n a blog entry two years ago, United Nations Secretary General António Gueterres wrote that “humanity faces a stark and urgent choice: breakdown or breakthrough.” We can break down in face of current crises or break through to a better future. The crises of today—from climate change, rising inequalities, and worsening distrust—are daunting, but there is reason to be hopeful. As witnessed at this year’s AFS Youth Assembly, youth are fighting to break through to a better future.
The Youth Assembly is a truly global event. From August 11-13 this year, young leaders and change makers gathered in New York City from over 100 countries. It was hopeful to see such diversity and global minds gathered together and united behind the theme of “Breakthrough to a Better Future,” especially when we must tackle crises across the world.
Only seven years remain to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. There is an undeniable sense that progress has stalled in solving these global challenges. Succeed or fail, however, one message rang clear from the Youth Assembly: it’s worth trying. We will only break down if we sit idle on these issues.
To disrupt the gridlock, the Youth Assembly agenda outlined five areas where the most urgent challenges and potential for change exist:
- Reduce Inequalities: Tackling Poverty and Gender Inequality
- Education & Employment: Skills for the Future
- Protect Our Planet: Climate Action
- Global Trust: Peace & Information Integrity
- Global Solidarity: Multilateralism and Regional Cooperation for a Better Future
Across three days, more than 30 sessions and panels explored these topics and their intersections. International Youth Day, observed on August 12 each year, grounded the event. Youth delegates were able to present their work and generate impact, including through the AFS Award for Young Global Citizens and the Outstanding Youth Delegate Award.
Inspiring ideas and projects were showcased throughout. For example, Moemen Sobh won the AFS Award for Active Global Citizens for leading Visenleer, which is a regenerative initiative in the MENA region that creates sustainable textile materials using only ocean waste. Second place winners of the AFS Award were Olamiposi Ekuma with Nigeria for Genesys Tech Hub and Ilan Enverga for Youth For Better: an SDG-Centered Curriculum for Global Changemakers. Recognition was given to Khaled Abdulwahed and his work with Molham Team, an NGO that provides housing for Syrian refugees. The Outstanding Youth Delegate Award went to Savannah Verhage, a junior doctor in South Africa working to create equity in surgical care across Africa. These are just some of the many youth changemakers pushing for a breakthrough.
“We must place young people at the center of creating positive change in the world,” said Daniel Obst, President and CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs, at the UN International Youth Day celebration. “Young people must have a seat at the table in any discussion about any of the major issues of our time.”
There are 1.2 billion young people around the world. Youth continue to spur the momentum we need to solve the world’s biggest issues, and we must look to the action and power of events like the Youth Assembly to gather hope for ourselves that a better future is possible.
a global affairs media network
Youth Are Humanity’s Best Hope for a Breakthrough
Photo by Johnny Vacar, courtesy of the AFS Youth Assembly.
August 18, 2023
With only seven years to go before 2030, it seems progress toward the UN's Sustainable Development Goals has stalled out. At this year's AFS Youth Assembly, however, there was a sense of purpose—a will to break through rather than break down in the face of daunting challenges, writes Whitney DeVries
I
n a blog entry two years ago, United Nations Secretary General António Gueterres wrote that “humanity faces a stark and urgent choice: breakdown or breakthrough.” We can break down in face of current crises or break through to a better future. The crises of today—from climate change, rising inequalities, and worsening distrust—are daunting, but there is reason to be hopeful. As witnessed at this year’s AFS Youth Assembly, youth are fighting to break through to a better future.
The Youth Assembly is a truly global event. From August 11-13 this year, young leaders and change makers gathered in New York City from over 100 countries. It was hopeful to see such diversity and global minds gathered together and united behind the theme of “Breakthrough to a Better Future,” especially when we must tackle crises across the world.
Only seven years remain to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. There is an undeniable sense that progress has stalled in solving these global challenges. Succeed or fail, however, one message rang clear from the Youth Assembly: it’s worth trying. We will only break down if we sit idle on these issues.
To disrupt the gridlock, the Youth Assembly agenda outlined five areas where the most urgent challenges and potential for change exist:
- Reduce Inequalities: Tackling Poverty and Gender Inequality
- Education & Employment: Skills for the Future
- Protect Our Planet: Climate Action
- Global Trust: Peace & Information Integrity
- Global Solidarity: Multilateralism and Regional Cooperation for a Better Future
Across three days, more than 30 sessions and panels explored these topics and their intersections. International Youth Day, observed on August 12 each year, grounded the event. Youth delegates were able to present their work and generate impact, including through the AFS Award for Young Global Citizens and the Outstanding Youth Delegate Award.
Inspiring ideas and projects were showcased throughout. For example, Moemen Sobh won the AFS Award for Active Global Citizens for leading Visenleer, which is a regenerative initiative in the MENA region that creates sustainable textile materials using only ocean waste. Second place winners of the AFS Award were Olamiposi Ekuma with Nigeria for Genesys Tech Hub and Ilan Enverga for Youth For Better: an SDG-Centered Curriculum for Global Changemakers. Recognition was given to Khaled Abdulwahed and his work with Molham Team, an NGO that provides housing for Syrian refugees. The Outstanding Youth Delegate Award went to Savannah Verhage, a junior doctor in South Africa working to create equity in surgical care across Africa. These are just some of the many youth changemakers pushing for a breakthrough.
“We must place young people at the center of creating positive change in the world,” said Daniel Obst, President and CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs, at the UN International Youth Day celebration. “Young people must have a seat at the table in any discussion about any of the major issues of our time.”
There are 1.2 billion young people around the world. Youth continue to spur the momentum we need to solve the world’s biggest issues, and we must look to the action and power of events like the Youth Assembly to gather hope for ourselves that a better future is possible.
