youth leadership

President of the General Assembly Town Hall meeting with Civil Society Organizations

Dear civil society colleagues,

You are kindly invited to join the President of the General Assembly for a Town Hall meeting with Civil Society in the Trusteeship Council Chamber (UN Headquarters, NY) on 2 December 2022, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. The meeting will also be webcast live on UN WebTV.

Background and Objective

In his vision statement, His Excellency Csaba KŐRÖSI, President of the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly stated “It is my intention to hold impact-oriented consultations with civil society organizations, youth representatives, science-based knowledge centres and representatives of business communities, key finance institutions and faith-based organizations. I hope to be able to encourage them to bring their contributions to the General Assembly while keeping in mind the interlinked nature of the risk factors we face and the integrated character of the solutions we need.”

The PGA has further asserted that a more effective and responsive United Nations will require engagement with an array of relevant stakeholders, including civil society, businesses, philanthropic organizations, academia, the scientific community, and other partners on the key issues under discussion in the General Assembly. While Member States remain the decision-makers of the United Nations, all stakeholders must assume their role as decision-shapers.

In this light, the PGA will convene a Town Hall with civil society representatives to discuss his priorities for the seventy-seventh session, with a particular aim to hear proposals for solutions directly from civil society representatives. This Town Hall is supported by the Department of Global Communications, with additional support by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Format

The moderated event will consist of an opening statement by the President of the General Assembly followed by five short keynote statements from civil society representatives that will address the following topics:

Solutions through solidarity: The pandemic has demonstrated how solidarity within societies and among countries has an impact on social and economic stability and security. In times of crisis, focusing on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable is more important than ever. Civil society is on the ground. What does sustainable solidarity look like?
Solutions through sustainability: We must get back on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Next year’s SDG Summit at the UN will be a key opportunity to take stock of gaps and recommit to the achievement of the SDGs. Best practices that can be replicated are needed. Civil society will play a key role in this endeavor.
Solutions though science: Our efforts to tackle global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the digital revolution have provided us with convincing proof of the role science can play in shaping decisions on complex issues. This transformative agenda must be based on scientific evidence and the political wisdom of negotiators.
Solutions from youth: It would be difficult to fix present crises and prevent new ones while adhering to the same mentality and logic that led to their onset. Youth already have a voice, but they need to be heard, particularly as every negotiating process affects them and future generations. In September, the General Assembly decided to establish a UN Youth Office to promote meaningful, inclusive and effective engagement of youth and youth-led organizations in the work of the UN.
Solutions through partnership: In times of interlocking crises, no country —without exception— can effectively address global challenges alone. Similarly, the complexities of these problems make it so that governments alone, even when working together, are unable to sustainably implement solutions without partnerships that reach beyond the State. Civil society participants are critical partners in highlighting best practices and lessons learned so that partnerships become the international default when addressing common threats.

The floor will then be opened for discussion and for questions from civil society representatives.

Logistics

Civil Society Organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC, formally associated with the Department of Global Communications, and other stakeholders are invited to attend the meeting in the Trusteeship Council Chamber in person.

All in-person participants are required to register in advance here.

For in-person events at the UN headquarters, the use of masks is strongly encouraged. By registering to attend in-person, all participants attest that their COVID-19 vaccination record is up to date to access the UN Headquarters complex in New York, based on the guidelines provided by local health authorities.

Please note: Civil Society Representatives are reminded to carry proof of COVID-19 vaccination while on UN premises in New York and must be prepared to show them if requested to do so by UN personnel.

To register an interest in delivering a keynote statement, please fill in the online form here no later than 14 November. CSO representatives will be selected by taking into account geographical and gender balance, as well as thematic diversity.

Due to time limitations, it will not be possible to accommodate all requests for interventions. A limited number of speakers will be contacted by the Secretariat. We appreciate your understanding. The time for interventions will be limited to 4 minutes for each speaker.

To ensure a wider participation from all geographical regions, CSO representatives will also have the opportunity to submit pre-recorded questions, a selection of which will be presented during the questions and answers segment of the event. Please register your interest in submitting a pre-recorded question here no later than 14 November.

Provisional Programme

Introductory remarks by moderator
Opening statement by the President of the General Assembly
Remarks by keynote speakers from Civil Society Organizations
Discussions, questions and answers with the PGA
Closing statement by the President of the General Assembly

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Education, Learning, and Literacy, please visit facebook.com/NGOCELLatUN. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development/NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development/Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Language and Languages, please email the co-chairs at tonkin@hartford.edu or fmhult@umbc.edu. For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com.

OCA Discussion Series 4 – Participation and Representation: Better Connecting “We the Peoples” to the Multilateral System

Join Baha’i International Community, CIVICUS, Democracy Without Borders, and the Coalition for the UN We Need for part IV of the “Our Common Agenda” Discussion Series, which will focus on:

Participation and Representation: Better Connecting “We the Peoples” to the Multilateral System

Register here!

International decision making is improved when diverse perspectives are welcomed. Participants in this session will provide concrete proposals for new approaches to strengthen democratic participation, representation and inclusion in the multilateral system.

An open discussion will follow lead-off remarks from:

H.E. Mr. Martin Bille Hermann, Denmark • H.E. Ms. Maritza Chan Valverde, Costa Rica (invited) • Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa, Group of Women Leaders for Change and Inclusion • Mr. Jo Leinen, UNPA Campaign • Ms. Emilia Saiz, United Cities and Local Governments • Mr. Mandeep Tiwana, CIVICUS • Ms. Maithili Pai, International Service for Human Rights • Mr. Javier Surasky, CEPEI • Mr. Khaled Emam, Major Group for Children and Youth • Ms. Natalie Samarasinghe, Open Society Foundations

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@yahoo.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Language and Languages, please email the co-chairs at fmhult@umbc.edu or tonkin@hartford.edu. For more information on the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns/NY, please visit csvgc-ny.org.

Focused discussion on identifying ways and means of more meaningful engagement of youth in the work of the General Assembly

Follow-up to the report of the Secretary-General entitled “Our Common Agenda”

Focused discussion on identifying ways and means of more meaningful engagement of youth in the work of the General Assembly

Tuesday, 30 August 2022, at 3:00 pm

Economic and Social Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in his report entitled “Our Common Agenda” (A/75/982), calls for a renewal of solidarity across generations, particularly with younger generations, and puts forward a number of concrete recommendations to further that objective.

Paragraph 47 of the report includes a proposal recommending that the “Envoy on Youth will prepare recommendations for more meaningful, diverse and effective youth engagement in UN deliberative and decision-making processes for the consideration of the General Assembly, the Security Council and ECOSOC and their respective subsidiary bodies. This will be done in consultation with the world’s young people.”

The SG’s Envoy on Youth has been invited to provide recommendations on youth engagement in the UN processes for consideration by Member States, and a focused discussion during the seventy-sixth session of the General Assembly on identifying ways and means of engagement of youth in the work of the General Assembly convened by the PGA has been announced.

The focused discussion will serve as a platform for Member States and relevant partners, in line with resolution 76/6, to share views on youth engagement vis-à-vis the work of the General Assembly. The meeting on 30 August 2022 will be followed by a series of broad consultations to be conducted by the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth (OSGEY), including with youth organizations and representatives in line with paragraph 47 of “Our Common Agenda” report, to inform the drafting of the recommendations to be put forward for consideration of Members States ahead of the Summit of the Future.

Please note:

Representatives of NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC in possession of valid UN grounds passes are invited to attend.
Civil society representatives are welcome to intervene by pressing the microphone button at the appropriate time.

Detailed information, including the Concept Note and Programme can be found at: un.org/pga/76/2022/08/19/letter-from-the-president-of-the-general-assembly-focused-discussion-on-youth-participation-at-the-ga

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights-NY, please visit childrightsny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@yahoo.com or bknotts@uua.org.

[deadline] Call to Civil Society Youth: Int’l Youth Day 2021 ‘Transforming Food Systems’

For International Youth Day on August 12, 2021, the United Nations Civil Society Unit is celebrating youth voices. The theme of this year Youth Day is, “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.” The day aims to highlight the notion that the success of such a global effort will not be achieved without the meaningful participation of young people.

Everyday, young people all over the globe work towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Department of Global Communications is aiming to share these successes with our Civil Society network to celebrate youth and to encourage more youth to become involved by becoming the change they want to see in the world.

Please submit text and video responses for a chance to be featured in our International Youth Day Celebration: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2zWeD09UYE-9zF6kFubccOvTA93e0tRCpxiXcqYBlUVUQThKS1U5NTkwMDRGQ0ozOUlKTlgwM1lITyQlQCN0PWcu

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights-NY, please visit childrightsny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition

Convened by the Government of Italy and building on the success of the 2019 UN Youth Climate Summit, the event will take place from 28 to 30 September and provide young delegates an unprecedented opportunity to put forward ideas and concrete proposals on some of the most pressing issues on the climate agenda. The first two days will be dedicated to working groups, while the last day will feature a discussion between young delegates and the Ministers attending pre-COP 26.

Interested young people can either:

Submit an application by 14 March, detailing the ways they are working with and leading other young people to advance climate action. Experienced young climate leaders are encouraged to submit their application for a chance to be one of two young people representing their country in Milan.
Enter the #SumItUp Competition, by submitting a creative sum-up of their favorite #Youth4ClimateLive episode before the 31 March deadline. Youth with creative communication skills and digital storytelling experience are invited to enter the #SumItUp Competition, where one winner will be chosen to travel to Milan and participate in the Youth4Climate event.

The application and the competition provide young people two opportunities to be part of this historic event, whether they are experienced climate activists or just starting their climate advocacy journey. To be eligible to attend, applicants must be between the ages of 15 and 29 and, if selected, all applicants under the age of 18 must be accompanied to the event by a chaperone.

For more information about the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition event and other ways to get involved in advance of COP26, please visit the Government of Italy’s webpage. Or, catch up on past episodes of the Youth4ClimateLive virtual event series at Youth4Climate.Live. Please direct any questions to youthenvoy@un.org.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Children’s Rights-NY, please visit childrightsny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com.

20th YMCA World Council: “Ignite”

On 3 July 2022, the 20^th YMCA World Council will begin. For the first time ever, it’s going to be a hybrid event. We will meet in person in Aarhus, Denmark, and online. We continue to monitor the COVID situation, and try and do the right thing. The priority is for as many as possible to meet, one way or the other, at another vital moment for the global YMCA Movement. Why?

Because our world and our YMCA has been turned on its head by this pandemic, and we need to reconnect: we’ve missed each other. We’re ready to respond to new learning, new imperatives, new roles, and new methods in supporting young people and their communities.

Which is why the World Council theme in 2022 is simply ‘IGNITE.’ It’s a moment to provide the spark and light the flame to take us forward. Specifically, we’ll be igniting our vision, our collaboration, and our solutions. The World Council itself is the global YMCA Movement’s highest decision-making body, bringing together all 120 National YMCA Movements. More than that, it’s the biggest and most important shared space we have.

What do we hope to achieve? At least four things:

First, agreeing and adopting a new Movement-wide strategy, as we look towards a 2030 horizon. Imagine: wherever we are in the world, we all agree on a common vision, mission and goals. Our ‘North Star.’

Second, showcasing ‘solutions’, and specifically ‘youth-led solutions, sharing what we’ve done in identifying, supporting and seed-funding young people’s responses to their own challenges in their own communities, in areas like climate, jobs and mental health and working together – ‘collaborating’ in ‘co-labs’ across the generations – to develop and launch new youth solutions in line with Vision 2030.

Third, strengthening our governance as we elect new officers.

And fourth, just enjoying ‘family’ and fun, as we celebrate and enjoy who we are and where we’re from. Imagine: the ‘great global good’ of the YMCA at play. We really do refuel at World Council….before we ‘IGNITE.’

In person, we’ll do all this in Aarhus, Denmark’s second city. A green and beautiful place, an old city with a young population, a port city with a view on the world, and the stunning conference facilities of the city’s world-famous Concert Hall. We’ll keep you posted about all the practical details. Register from 1^st November here.