The Youth Forum goes to the U.N. General Assembly!

While New York City may be best known for its swarm of tourists and sky-high buildings, this week its claim to fame was that it played host to the Third Committee of the 69th session of the U.N. General Assembly and around 35 youth delegates.

This week (6th – 10th October), representatives from the Youth Forum are in New York to support and the youth delegates participating in the U.N. General Assembly’s Third Committee. The Youth Forum also supported the youth delegates before their journey to New York; this June we provided training for the youth delegates in Brussels and we continue to support them once the Third Committee opens.

“If the aim of the UN is to include every generation, the youth delegates programme is only a step toward inclusive, representative participation,” one youth delegate said.

This year, around 35 youth delegates are attending the Third Committee with delegates coming from all around the world, from Romania to Australia and Finland to Kenya. For a number of countries, including Slovenia and Malta, this is the first year they’ve sent youth delegates. Several youth delegates delivered speeches to the Third Committee on behalf of their country’s delegation.

“We can’t change our country’s position, but we have the opportunity to express our priorities and have these taken on board,” one youth delegate said.

These speeches are a tremendous opportunity for youth delegates to set out their priorities and suggestions for youth development, inclusion and participation.

“We can bring forward topics that diplomats would not or could not promote. This is an opportunity, but we risk being branded as too idealistic,” another youth delegate said.

On Wednesday, together with the IMCS-Pax Romana, the European Youth Forum supported advocacy training for the Third Committee at the premises of the United Nations Population Fund.

The European Youth Forum promotes a meaningful and permanent mechanism for youth participation in the U.N. system and is continuing to spread this message and advocate for youth rights, through bilateral meetings during our mission in New York.