Coalition members join first virtual ECOSOC Youth Forum

Last Wednesday and Thursday, April 7-8, the first virtual ECOSOC Youth Forum was launched by the United Nations.

This year’s theme was “Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: Building an inclusive and effective path for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda in the context of the decade of action and delivery of sustainable development”.

The Forum created a platform for candid dialogue between Member States and young leaders from around the world. Topics during the Forum include potential solutions to address challenges that affect the well-being of young people around the world.

The Forum was officially opened by His Excellency, Mr. Munir Akram, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency, Mr. Volcan Bozkir, President of the 75th Session of the General Assembly, Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, and Ms. Anika Jenne Dorothy, Executive Director of the Green Congress of Kenya. 

Global ministers acknowledged the fact that young people hold the key to achieving the targets in the 2030 Agenda.

“Your insights are essential to the work of the United Nation. We need to hear from you. Never doubt your power. Together, you are 1.8 billion strong”

— Volkan Bozkır, President of General Assembly

The power of young people both individually and collectively was expressed but the importance of having support from world leaders and decision-makers was also raised. Jayathma Wickramanayake, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, said that young people should not forget to “hold decision-makers accountable for their promises and to advocate for young people to be involved in decisions being made”.

Apart from messages from global leaders, decision-makers, and youth representatives, regional breakout sessions were also launched to help identify gaps and scalable solutions that will lead to “rapid transformational change”.  

The Coalition had a total of sixteen (16) delegates from its members all over the world. They include Alison Collard de Beaufort from the USA, Alex Ayub from Kenya Maolin Macatangay from the Philippines, Kenny Mulinde from Uganda, Olivia Nalwadda from Uganda, Matías Ivan Shulz from Argentina, Ritu Jain from India, Shashank Misra from India, Nkumbuye Amie from Rwanda, Omnia el Omrani from Egypt, Tendekayi Marapara from Zimbabwe, Sana’a Khasawneh from Jordan, Thiago Gruner from Brazil, Soumita Chakraborty from India, Mohamed Eissa from Egypt, and Estiara Ellizar from Indonesia.  

The Coalition’s delegates helped raise awareness on road safety and sustainable mobility by pushing for more commitment to put it into the 2030 Agenda.