for Ending Violence Against Women and Girls and lastly we need to establish mechanisms that bolster accountability for gender because when we come to these spaces our speeches sound great but when it comes to putting things into practice we need to be the leaders of the future so why not give us the tools so that we can become those leaders? By way of conclusion I want to say that even thinking about my own reality I’m actually quite a lucky person as a Chilean young person a Latin American woman with a disability and I’m here in front of you despite the challenges that we face representing people due to systemic issues are present in societies in their countries and due to those reasons aren’t able to be here today and I think that today’s meeting is very important because when we think about diversity when we think about inclusion we wonder how will we put things into practice will that be possible and then we realize at this meeting that through multilateralism through intergenerational participation we can do it we can hear from different realities and hear about different experiences so for example care economic support for persons with disabilities that’s something that we don’t hear about that much but we did hear about it at this meeting we had a testimony from someone who lived that experience
Felipe Paullier: Gracias Isidora, thank you Isidora and I will want now to give the floor to Zongxu. Zongxu you are a PhD researcher and the co-founder of Xingua Global Youth Dialogue in China and you joined the session on inclusive digital future so please can you share with us tell us more about the recommendations questions that came from that group, you have the floor.
Zongxu Xie: Distinguished Her Excellency Amina Mohammed, His Excellency Felipe Paullier, colleagues, my young peers from all countries, greetings. My name is Zongxu Xie from Guizhou, China, a Ph.D. researcher in hydraulic engineering at Tsinghua University. It is an honor today to report on our discussion as a youth repertoire and share my thoughts on how to jointly build and promote a more inclusive digital future. Youth is the most dynamic and creative group in society. In the era of rapid digitalization, my hometown of Guizhou has provided new development opportunities for young people by vigorously developing the digital economy. Guizhou empowers rural revitalization through e-commerce and live streaming and promotes ecological civilization and green development through digital technology, making it a vivid case of digitalization transforming the development opportunities for young people in the region. In our discussion today, we should note that despite the abundant resources in many parts of the world, inadequate resource allocation and access continues to limit the development potential of young people. Realizing value in the wave of digital economy development requires equal opportunities. Today, we put forward the following three key actions to achieve the above-mentioned goal. First, ensure skills are accessible through digital education. We should ensure that every youth, especially those in less developed regions, can access the necessary digital skills. Second, more cross-border cooperation and more technology sharing. Governments, businesses, and CSOs should join hands to ensure an equitable distribution of technological resources. Cross-border cooperation will narrow the technology gap, bridge the digital divide, and eliminate digital technical barriers so that every young person can equally enjoy the dividends from digitalization and AI, and thus can better integrate into modern society. Third, strengthen youth participation towards better policy formulation. Young people’s voice must be fully respected, and they should be invited to participate in the development of technology and digital policies. By establishing an effective feedback mechanism, we can ensure that young people’s perspectives are valued and incorporated into practice, making the co-created digital ecosystem more representative and effective. Dear colleagues, an inclusive digital future is not only our philosophy but our mission. Today, many speakers have emphasized that youth are not only passive recipients of technology and education, but rather active participants and co-creators. By working together, we surely can build a digital era from which every young person can benefit. I thank you.
Felipe Paullier: Thank you, Zongxu. And thank you both for speaking your native languages. I think that’s the beauty of this organization, and multilingualism is something crucial for us. So thank you for it. DSG, we would like to hear your reflections about these recommendations.
Amina Jane Mohammed: Thank you so much. Thank you.
Felipe Paullier: I’m not sure how to translate.
Amina Jane Mohammed: I’m just joking. But I think the real point of this is that languages speak so much closer to our hearts. And they shape the way in which we interpret and that we feel things and want to communicate. And I think that that’s one of the big asks that we should have of the future and technology. But thank you both very much for your briefs of what must have been a very difficult discussion to summarize in three minutes, right? On the first, an inclusivity. Having an inclusive conversation, agenda, society, outcomes is really difficult. And each one of the steps of the way is important. And I think recognizing first and foremost that our 8 billion people are incredibly diverse. And in understanding that diversity from the lowest level of our community is the beginning for me. And not a top-down approach in trying to identify and represent and put people into cookie cutter regions and countries. Each country is incredibly different and has different expectations. So I hope that when you spoke and what spoke to me most of all was the consultative processes that we have. They have not to be an exercise in whether we have had one or not, but how we plan to have one, what the agenda is, broadening it and deepening it, and ensuring that we follow through on these agenda. Even if we choose to agree to disagree or we don’t do something about it, feedback. If I’ve heard anything in terms of what perhaps people don’t do so well is the feedback. So you don’t know what your meaningful discussion resulted in. And it may not result in something that comes within the next 24 hours or even year. But I think a continuous dialogue of feeding in and feeding out and back to make that happen. Of course, you talked about disability. And I think that that for us has been one of the major issues that we’ve had to deal with here in a real way. So we have all the policies and the tools, and we try to make accessibility. much better, but I think we’re very far from really making this something that we do in our daily work, not just here in the UN, but across the UN in different countries and offices. So on the inclusivity, nothing of our future can work or will it make impact if we don’t look at the most vulnerable and the smallest member of our families. That should be the litmus test as to whether we’ve succeeded in an agenda or not. So thank you. On the technology, that’s even, you know, as I said, it was one of the three things after the SDG commitments of what is important and listening to access is really important because not everyone will have that access. In fact, hundreds of millions of people don’t. The skill sets that go with them and perhaps in those that feel that they could be left behind with technology, this is a time for us to leapfrog. It’s a time for us not to go through the same methods that we have to include people, but to say this is a chance for us to equalize the world in its capacities. That’s going to require one of the three areas I spoke to, financing. So my reflections on this are that you’ve got it all right, technology sharing, the development that you’re co-creating and you’re not being fed it, but you’re actually shaping the future with technology as a tool to connect and to provide that prosperous world where people and the planet are taken care of. So I very much look forward to working with you on that and thank you for the recommendations.
Felipe Paullier: Thank you. So thank you, Isi. Thank you, Sendu. And what do you want to do with those letters?
Zongxu Xie: I want to put the envelope inside.
Felipe Paullier: That’s good.
Isidora: Yeah, that’s for you to read our recommendations that came from us.
Felipe Paullier: That’s great. Thank you. And let’s put it on the fishbowl. So now, thank you both. And I will invite, in a few minutes, to the next of our rapporteurs to join us on stage. So I want to invite now Jana and Leticia to join us on stage. Let’s give them a lot of energy also. They also need it. During this afternoon also, there were two different sessions in another room, the one that is next to this one, in the Trusteeship Council, running under the same principle of equity. And we have now two of the rapporteurs from those sessions that discuss one of it, intergenerational solidarity, and the other one was discussing about foresight for climate and sustainability. I will start with Jana. Jana, you are a university student passionate about global policies. Can you please share with us what are the recommendations that emerge from this session on intergenerational equity and solidarity? The floor is yours.
Jana Zghabi: Distinguished Deputy Secretary General, esteemed delegates, and honored guests, assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. I am Jana Zghabi, and it’s an honor to stand before you today as a proud representative of the Misk Foundation and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I had the privilege of attending the thematic session Intergenerational Solidarity and Equity for a Shared Future. This session highlighted the importance of connecting generations to address the concerns, aspirations, and issues we currently face. And I’m here to present a few recommendations that emerged from those discussions. First, youth representation must be prioritized. Member states should commit to having meaningful youth involvement in national delegations to UN processes and conferences, fulfilling Article 39 of the Declaration. Youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but the changemakers of today, and our voices must be heard in the halls where decisions are made. Second, long-term thinking is essential. By leveraging science, data, statistics, and strategic foresight, member states can ensure governance structures that are both adaptable and forward-looking, in line with Article 35. These tools provide a roadmap for creating policies that are resilient to the uncertainties of the future. Finally, we must urgently reform the international financial architecture. This includes establishing a sovereign debt workout mechanism and embracing metrics beyond GDP. Financial systems should prioritize the people, not just the profits, and pave the way for equitable global development. In closing, the future of global governance depends on how well we listen to and act on the needs of young people today. It’s time to build a system that empowers youth and protects future generations. We the youth are not only the leaders of the future, we are the ones holding the torches for change today, and our opinions and contributions guide decision-makers and shed light on angles that they may not be aware of.
Felipe Paullier: Thank you. Leticia, It’s great to have you up on the stage. You are a young woman from the Kichwa-Otavalo people of Ecuador, and the first person to in your community to go to university. You participated in the Foresight Meeting for Climatic and Environmental Sustainability, and it would be great if you could share the recommendations from that meeting with us. Thank you. Go ahead.
Leticia: Thank you, Felipe. My native language is Kichwa, and, okay, it’s a joke. I’m sure that, at least for one second, it felt a bit strange. You were probably thinking, what’s she saying? Is she going to just end up only speaking her native language, Kichwa? What you felt at that second is something that indigenous populations, rural populations, have felt for a long time, for decades. They don’t know how to react to the disasters that they often face. So, I’m sure that, at least for one second, it felt a bit strange. You were probably thinking, what’s she saying? Is she going to just end up only speaking her native language, Kichwa? What you felt at that second is something that indigenous populations, rural populations, have felt for a long time, for decades. So, I’m sure that, at least for one second, it felt a bit strange. So, I’m sure that, at least for one second, it felt a bit strange. So, I’m sure that, at least for one second, it felt a bit strange. drought is increasing poverty among our populations in our countries, that’s such a frustrating feeling because we don’t have the tools that we need to control these disasters, not even to prevent them. And the truth is that I came with the intention of raising awareness about the situation that my country is going through due to drought and due to the huge amount of fires that we’re having in my country, but not only in my country, but rather in all countries in South America and not even only in South America, across the world actually, we’re seeing so many fires that are burning our natural resources. So against this backdrop, I want to mention that traditional and ancestral knowledge of indigenous peoples are also being undervalued as time goes on because the climate crisis affects our way of life and our natural resources to a huge extent, to the extent that our traditional knowledge cannot beat it, we can’t fight against it. Our water is increasingly polluted because we’re seeing more and more powerful chemical treatments and then we can’t reuse water because it’s polluted and due to these crises, we as the team here at this meeting have some recommendations. So the first recommendation I want to share with you is that we young people shouldn’t only be participating because we’re young, but because we have innovative ideas and because we combine knowledge and technology and we can have more impact, more impact and clout when it comes to caring for our environment and we can also make decisions at round tables, in political fora. So that’s my first recommendation. My next recommendation is for us to have… recognition, for our role as leaders to be legitimized in the traditional governance structure. That way, we can benefit from knowledge, technical assistance, and we can better help our countries and the initiatives that we’re working on. And number three, because there are a few recommendations, there were several actually, so I’ve just focused on the three main ones, which is dealing with the benefits and risks of digitalization initiatives for youth. As a woman from the global south, I want to tell you that first of all, we need to look at what problems each of our countries face. In my country, technological transfer has been very low. However, I think we can pull our traditional knowledge with technology and change the situation. I hope that that will be the case. Thank you.
Felipe Paullier: Gracias, Leticia. Thank you, Leticia, for bringing these recommendations. And thank you both, Jana and Leticia. And now, if you want, Leticia, you can also drop the recommendations of your session in this fishbowl. And I will invite you to change with the two next rapporteurs. But before that, DSG.
Amina Jane Mohammed: Thank you very much. And both incredibly important recommendations, particularly on the intergenerational aspect of this. It is about how we include you. I think this youth summit has been the beginning of that, but you have to make so many more demands that start from the country level. We could, and you could, a couple of your countries that would be willing to put in a resolution that makes that so for all meetings that are attended in the United Nations that youth are in the delegations. This is something you can do with the youth office. But that goes through a number of processes, and 193 family members is a lot of people to agree. And I would suggest that you begin to do this in parallel at the level of your countries. And there are many countries who are putting youth in their delegation. Just make sure it’s not token to the high-level week, that it’s in every delegation that comes here for the important discussions that are discussed at, you know, the CSW or the commission that we have on the rights of persons with disabilities. These are all important opportunities, so let that happen. We had at one point agreed here in the UN that we wouldn’t have panels that were just men, that we would try to find parity, and we wouldn’t attend panels with just men on them. Not in every issue can one do that, because this is not… We haven’t gotten to the mainstream yet, so on the peace and security side of our house, really hard. But you could say that about panels, that, you know, we would not attend panels where there is not at least one member of the panel, or, you know, one out of four are women and one with disabilities, and, you know, and we go on down to make sure that when you see the panel, you feel included. You see yourself in that panel. This matters, you know, what is visible to everyone is what is the beginning of change. We begin to normalize this and not see it as just a one-off, so I hope that we can take that from you as we do. And on the, of course, international financial architecture, that is, too, about what we do with long-term thinking. The implications of not being able to meet commitments today will affect future generations. Things don’t stand still. Climate change doesn’t stand still. It’s crossing borders. It is impacting life in ways that sometimes we are irreversible. And that has a financial cost. And so when we talk about the long-term thinking, technology, in the UN, we’re trying to brace up for our UN 2.0 that looks at the quintet of change. Data is a big part of it. But so is behavioral change. So is foresight. And I think all of these matter to what we’re saying. And I picked up the issue that you talked about with the sustainable debt, GDP. We cannot continue to measure things the way we did decades ago. This is a different environment. There are different challenges and, obviously, concerns that people need to be included. So really important. And last but not least, voice. That matters. And we need to find better ways to bring that in in an intergenerational way. Thank you, Leticia, for talking about how we are going to deal with it. First of all, again, it’s an inclusion, right? And when you first started to speak your language, it took me back to my visit to the Amazon not long ago. And I don’t think a picture, or even talking about it, can express what an asset we have. And the people that we met there, the kind of solutions that they will bring to our lives, I don’t know what it is that we’re doing, squirreling away for three, four years, when they will tell you in a few hours how to solve these problems. We need to give equal respect and space to indigenous solutions in the lives that we have today. They will not be sustainable if we don’t. The world is changing fast. And we also are saying that we’re one family, one humanity, but unless we use the tools that we have at our disposal to make those connections, to make sure that we’re all able to connect in this room, as I’m sure we connected here with people who are not in this room. But if COVID showed us one thing, we really were not alone. We were, maybe physically, we’re just down to our families or our friends, but it suddenly opened up a whole new world. When we were meeting, we were meeting with people that we couldn’t see. But out there were hundreds and thousands of people that were engaging, and we couldn’t always take on everything. But there was a connection there, technology made that happen. And I think that that’s what we need to make sure happens, is that we’re not just talking about across countries, but within the depths of each country. Who is in there? Who are we leaving behind? Map and identify that, and make sure, again, that everyone is connected. And we need to put targets on that, and not just, they are in the resolutions in principle. Implement the resolutions country by country. Use the UN. The UN is present in over 131 countries. It’s incumbent upon them to respond to your needs, because that’s why we’re there. So every time you see us in any one of your countries, please reach out, and let’s make sure that happens. Climate change is a really good entry point for this, because I think we all understand that this is an existential threat to our humanity and to the home as we know it. So use the momentum of climate. The sustainable development agenda, it’s about everything. And we need to use that in an integrated way. So out of the silos, when we talk about indigenous people, let’s not just wait until they meet. Let’s actually talk about them as an everyday member of the family, and that every issue we discuss, we need to ask, where are those with disabilities? Where are those with languages that are not in the six that we have, but we have the tools to do so? Guy, I think you remember recently, we saw the SG speaking Chinese. We know the SG doesn’t speak Chinese, but I can tell you that you wouldn’t know. And that actually connected him to people, because he was speaking in their language. So tools can do things to, I think, make us much closer, much more respectful and inclusive, and more understanding of the assets that this world has to offer and that we can use for good.
Felipe Paullier: Thank you DSG. Thank you once again Jana and Leticia. So this session is starting to wrap up and as we come into the last segment I want to invite two, the last but not the least, guests we want to have in our session to tell us about what happened in their rooms. So Martin and Aryan, welcome to this stage. So Martin and Aryan are joining us bringing the outcomes of the sessions that were happening on the conference room floor. That one was on governance for human rights, peace and security and political processes and the other one was on innovative solutions in humanitarian action. And I will start with Aryan. So Aryan, you are an award-winning young leader for refugees, migration and human rights and at the age of 14 you found it, forced to flee. So can you please share with us about the outcomes of the humanitarian session? The floor is yours.
Aryan Sanghrajka: Thank you Felipe. Deputy Secretary General, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Aryan Sanghrajka and I’m the global focal point of the Migration, Youth and Children platform. Today’s session on forced displacement and humanitarian context reminded me of two key things. The need to be bold in our ambitions and inclusive in our actions. Listening to the messages of young refugees, I couldn’t help but think of my grandmother. She was just 24 years old when she was forcibly displaced from Uganda in 1972. Forced displacement, then and now, is a tragic reality for millions of young children and youth around the world. But as my grandma is a testament, displacement doesn’t strip away resilience, it amplifies it. The tenacity, determination, and drive to overcome obstacles is alive in every young person and displaced leader today who refuses to let circumstances define their future. And the messages from youth, the UN system, and governments were clear. First, a need to scale support for youth-led action, delivering on the Compact for Young People and Humanitarian Actions objective. Multi-stakeholder support and platforms are essential for providing young people with the expertise, technical assistance, and accessible funding they need to turn their ideas into solutions. In forced displacement and protracted crises around the world, young innovators are already making an impact. With the right support, they can go further, faster. And second, we must ensure that young refugees move beyond education and into decent work. Access to quality education, training, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities through programs like the Youth on the Move Fellowship has the potential to change lives. By supporting young refugees out of education and into work, and ensuring they have the means to access them, we can also rescue our current trajectory to achieve the SDGs by 2030. And finally, change cannot happen without investment. An investment which puts youth-led solutions on the fast track to success. An investment which unlocks the potential, talent, and leadership of young refugees and migrants. And an investment which creates a true, unshakable partnership with young displaced people by giving them an equal seat at the decision-making table. And crucially, to every young migrant, refugee, asylum seeker, and displaced person, invest in yourselves. Invest in yourselves to be an unequivocal force for peace and the development of our planet and its people. because the time to sit on the sidelines has passed. Action is truly no longer optional. The energy, attention, and revitalization youth have brought to addressing forced displacement and humanitarian crises cannot and must not fade when we leave this room today, because our common vision, led by and for young people, starts with action right here and right now. Thank you very much.
Felipe Paullier: Thank you, Aryane, and Martin, you’re the founder and the executive director of Clean Cities Project, which focuses on climate action, but we want us to share about the outcomes of the session on governance.
Martin Manyozo: Great. Honorable Deputy Secretary General, distinguished guests, and fellow young leaders, I stand before you today to share with you the recommendations from today’s governance thematic section and emphasize on the core and critical role that young people must play in order to shape the future of peace, security, and governance. Our world today is facing complex challenges, and the solutions to these issues demand youth active participation. It is no longer enough to have youth at the margins. We must empower them to take lead in decision-making processes that affect not only their future, but even our shared world. And the first recommendation is, youth must be empowered in global policy and global security decision-making. Platforms such as the Summit for the Future, Peace Building, Architecture Review, and Security Council Reform offer critical opportunities to integrate young people into global security dialogues. Meaningful engagement requires prioritizing education, capacity building, and transitional cooperation. Addressing systematic barriers that prevent youth from engaging in peace and security discussions will allow them to become true stakeholders in global governance. Structured laws for youth must be created in these spaces, giving them the power to shape decisions rather than simply observe them. And the second recommendation is, it is essential to advance the commitments laid out in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2020-50. Toxnic engagement of youth is no longer acceptable, and I believe young people in here can agree with me. Young people should not only be heard, but their voices should be embedded within peace and security processes. This involves investing in youth-led organizations, increasing financing to support their initiatives. The youth peace and security agenda will not only be and will not never be effective if comprehensive strategies and dedicated funding are implemented, enabling youth to lead, protect, and transform their communities. Thirdly, and the third recommendation is, youth must be engaged to be essential stakeholders in governance and violence prevention. Governments and international organizations should collaborate with young people to co-design and co-implement violence prevention strategies, programs, and policies. Institutions need to become inclusive, responsive, and accountable to youth voices. At every stage of program, development from conceptualization to evaluation, youth feedback must be integral. Their insights and experiences are critical to creating a lasting peace. Finally, the global community must really commit to peace, youth protection, and human rights. Countries worldwide are calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in all conflict zones. They demand the protection of civilians. They demand the protection of civilians, vulnerable population and aid workers as well as facilitation of humanitarian and medical need and aid to those in need, especially in fragile and conflict related and affected legions. Immediate action is necessary and youth voices must lead to these efforts. In conclusion, empowering youth with the legal decision-making processes and power, ensuring financing in their actions and efforts and promoting their lives and safety in all areas are critical and a critical step forward to a more peaceful, secure future. Deputy Secretary General, distinguished guests, young people in here and millions of young people watching us around the world, the meaningful inclusion of young people in global policy, global governance is not a light or it’s not just an option. Rather, it is a responsibility and we must act now. Thank you.
Felipe Paullier: Yes, Jane.
Amina Jane Mohammed: I think they said it all. I’m gonna start from the last speaker because I believe that we’re talking about governance that is rooted really in a functioning democracy. I think everyone in this room believes in the values of democracy but I think we can also all agree that the model itself is breaking, fragile, not performing in many of our countries and what we are seeing is a response to that, whether it is a unconstitutional change or it is protests or we are finding more terrorism, whatever it is, it’s democracy not functioning and I think today we are reinforcing that message to everyone back at home that we need to take that seriously and with, you know, the majority, the largest cohort of youth in the world, if we don’t, I think we’re just in really big trouble. We’re in big enough trouble as it is but it will get worse so states need to listen. Cities need to listen. The transforming education summit we had, you talked for capacity building. I’m not sure that that’s the Band-Aid we need. We need to be teaching people from the time that they go into school to the time that they leave, which is lifelong learning, about what you do to keep peaceful societies, how you lift and fight and protect democracies, and that it doesn’t just become an activity or a campaign. This is a lifelong endeavor to make that environment where the rule of law, people’s rights, ought not to be what we are asking for as an add-on or an activity. And we’ve lost it somehow. So maybe this is one of the things that we take out of the summit of the future, is how to do that reset and to make sure that truly, truly our voices are embedded in the fabric of democracy, human rights, and freedom for everyone. Thank you for that. Humanitarian action, people on the move. And people on the move are finding themselves in different, fragile, precarious situations where atrocities that are being committed today and many not seen should not be happening, not in 2024. When I recently visited the border of Sudan and Chad, the famine in Sudan is conflict-related. That means it’s man-made. And I can assure you there’s no woman’s hand in that except the suffering, the rape, the death of many children, the atrocities that are committed in the name of men fighting each other. That has to stop. That cannot be continued. It’s not acceptable. And women can no longer be used as a end to war. This is happening in every environment where you see a humanitarian crisis. It will be young people who are losing their futures. I’m so grateful that you’re really talking about what that environment looks like. don’t put our life on hold because we’re in a camp or we are fleeing, but there’s an education and after an education, there needs to be a livelihood and a livelihood to connect us. And with technology today, I mean, your home is where it is and in many places, it’s not where you would wish. And so how can we make sure that you’re not missing those opportunities and that you are included? And so, you know, take your message. Let’s not put your lives on hold. Let’s make sure that you are engaged and let’s really ask those who have made commitments to ensure that we save lives, that we understand we have to save livelihoods lest we lose the lives tomorrow. And the donors that we have that have really dug deep to do the best that they can, sadly, it’s just not enough. And I’m sure if you ask the average taxpayer in many of our countries, will they dig deeper to save a life or a livelihood? They will say yes, especially when they see the majority of these people were speaking about a young people and they are women. So let’s increase that and make sure that we have it so that we can scale what you’ve just talked about. It’s possible, there’s for sure we have the tools and I’ll say something for Chad. Chad is one of the poorest countries on God’s earth and they’ve received almost 2 million refugees and people that are displaced. What does that say for their generosity? They got poorer. They opened up their schools that in the end collapsed under the weight of the number of people that came and their hospitals that have collapsed and their health systems that have collapsed because they cannot bear the burden of a million or two million more people. In some parts of this world, we’re complaining about 10,000 and when we look at what we have, there surely is no justice in that. And so for an oasis of Chad that all around it is conflict, we must find the resources to put into those humanitarian crises so that when Chad sees itself in a village of poverty but opens its doors to everyone who is fleeing for safety, they should then get a dividend in a return that turns that village into a township, a township that has recognized that people must live together. especially those that are fleeing. No one wants to leave home. And the day that you have to leave home and you have open arms, we as a human family should be supporting that in every way that we can because this is part of our human family, it’s one of us. It could be us if we were born in a different place. And I think that’s what we all have to remember, there’s no one is not at risk of this and particularly when we talk about climate now in terms of our people on the move. So let’s dig deeper. We will certainly try to do that to respond better. We are already in our agencies that are our humanitarian heroes who are out there every day, but we’re also looking to see how can we start crossing these pillars of development of human rights of the political pillars to get a better understanding of how to make this work together. Ultimately, it’s about an end to conflict. And for that, we need young people, we need women, we need the political will, most of all, we need leaders. Today, we are quoting many, many leaders and often they’ve already gone. Can we talk about leaders today, incumbent upon them when they sit in a position of power, elected to power, that they have accountability? They are in this building in the next week or so. I hope many of you will stay behind and pass those messages in the halls. Don’t wait until you get into a room like this. Just as the SG said, you want power, you take it. Step in front of someone, I have a message for you. I know that you’re the president of this country, probably breaking protocol, don’t quote me. But I was once an activist. I didn’t wait for someone to give me permission to talk to a leader if I found the opportunity when I know that things are in terrible shape. So thank you for this. Thank you very much.
Felipe Paullier: Thank you, Martin, Aryan. And thank you also for leaving these recommendations in this. Thank you, guys. It was a pleasure to have you. So, I want to start to wrap up now, and want to thank not only the six rapporteurs, but all the young people, all the ministers, all the ambassadors, all the government officials that were in these conversations, and that brought us these recommendations. I also want to acknowledge the whole process and the whole work behind these recommendations. They are not only emerging from these rooms, from what happened this afternoon. They are echoing the recommendations and the demands we have heard before. In the ECOSOC Youth Forum, in the SDG Summit last year, or in the UN Civil Society Conference in the road to the summit of the future. And these recommendations need to be the foundation that drives action in the implementation of the pact for the future and beyond. And we are able to be here today and to have this space because many, many people were working also for it to happen. So, I want also to acknowledge and to thank all the amazing staff in this house, from the security guards, from the translators, to all the people working in the funds programs, agencies, member states, governments, that allow us to be here. And let me specifically and very especially recognize my team, the United Nations Youth Office team, for all the care and heart they put into this process. Thank you. and it’s clear, youth lead for the future. So I would like to invite you to give us some closing remarks after all this whole session we had this day.
Amina Jane Mohammed: So I have a four-page speech. And that’s one of the things that you have now, I think, blown out of the water. We don’t need that speech. I just heard from Philippe my marching orders. So thank you for that. Those marching orders, I believe, are in those love letters that you’ve given to the Secretary General, Guy Ryder, and myself. Thank you, Guy, for actually making this meaningful, and that we are here with our UN teams for doing that. The Secretary General said this morning, when asked the question about which world he would choose, and he talked about not choosing one, but building one. I think that’s a big message for us to take away, because life is about the years you have ahead of you, and each one is how do you make each step count more inclusively, more meaningfully, with more action and call to action for all the things that you’ve talked about here today. For us at the United Nations, we have taken this on board. I think you will see most of what you have said in the Pact of the Future. These conversations we’ve been having to plan this day that began the UN Summit of the Future and the High-Level Week, I think is an example of where we place youth, and I’m not going to say at the center, but at the helm of affairs, and in that intergenerational march forward, where we are co-creating, we are collaborating. That’s what we would like to see. This is, again, another attempt at resetting and making that. making that work for everyone, and I hope that this will be a reality in the lives of those that are not in this room and that you will be taking messages and be the messengers to take this forward over the next six years to the Sustainable Development Goals but more importantly into the work that I think for the first time we’ve had a conversation with young people about future generations. We never had that opportunity in my time to talk about future generations, but today you have and I think we’re talking about your future now, but as you shape that future it is also about what you leave for those that are yet to come, and I hear that in everything that you said which has been underscored by inclusivity, include, include, include, voice, voice, voice, meaningful, meaningful, meaningful and get past the jargon into actions that we need to take. So thank you very much and I wish you the very best in the next few days and I hope that you will continue to make your voices loud for everyone.
Felipe Paullier: Thank you DSG. So to end, let’s start, let’s end this day with the same energy we started and let’s invite our Master of Ceremony, but now our DJ, DJ Cuppy, happy to have you here.
Amina Jane Mohammed: I have a message for DJ Cuppy. You said you wanted to be the first president in Nigeria, woman president, and what did I say? After me, eh?
Music: Baby, you don’t know that you’re the one living my soul I want you to know, I won’t ever let you go All your past is your love, your love from the dead That past is your love, your love from the dead I can’t get enough, your love from the dead Your love from the dead All your past is your love, your love from the dead That past is your love, your love from the dead I can’t get enough, your love from the dead Your love from the dead Baby, you don’t know that you’re the one living my soul I want you to know, I won’t ever let you go All your past is your love, your love from the dead That past is your love, your love from the dead I can’t get enough, your love from the dead Baby, you don’t know that you’re the one living my soul I want you to know, I won’t ever let you go All your past is your love, your love from the dead That past is your love, your love from the dead I can’t get enough, your love from the dead Copy this here, press this I’ve been, I’ve been loving you for days Never said I didn’t want you Cause now you the form of mine I love you, love you, die It’s all because of you, baby Make a brother gonna sing this song It’s a day for you, my lover Nobody else, my lover Mashi se me ka we tonta blimata Si mi si wala, ya wago de o Mashi se me ka we tonta blimata Si mi si wala, ya wago de o Habena, habena, habena, habena No lu mi wa yo, no lu mi wa yo Habena, habena, habena, habena No lu mi wa yo, no lu mi wa yo Champion lover Tell you go be my lover I don’t fit in without my lover Tu te pambie mi, my lover I can’t hear the other thing move To copy this tune, press this
Felipe Paullier
Speech speed
110 words per minute
Speech length
1563 words
Speech time
850 seconds
Meaningful youth participation in decision-making
Explanation
Felipe Paullier emphasizes the importance of meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes. He argues that youth political apathy is a myth and that young people have shown interest and capacity to engage at the highest levels.
Evidence
The Youth Action Day and its various sessions demonstrate youth engagement and interest in high-level discussions.
Major Discussion Point
Youth Inclusion and Representation
Agreed with
Jana Zghabi
Zongxu Xie
Martin Manyozo
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Meaningful youth participation in decision-making
Jana Zghabi
Speech speed
143 words per minute
Speech length
306 words
Speech time
128 seconds
Youth representation in national delegations to UN processes
Explanation
Jana Zghabi advocates for member states to commit to meaningful youth involvement in national delegations to UN processes and conferences. She argues that youth voices must be heard in the halls where decisions are made.
Evidence
Reference to Article 39 of the Declaration, which supports youth involvement in UN processes.
Major Discussion Point
Youth Inclusion and Representation
Agreed with
Felipe Paullier
Zongxu Xie
Martin Manyozo
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Meaningful youth participation in decision-making
Long-term thinking in governance structures
Explanation
Jana Zghabi emphasizes the need for long-term thinking in governance structures. She suggests leveraging science, data, statistics, and strategic foresight to ensure adaptable and forward-looking governance.
Evidence
Reference to Article 35, which supports the use of tools for creating resilient policies.
Major Discussion Point
Intergenerational Solidarity and Equity
Reforming international financial architecture
Explanation
Jana Zghabi calls for urgent reform of the international financial architecture. She argues for establishing a sovereign debt workout mechanism and embracing metrics beyond GDP to prioritize people over profits.
Major Discussion Point
Intergenerational Solidarity and Equity
Zongxu Xie
Speech speed
117 words per minute
Speech length
400 words
Speech time
203 seconds
Youth as active participants and co-creators, not passive recipients
Explanation
Zongxu Xie emphasizes that youth should be seen as active participants and co-creators in shaping the digital future, rather than passive recipients of technology and education. He argues for youth involvement in the development of technology and digital policies.
Evidence
Reference to speakers emphasizing youth as active participants and co-creators in the session.
Major Discussion Point
Youth Inclusion and Representation
Agreed with
Felipe Paullier
Jana Zghabi
Martin Manyozo
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Meaningful youth participation in decision-making
Ensuring digital skills are accessible through education
Explanation
Zongxu Xie advocates for ensuring that every youth, especially those in less developed regions, can access necessary digital skills through education. This is seen as crucial for realizing value in the digital economy.
Major Discussion Point
Technology and Digital Inclusion
Agreed with
Leticia
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Technology as a tool for inclusion and development
Cross-border cooperation and technology sharing
Explanation
Zongxu Xie calls for more cross-border cooperation and technology sharing. He argues that governments, businesses, and CSOs should collaborate to ensure equitable distribution of technological resources and narrow the technology gap.
Major Discussion Point
Technology and Digital Inclusion
Agreed with
Leticia
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Technology as a tool for inclusion and development
Martin Manyozo
Speech speed
124 words per minute
Speech length
550 words
Speech time
264 seconds
Empowering youth in global policy and security decision-making
Explanation
Martin Manyozo argues for empowering youth in global policy and security decision-making processes. He emphasizes the need for youth to take the lead in addressing complex global challenges.
Evidence
Reference to platforms such as the Summit for the Future, Peace Building Architecture Review, and Security Council Reform as opportunities for youth integration.
Major Discussion Point
Youth Inclusion and Representation
Agreed with
Felipe Paullier
Jana Zghabi
Zongxu Xie
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Meaningful youth participation in decision-making
Advancing commitments in UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security
Explanation
Martin Manyozo calls for advancing the commitments laid out in UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security. He argues that youth voices should be embedded within peace and security processes, not just heard.
Evidence
Reference to the need for investing in youth-led organizations and increasing financing to support their initiatives.
Major Discussion Point
Youth Inclusion and Representation
Leticia
Speech speed
135 words per minute
Speech length
592 words
Speech time
262 seconds
Combining traditional knowledge with technology to address climate challenges
Explanation
Leticia emphasizes the importance of combining traditional and ancestral knowledge of indigenous peoples with technology to address climate challenges. She argues that this combination can lead to more effective solutions.
Evidence
Reference to the undervaluation of traditional knowledge in the face of climate crisis.
Major Discussion Point
Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability
Agreed with
Zongxu Xie
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Technology as a tool for inclusion and development
Youth as leaders in caring for the environment
Explanation
Leticia argues that young people should be recognized as leaders in caring for the environment. She emphasizes the need for youth to have their role legitimized in traditional governance structures.
Major Discussion Point
Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability
Aryan Sanghrajka
Speech speed
150 words per minute
Speech length
453 words
Speech time
180 seconds
Scaling support for youth-led humanitarian action
Explanation
Aryan Sanghrajka calls for scaling support for youth-led humanitarian action. He emphasizes the need for multi-stakeholder support and platforms to provide young people with expertise, technical assistance, and accessible funding.
Evidence
Reference to the Compact for Young People and Humanitarian Action objective.
Major Discussion Point
Humanitarian Action and Forced Displacement
Agreed with
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Addressing humanitarian crises and forced displacement
Ensuring young refugees move beyond education into decent work
Explanation
Aryan Sanghrajka advocates for ensuring young refugees move beyond education into decent work. He argues for access to quality education, training, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities for young refugees.
Evidence
Reference to programs like the Youth on the Move Fellowship.
Major Discussion Point
Humanitarian Action and Forced Displacement
Agreed with
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Addressing humanitarian crises and forced displacement
Investing in displaced youth potential and leadership
Explanation
Aryan Sanghrajka calls for investment in displaced youth potential and leadership. He argues for creating true partnerships with young displaced people by giving them an equal seat at the decision-making table.
Major Discussion Point
Humanitarian Action and Forced Displacement
Agreed with
Amina Mohammed
Agreed on
Addressing humanitarian crises and forced displacement
Amina Mohammed
Speech speed
0 words per minute
Speech length
0 words
Speech time
1 seconds
Using technology to connect and provide equal opportunities
Explanation
Amina Mohammed emphasizes the potential of technology to connect people and provide equal opportunities. She argues that technology can be used to leapfrog development and equalize capacities across the world.
Evidence
Reference to the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of how technology connected people during isolation.
Major Discussion Point
Technology and Digital Inclusion
Agreed with
Zongxu Xie
Leticia
Agreed on
Technology as a tool for inclusion and development
Leveraging technology for intergenerational dialogue
Explanation
Amina Mohammed suggests using technology to facilitate intergenerational dialogue and understanding. She argues that technology can help bridge language barriers and connect people across different backgrounds.
Evidence
Example of the Secretary-General speaking Chinese through AI technology.
Major Discussion Point
Technology and Digital Inclusion
Agreed with
Zongxu Xie
Leticia
Agreed on
Technology as a tool for inclusion and development
Climate change as an entry point for youth engagement
Explanation
Amina Mohammed proposes using climate change as an entry point for youth engagement. She argues that the existential threat of climate change makes it a compelling issue for youth involvement in global discussions.
Major Discussion Point
Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability
Addressing root causes of displacement and humanitarian crises
Explanation
Amina Mohammed emphasizes the need to address the root causes of displacement and humanitarian crises. She argues for increased resources and support for countries hosting large numbers of refugees and displaced persons.
Evidence
Example of Chad hosting nearly 2 million refugees despite being one of the poorest countries.
Major Discussion Point
Humanitarian Action and Forced Displacement
Agreed with
Aryan Sanghrajka
Agreed on
Addressing humanitarian crises and forced displacement
Intergenerational approach to shaping the future
Explanation
Amina Mohammed advocates for an intergenerational approach to shaping the future. She emphasizes the importance of youth considering not only their own future but also that of future generations.
Major Discussion Point
Intergenerational Solidarity and Equity
Agreed with
Felipe Paullier
Jana Zghabi
Zongxu Xie
Martin Manyozo
Agreed on
Meaningful youth participation in decision-making
Isidora
Speech speed
147 words per minute
Speech length
452 words
Speech time
183 seconds
Establishing consultative mechanisms with young people
Explanation
Isidora calls for establishing consultative mechanisms to work with young people, allowing all to participate in equal conditions. She emphasizes the importance of including persons with disabilities and women with disabilities in these mechanisms.
Evidence
Reference to the need for implementing good practices like Generation Equality and the UN Trust Fund for Ending Violence Against Women and Girls.
Major Discussion Point
Intergenerational Solidarity and Equity
Agreements
Agreement Points
Meaningful youth participation in decision-making
Felipe Paullier
Jana Zghabi
Zongxu Xie
Martin Manyozo
Amina Mohammed
Meaningful youth participation in decision-making
Youth representation in national delegations to UN processes
Youth as active participants and co-creators, not passive recipients
Empowering youth in global policy and security decision-making
Intergenerational approach to shaping the future
Multiple speakers emphasized the importance of meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes at various levels, from national delegations to global policy and security discussions.
Technology as a tool for inclusion and development
Zongxu Xie
Leticia
Amina Mohammed
Ensuring digital skills are accessible through education
Cross-border cooperation and technology sharing
Combining traditional knowledge with technology to address climate challenges
Using technology to connect and provide equal opportunities
Leveraging technology for intergenerational dialogue
Speakers agreed on the potential of technology to foster inclusion, bridge gaps in development, and address global challenges when combined with traditional knowledge and used for cross-border cooperation.
Addressing humanitarian crises and forced displacement
Aryan Sanghrajka
Amina Mohammed
Scaling support for youth-led humanitarian action
Ensuring young refugees move beyond education into decent work
Investing in displaced youth potential and leadership
Addressing root causes of displacement and humanitarian crises
Speakers emphasized the need to support youth-led humanitarian action, provide opportunities for young refugees, and address the root causes of displacement and humanitarian crises.
Similar Viewpoints
Both speakers strongly advocated for increased youth representation and empowerment in high-level UN processes and decision-making, particularly in the areas of peace and security.
Jana Zghabi
Martin Manyozo
Youth representation in national delegations to UN processes
Empowering youth in global policy and security decision-making
Advancing commitments in UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security
Both speakers emphasized the importance of combining different forms of knowledge and fostering cooperation to address global challenges, particularly in the context of technology and climate change.
Leticia
Zongxu Xie
Combining traditional knowledge with technology to address climate challenges
Cross-border cooperation and technology sharing
Unexpected Consensus
Reforming international financial architecture
Jana Zghabi
Amina Mohammed
Reforming international financial architecture
Addressing root causes of displacement and humanitarian crises
While most speakers focused on youth participation and technology, there was an unexpected consensus on the need to reform the international financial architecture to address global challenges, including humanitarian crises.
Overall Assessment
Summary
The main areas of agreement centered around meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes, leveraging technology for inclusion and development, and addressing humanitarian crises and forced displacement. There was also consensus on the need for intergenerational approaches and reforming global systems to better address current challenges.
Consensus level
There was a high level of consensus among the speakers on the importance of youth inclusion and empowerment across various global issues. This strong consensus implies a growing recognition of the crucial role young people play in shaping the future and addressing global challenges. It also suggests a potential shift in how international organizations and governments approach youth engagement in policy-making and implementation.
Disagreements
Overall Assessment
Summary
There were no significant disagreements among the speakers. The discussion was largely characterized by complementary viewpoints and shared goals.
Disagreement level
The level of disagreement was minimal. Speakers generally supported each other’s arguments and built upon them, focusing on different aspects of youth involvement, technology, and sustainable development. This alignment suggests a strong consensus on the importance of youth participation in shaping the future across various domains.
Partial Agreements
Partial Agreements
Both speakers agree on the importance of technology in shaping the future and involving youth. However, Zongxu Xie focuses more on youth as active participants in developing technology and policies, while Amina Mohammed emphasizes technology as a tool for equalizing opportunities and connecting people.
Zongxu Xie
Amina Mohammed
Zongxu Xie emphasizes that youth should be seen as active participants and co-creators in shaping the digital future, rather than passive recipients of technology and education. He argues for youth involvement in the development of technology and digital policies.
Amina Mohammed emphasizes the potential of technology to connect people and provide equal opportunities. She argues that technology can be used to leapfrog development and equalize capacities across the world.
Similar Viewpoints
Both speakers strongly advocated for increased youth representation and empowerment in high-level UN processes and decision-making, particularly in the areas of peace and security.
Jana Zghabi
Martin Manyozo
Youth representation in national delegations to UN processes
Empowering youth in global policy and security decision-making
Advancing commitments in UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security
Both speakers emphasized the importance of combining different forms of knowledge and fostering cooperation to address global challenges, particularly in the context of technology and climate change.
Leticia
Zongxu Xie
Combining traditional knowledge with technology to address climate challenges
Cross-border cooperation and technology sharing
Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Youth inclusion and meaningful participation in decision-making processes is crucial at all levels, from local to global
Technology and digital inclusion are key for empowering youth and creating equal opportunities
Intergenerational solidarity and long-term thinking are necessary for addressing global challenges
Climate change and environmental sustainability require combining traditional knowledge with new technologies
Humanitarian action and support for displaced youth need to be scaled up and focused on long-term solutions
Resolutions and Action Items
Member states should commit to including youth in national delegations to UN processes
Establish consultative mechanisms to work with young people, especially those with disabilities
Scale up support for youth-led humanitarian action initiatives
Advance commitments laid out in UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security
Reform the international financial architecture to be more inclusive and responsive to youth needs
Unresolved Issues
Specific mechanisms for implementing youth inclusion in global policy-making processes
Details on how to combine traditional knowledge with new technologies for climate action
Concrete steps for reforming the international financial architecture
Specific strategies for addressing root causes of displacement and humanitarian crises
Suggested Compromises
Balancing the use of technology with preserving traditional and indigenous knowledge
Integrating youth perspectives into existing governance structures rather than creating entirely new systems
Combining capacity building for youth with reforms in education systems to promote lifelong civic engagement
Thought Provoking Comments
Youth political apathy is a complete myth. This day has shown us the interest, the capacity of young people to engage at the highest level.
Speaker
Felipe Paullier
Reason
This comment challenges the common perception of youth disengagement and sets the tone for the entire discussion by emphasizing youth capacity and interest in high-level engagement.
Impact
It framed the subsequent discussion around youth empowerment and meaningful participation, encouraging speakers to focus on concrete ways to involve youth in decision-making processes.
We took that seriously every step of the way when we spoke with you, Philippe, that if it wasn’t meaningful, then of course everyone would say we ticked the box and what happened, what next?
Speaker
Amina Jane Mohammed
Reason
This comment highlights the importance of genuine, meaningful youth engagement beyond tokenism, showing a commitment to substantive youth involvement.
Impact
It set a standard for the discussion, encouraging subsequent speakers to focus on concrete, actionable ways to involve youth meaningfully rather than superficially.
Young people’s voice must be fully respected, and they should be invited to participate in the development of technology and digital policies.
Speaker
Zongxu Xie
Reason
This comment emphasizes the need for youth involvement specifically in technology and digital policy, areas where youth often have unique insights.
Impact
It broadened the discussion to include specific policy areas where youth participation is crucial, leading to more targeted recommendations.
What you felt at that second is something that indigenous populations, rural populations, have felt for a long time, for decades. They don’t know how to react to the disasters that they often face.
Speaker
Leticia
Reason
This comment powerfully illustrates the experience of marginalized communities, drawing a parallel between momentary confusion and long-term systemic exclusion.
Impact
It shifted the conversation to include perspectives from indigenous and rural populations, broadening the scope of the discussion on inclusion and representation.
Structured laws for youth must be created in these spaces, giving them the power to shape decisions rather than simply observe them.
Speaker
Martin Manyozo
Reason
This comment moves beyond general calls for youth inclusion to advocate for specific structural changes to empower youth in decision-making processes.
Impact
It pushed the discussion towards more concrete, actionable recommendations for youth empowerment in governance structures.
Overall Assessment
These key comments shaped the discussion by consistently emphasizing the need for meaningful, structural youth inclusion across various domains – from technology policy to governance structures. They challenged existing perceptions of youth capacity and pushed for concrete actions to empower young people in decision-making processes. The comments also broadened the conversation to include perspectives from marginalized communities, emphasizing the intersectionality of youth issues with other forms of systemic exclusion. Overall, these insights drove the conversation towards more specific, actionable recommendations for youth empowerment and inclusion at the highest levels of policy-making and governance.
Follow-up Questions
How can we ensure meaningful youth involvement in national delegations to UN processes and conferences?
Speaker
Jana Zghabi
Explanation
This is important to fulfill Article 39 of the Declaration and ensure youth voices are heard in decision-making processes.
How can we leverage science, data, statistics, and strategic foresight to create more adaptable and forward-looking governance structures?
Speaker
Jana Zghabi
Explanation
This is crucial for developing policies that are resilient to future uncertainties, in line with Article 35.
How can we reform the international financial architecture to prioritize people over profits and pave the way for equitable global development?
Speaker
Jana Zghabi
Explanation
This includes establishing a sovereign debt workout mechanism and embracing metrics beyond GDP.
How can we better integrate traditional and ancestral knowledge of indigenous peoples with modern technology to address climate change?
Speaker
Leticia
Explanation
This is important to combine traditional wisdom with innovative solutions in tackling environmental challenges.
How can we scale support for youth-led action in humanitarian contexts?
Speaker
Aryan Sanghrajka
Explanation
This is essential for providing young people with the expertise, technical assistance, and accessible funding they need to turn their ideas into solutions.
How can we ensure young refugees move beyond education and into decent work?
Speaker
Aryan Sanghrajka
Explanation
This is crucial for changing lives and rescuing the current trajectory to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
How can we create structured roles for youth in global security dialogues and decision-making processes?
Speaker
Martin Manyozo
Explanation
This is important for empowering youth to shape decisions rather than simply observe them in global governance.
How can we advance the commitments laid out in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2020-50?
Speaker
Martin Manyozo
Explanation
This involves investing in youth-led organizations and increasing financing to support their initiatives in peace and security processes.
How can governments and international organizations collaborate with young people to co-design and co-implement violence prevention strategies, programs, and policies?
Speaker
Martin Manyozo
Explanation
This is critical for creating inclusive, responsive, and accountable institutions that incorporate youth feedback at every stage of program development.
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