Vol. 6, No. 3, March 2009
WELCOME to the UN Youth Flash, a service of the United Nations Programme on Youth to keep you informed about the work of the UN on youth issues. You are encouraged to use and forward the information below to other networks. This update is prepared with input from UN offices, agencies, funds and programmes.
In this issue:
FEATURE:
Kilimanjaro Inititiative UNites to Combat Climate Change
ESCAP: Workshop on Life Skills and Youth Health Behaviour
FAO: Match Day Against Hunger on 20-22 March 2009
UNEP-CBD: "The Green Wave" Global Biodiverity Project
UN-HABITAT:
$1 million Grant Programme Opens for Urban Youth Groups
Youth in Values Based Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Education
UNICEF
ACSD/All Africa Representative Meeting, Johannesburg, South Africa
2008 San Marino-Alexander Bodini Foundation Children's Awards
UNTRUST FUND to End Violence Against Women Issues Annual Call for Proposals
WFP: Bringing Human development to the Forefront of Student Minds
WHO: Expert Group Meeting on Adolescent Pregancy
World Bank Institute: Anti-corruption collective action competition 2009
"Actioning the Youth Agenda" in Fiji
African Union Declares Decade on Youth Development in Africa
African Youth Initiative and Creativity Award 2009
NUFF 2009 is calling all student filmmakers! Call for Entries April 1st
FEATURE: Kilimanjaro Initiative UNites to Combat Climate Change
(Submitted by the Kilimanjaro Initiative in co-operation with the UN Office of Sports for Development and Peace)
On 28 February 2009, a group of 31 climbers, assisted by 15 guides, 2 cooks and 45 porters, made their way through the gates of Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania - on route to the highest point of Africa and the largest freestanding mountain in the world. Brought together by Kilimanjaro Initiative (KI), a youth empowerment NGO, the climbers aimed to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to highlight the importance of creating a sustainable environment, under the United Nations banner ‘UNite to Combat Climate Change.’
The team included young people from disadvantaged communities in Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, UN staff and representatives from the private sector. The climbers received messages of support form United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace Wilfried Lemke. In addition, the Climb garnered support from the UN Federal Credit Union (UNFCU) and several UN agencies, including UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and the UN Office of Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP).
The annual ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro to the “rooftop of Africa” is at the centre of the KI activities. Conquering the mountain provides a ready metaphor for overcoming life’s challenges and was the genesis of the initiative itself. The climb demonstrates how people from all walks of life can come together to unite in overcoming common adversity, raise awareness on issues to which young people are confronted and collect funds for youth based community projects. Other KI projects, in Kenya and Tanzania, have included refurbishing a soccer pitch that was a crime haven, establishing security patrols, developing plans for micro-finance facilities and leading a “Youth Peace” rally in the wake of the Kenyan elections in December 2007.
This year, the climb focused on the importance of a sustainable environment. Nineteen climbers reached the rim of the sleeping volcano, enduring extremely difficult conditions. While glaciers still graced the summit, far less ice is visible than in previous years. KI founder, Tim Challen underlined the issue at stake: “If we don’t do what we can to prevent global warming, unseen weather patterns will severely affect our communities. For example, rising oceans and droughts will force people into urban areas that just won’t have the capacity to deal with those migration flows. This may lead to a greater increase in social ills.”
One of the youth climbers Mohamed Abdulahi Mohamed, from Nairobi’s Kibera slum turned organic farmer personifies some of the positive changes that can take place in our society. “Converting a dumping site into productive land presents many challenges as well as opportunities. It can help transform community attitudes towards waste management by providing a clean and healthy living environment,” said Mr. Mohamed, who like nine other youth received “Outward Bound” wilderness training, sponsored by UNFCU, to prepare for the arduous journey.
“Young people are fundamental to the future of this planet and we must make sure we encourage them to be at the forefront of the battle against climate change and leaders in their own communities,” Mr. Challen explained. Felix Oduor, a former Mount Kilimanjaro climber who also hails from Kibera and is now a proud KI employee sent a rallying call to all the young people of this world. “There are young people in Kibera that are so disillusioned, so hopeless and I was part of that disillusionment and hopelessness. To those who think everything is difficult, everything cannot be done - we’ve re-energized ourselves to make sure we improve our lives.” His sentiments were echoed by Mr. Mohamed: “Never give up in life, no matter how easy, or how difficult. Never give up!”
The next Kilimanjaro Initiative climb is scheduled to step off on 27 February 2010 and will highlight how sport can be an innovative and cost-effective tool in our efforts to reach development and peace objectives. KI recently gained NGO status and has opened offices in Nairobi, Kenya. This has allowed them to extend their outreach activities beyond the annual hike. For more information on KI, please visit: http://www.kilimanjaroinitiative.org.
NEWS FROM UN OFFICES
Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting for the 17th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development
More than 130 major groups’ representatives from 40 different organizations participated in the Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting for the 17th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, which took place in New York from 23-27 February, 2009. Three Youth delegates were part of the deliberations, representatives of Canada and the Netherlands.
During the meeting, the Commission considered the valuable contributions of youth and other major groups as they participated in interactive discussions on agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification, African development, and the interlinkages between these phenomena. Negotiations surrounding these issues will take place at the 17th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-17), which will convene from 4-15 May 2009 in New York. A High-level Dialogue with Ministers and Major Groups will also take place on 12 May 2009
For details on the preparatory meeting please visit: http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/dsd_aofw_mg/mg_csd17_ipm.shtml
For more information on CSD-17, please visit: http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/csd/csd_csd17.shtml
Workshop on Life Skills and Youth Health Behaviour
The Concluding Regional Workshop on “Strengthening life skills for positive youth health behaviour” was held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok on 5 and 6 March 2009. The Workshop was attended by participants from Cambodia, China (Xinjiang), Philippines and Sri Lanka as well as other UN agencies. Participants included government officials, members of civil society organizations and young peer educators. The objectives of the Workshop were to share good practices and lessons learned in building community-based networks of life skills training for young people and to develop policy recommendations on life skills training policy and programme for youth, including HIV prevention education. The outcome of the Workshop will form part of a publication, to be published by mid-2009, on life skill trainings for young people, especially in the context of substance abuse and risky sexual behaviour.
For more information: http://www.unescap.org/ESID/hds/projects/lifeskills/ws050309.asp
Match Day against Hunger on 20-22 March 2009
FAO and EPFL (Association of European Professional Football Leagues) launched the campaign "Professional Football against Hunger": Match Day against Hunger on 20-22 March 2009. On this occasion, over 200 football clubs playing in more than 100 stadiums and millions of football fans were involved in the first ever Europe-wide football weekend against hunger. This campaign aimed at raising awareness about the plight of the 963 million people, victims of starvation – a plight exacerbated by the ongoing food and economic crisis --and the urgent need to fight world hunger and poverty. The funds raised during the football weekend will help to finance TeleFood small-scale fighting hunger projects around the world.
See additional details at: http://www.epfl-europeanleagues.com/fao
CBD: "The Green Wave" global biodiversity project
Through action-oriented learning, The Green Wave enables children and youth to make a difference for biodiversity. The project encourages participants to engage in local action, build friendships, work in local and international partnerships and learn about global issues affecting biodiversity. In participating schools, students learn about biodiversity and plan a special tree-planting celebration for the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) on 22 May. On IDB, students plant a native tree species, and water it at 10:00 local time, thereby creating a “green wave”, starting in the east and travelling west around the planet. Throughout the day, students upload photos, videos and text summaries to The Green Wave website to share their tree-planting story with others. An interactive map goes live at 20:10 with all The Green Wave stories. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.greenwave.cbd.int.
UN-HABITAT
$1-million annual grant program opens for urban youth groups
On March 25, eligible youth-led organizations from around the World, dedicated to social programmes designed to help their communities manage issues such as education, poverty, health, nutrition and safety can apply for financial assistance from UN-Habitat.
The Opportunities Fund for Urban Youth-Led Development, a grant worth $1 million in funding per year, will award up to US $25,000 to groups led by young people, aged 15-24 years. The Fund supports inspiring youth-led initiatives worldwide and engages the partnership and leadership of young men and women in working towards sustainable urbanization. “Through this new fund, we are recognizing the urgent need to bolster youth-led initiatives, and are at the forefront of a growing movement to place youth at the centre of sustainable development strategies.” says Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN-HABITAT.
Go to http://www.unhabitat.org/opfund to download the Opportunity Fund application or forward it to an eligible youth-led group.
Youth in values based water, sanitation and hygiene education
UN-HABITAT is implementing a Human Values Based Water Sanitation and Hygiene Education (HVWSHE) initiative in Asia, involving youth and children. Through mainstreaming human values in their day-to-day activities, children and youth make decisions that conserve and value water, and good hygiene and sanitation practices.
HVWSHE aims at positive attitudinal transformation in children and youth, as they are viewed as the agents of change for responsible and ethical behaviour towards water, sanitation and hygiene issues.
In Asia, HVWSHE activities are being carried out in India, Nepal, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and China. The activities include: Curriculum Development for educational sector; teacher training; pilot demonstration projects in schools; partnerships with water and sanitation sector for increased sustainable water and sanitation service provision to schools; establishment of “Water Classrooms”; and, building capacity for promoting Ethics and Human Values.
For more information on HVWSHE, contact Andre Dzikus, Chief Water and Sanitation Section II, Water Sanitation Infrastructure Branch, UN-HABITAT, or visit the links below:
http://vbwse.seamolec.org
www.unwac.org
http://www.unlao.org/UNCT/UNHABITAT/default.asp
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=4172&catid=26&typeid=11&subMenuId=0
2nd National Forum on Safe Neighborhoods held in Kenya
In response to the outcome of the 2008 International Youth Crime Prevention and Cities Summit, Kenya’s 2nd annual National Forum on Safe Neighbourhoods focussed on developing an Inter-Ministerial Strategy on Youth Violence Prevention at the local level. The workshop was organized by a Youth-led Task Force, involving Junior Achievement Kenya. It focussed on the process of engaging frontline grassroots youth initiatives in rehabilitation of neighbourhood social facilities. Participants discussed the formulation of a one year national action plan in the areas of community sports facilities; community policing; safe schools; safe spaces for adolescents and young girls; and community media arts centres. The local and state governments are committed to implementing the strategy. UN-HABITAT will seek to advance similar youth-led initiatives in its other Safer Cities pilot projects in Tanzania, Burundi, and possibly Guatemala and Brazil.
For more information, contact juma.assiago@unhabitat.org
UNICEF
ACSD/All Africa Representatives Meeting (AARM2), Johannesburg, South Africa, 11-15 January 2009
AARM 2: Achieving the Health-Related MDGs with Equity took place in January in Johannesburg with the overall goal of further galvanizing collaborative efforts to sustain and strengthen the momentum necessary for the achievement of the health-related MDGs in Africa. The session on Adolescent Health, Nutrition and Development presented available evidence linking adolescent health, nutrition and development to MDG #4 - Reduce Child Mortality, MDG#5 - Improve Maternal Health, and MDG#6 - combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. The session also highlighted some promising practices in the three regions on the African continent, and made well tailored recommendations for scaling up adolescent sexual and reproductive health services and information, as well as preventing adolescent pregnancy within each region. The strategic recommendations were made to help UNICEF in the Africa region better integrate adolescent health and development into the ACSD interventions and programmes.
For more information please contact Victor Karunan, ADAP, UNICEF-HQ, New York, at vkarunan@unicef.org
2008 San Marino-Alexander Bodini Foundation Children's Awards
Submissions to the 2008 San Marino-Alexander Bodini Foundation Children's Awards were provided by UNICEF Voices of Youth (VOY) programme. The three winning organizations were the Tamilnadu-Pondicherry State Parliament of Children in India, Young African Stars Nigeria, and Kids Link Fiji – each of which received $20,000. They were honoured as tomorrow's leaders and agents of change. For more information, contact María Cristina Gallegos, ADAP, UNICEF-HQ, New York, cgallegos@unicef.org or visit http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/sanmarino_47887.html
Annual Call for Proposals
Closing the Gap on the Implementation of National and Local Laws, Policies and Action Plans that Address Violence against Women and Girls
On 6 March 2009, the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) launched its global annual call for proposals to support country-level efforts to end violence against women and girls. The complete Call for Proposals detailing criteria, eligibility requirements and complete guidelines on how to apply is available at http://www.unifem.org/untfevaw/. The deadline for application is 17 April 2009.
The Call for Proposals continues the UN Trust Fund’s focus on supporting the implementation of national and local laws, policies and action plans that address violence against women and girls. Civil society organizations, governments, and UN Country Teams in partnership with governments and civil society are invited to submit applications for a minimum of US$100,000 to a maximum of US$1 million for duration of up to three years.
WFP
Bringing Human Development to the Forefront of Student Minds
5-9 March, 2009: WFP was invited to facilitate two days of workshops and presentations with students from Inter-Community School, Zurich, and International School of Zug and Luzern with a view to creating on campus student advocacy groups to raise awareness about hunger issues, the Millennium Development Goals, and the work of WFP. The weekend also included a WFP presentation at the Swiss Group of International Schools Conference hosted by Zurich International School. Following the workshops, and a presentation to students at Institute Montana, WFP Youth Outreach Coordinator, Graham Bell (graham.bell@wfp.org) will be working with educators to develop a “Get Involved: Be Part of the Solution” awareness-raising pack for schools. For more information, please visit: http://www.wfp.org/students-and-teachers
WHO
Expert Group Meeting on Adolescent Pregnancy
10-12 February 2009, Geneva, Switzerland
How can countries reduce the number of deaths of very young mothers and their newborns? How can they prevent too-early pregnancy? How can they improve care for pregnant adolescents, and prevent their social exclusion? These were key questions discussed by experts from countries of all world regions, WHO staff, and UN partners, at a meeting held 10-12 February at WHO headquarters in Geneva.
Organized by the Departments of Making Pregnancy Safer (MPS), Child and Adolescent Health and Development (CAH) and Reproductive Health and Research (RHR), the meeting built on WHO work on adolescent pregnancy. Experts reviewed a position paper outlining the latest evidence, and discussed issues and remaining gaps in the evidence.
Approximately 40 participants recommended critical areas that countries need to address for the prevention and care of pregnancy in adolescence. The key output was a renewed and inclusive WHO agenda for action at global, regional and country level.
To listen to an episode of the WHO Podcast about adolescent pregnancy, go to: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/multimedia/podcasts/2009/teenage-pregnancy-20090213/en/index.html
Anti-corruption collective action competitions 2009
The World Bank Institute (WBI) and its partners have launched a competition on fighting corruption through collective action.
Students and professionals may participate by submitting an essay or business model on the topic. The objective is to identify and share innovative solutions to corruption based on multi-stakeholder efforts, known as collective action, building on the innovative thinking of young professionals and students.
Sponsored by the Belgian government, main prizes cover participation and travel expenses to the World Bank Institute’s Executive Development Program: "Fighting Corruption through Collective Action in Today’s Competitive Marketplaces" that will be held in Washington D.C., 8-11 June, 2009. Winners will also be given the opportunity to present their work at this program and will have their case study published on the World Bank Institute’s portal. The deadline for submitting work is 24 April, 2009.
For more information, please visit: http://www.fightingcorruption.org
YOUTH IN ACTION
“Actioning the Youth Agenda” in Fiji
22 South Pacific Island countries have been invited to participate in the 2nd Pacific Youth Festival to be held in Suva, Fiji from the 11-18 July. The week long festival with the overarching theme of "Actioning the Youth Agenda" will bring over 800 youths from the region to discuss issues under five thematic areas which are:
1. Promoting Healthy Living
2. Climate Change Adaptation
3. Governance, Peace & Security
4. Pacific Identity
5. Skills for Life
The Pacific Youth Festival is a target under "Building Stronger Communities," Component 4 of the Pacific Youth Strategy 2010.
African Union Declares Decade on Youth Development in Africa
The Assembly of Heads of State and government of the African Union have declared the years 2009-2019 as the decade of youth development in Africa. The decade was declared during the last Executive Council held in January 2009 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia within the context of the outcomes and prospects related to the Year of African Youth 2008 and to facilitate the implementation of the African Youth Charter after its ratification.
The decade is an opportunity to advance the agenda of youth development in all member states across the African Union, to ensure effective and more ambitious investment in youth development programmes and increased support to the development and implementation of national youth policies and programmes.
Priority issues to be addressed within the 10-year plan of action include: education, employment, safe spaces for recreation and leisure, participation in policy-making processes at national, regional and continental levels, and health issues.
For more information, please contact Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima of the African Union Commission at: dabesaki@gmail.com
African Youth Initiative and Creativity Award 2009
The theme of the 2009 African Youth Initiative and Creativity award (AYICA) is: African Youth Promote African positive values. Young people interested in the award are encouraged to develop a speech of not more than 1,500 words, and submit it to their respective Ministries responsible for youth with a cover letter with subject line "African Youth Initiative and Creativity Award 2009." Five outstanding speeches will be selected, and the young people invited to address their parliament on the issues raised. Each speech is expected to take a maximum of 15 minutes. The most well presented speech will be submitted to the African Union Commission. The 2009 awards will be organised in five categories, which will have a total of 10 winners. Awards will be presented on Africa Day, 25 May, 2009 in Addis Ababa. The national selection process runs through 1 June, 2009.
For more information, contact Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima of the African Union Commission at: dabesaki@gmail.com
NUFF 2009 is calling all student and young filmmakers! Call for entries April 1st
The Nordic Youth Film Festival (NUFF) is a free festival, screening films created by young filmmakers, aged 15-25. Films can be of any genre and up to 20 minutes long. The deadline for submissions is 1 April.
NUFF is also calling young film interested people, aged 15-25, for submission for the NUFF film-workshops. The workshops involve making a film in five days from the idea to the finished film. The workshops are facilitated by International professional filmmakers. For more information, visit http://www.nuff.no
Young Peacemaker of the Year Contest in Russia
The 3-day meeting of participants of the "Young Peacemaker of the Year" interregional contest took place from 12-14 December 2008 in "Spasatel" Camp in the suburbs of Moscow. More than 100 representatives of the Movement of Young Peacemakers who won the regional contests gathered at the event
The interregional contest of Young Peacemakers was organized by the Organizing Committee of the National Contest “UN Peacekeeper of the Year” and involved thousands of children and youth interested in study of UN peacekeeping practice. As a follow-up to the programme, both children and their teachers are taking part in an interdisciplinary program, the "Network of Schools of Peace" in the different regions of the country, establishing direct contacts and outlining plans for the future.
For more information, please visit http://www.un-museum.ru or contact Valery Guerguel director@un-museum.ru
Youth “Staying Alive”
The Staying Alive Foundation has opened its first 2009 call for proposals for grants that will be given out on the 1st of June. The deadline to apply is 6 April, 2009. Applications are accepted in English, French and Spanish.
The Staying Alive Foundation looks for projects that are led entirely by young people, and favours organizations which were set up recently and have not received much financial support. Equally, it looks at how well the project responds to the following goals:
- Educate young people about HIV and AIDS prevention and how it can be sustained.
- Potential to be a true youth leader in order to establish a community response and commitment.
- Alleviate the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS.
Application: http://files.tiggroups.org/78997/SAFAwardsApplication_June09.doc.word
Funding Criteria: http://files.tiggroups.org/79003/SAF_FundingCriteria_June09.doc.word
Frequently Asked Questions: http://files.tiggroups.org/79009/SAF_FAQs_June09.doc.word
PUBLICATIONS
(For UN documents on youth, visit: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/library.htm)
Daddy you can save the planet! (UNECE)
Now in Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish
This colouring book first released in English and French by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in 2007 aims at raising children’s, and their parents’, awareness about all those little gestures that can have a big influence in limiting the impact of our daily activities on the environment: recycling paper, avoiding wasting water,
switching off the light when leaving a room, using a bicycle instead of a car, and similar actions. The colouring book can be ordered from: https://unp.un.org/Search.aspx?keyword=daddy
Youth Employment in Sierra Leone: Sustainable Livelihood Opportunities in a Post-Conflict Setting (World Bank)
A challenge for Sierra Leone is how to create job opportunities for a large and growing youth population. The book, Youth Employment in Sierra Leone: Sustainable Livelihood Opportunities in a Post-Conflict Setting analyzes the supply of youth labour, employer demand for young workers, and existing programmes intended to address the needs of youth and employers. The analysis concludes that youth are a dynamic part of the labour market and that the observed youth employment patterns are a result of the economy’s structure rather than youth-specific constraints. Based on the empirical evidence, the book lays out short-term policy options ‘to address the immediate needs of today’s youth’ and long-term strategies intended to improve the labour market’s underlying limitations. These proposed interventions are expected to transform the challenges of sustainable youth employment into an opportunity. The book can be purchased from the World Bank’s Infoshop: http://www.worldbank.org/infoshop
Youth and Social Cohesion in Ibero-America: A model in the making (UNECLAC)
Synthesis available online in English, Portuguese and Spanish
Youth and Social Cohesion in Ibero-America: A Model in the Making, contains a thorough diagnosis of the situation of youth in Latin America, Portugal and Spain. The document was officially presented last October at the Ibero-American Summit in San Salvador. Originally issued in Spanish, the complete version is also now available in Portuguese. A self-contained synthesis has been also published in both languages and English. The document can be accessed at http://www.eclac.org/publicaciones/
For more information, contact Martin Hopenhayn (martin.hopenhayn@cepal.org)
CALENDAR OF YOUTH EVENTS
(Please send us information on major international youth events that do not appear below)
APRIL
13-15 April 2009: World Youth Assembly International Youth Forum, Tripoli, Libya
The International Youth Forum (IYF) is an international event organized by the World Assembly of Youth (WAY) and member countries, which brings together young people and youth leaders from around the world to discuss pertinent youth issues. The IYF produces a declaration which serves as a guideline for youth to address the selected issues. The theme selected for IYF 2009 is “The Role of Youth in Poverty Eradication”. This theme has been selected in realization of the need to educate, increase awareness, to prevent or reduce the rates poverty amongst youth. All countries are affected by the devastating consequences of poverty and even all sectors of the society. For more information visit http://www.way.org.my
17-19 April 2009: Youth Forum of the Americas
The Youth Forum of the Americas is a pre-Summit forum of the Fifth Summit of the Americas. The Forum creates a space for young people to discuss and contribute to putting into action the themes of the Fifth Summit of the Americas. Participants will present the results of a consultation process related to the central themes of the Fifth Summit that was conducted throughout the region. These will be presented to Heads of State attending the Fifth Summit. More Information: www.youngamericasforum.com
24-26 April 2009: Global Youth Service Day
During Global Youth Service Day, young people from around the world will work to address the needs of their local communities through service and be recognized for their contributions as a part of a global youth service movement. More information: http://www.gysd.org.
23-24 April 2009: Inaugural European University Hunger Summit
The World Food Programme and Universities Fighting World Hunger will host the first European University Hunger Summit in Rome, Italy, April 23 – 24, 2009. The European Hunger Summit offers an opportunity for students, faculty, and administrators from universities and North American study abroad programmes across Europe to discuss ways to fight world hunger and malnutrition through an international grassroots student movement. For more information visit http://www.universitiesfightingworldhunger.org, or contact Graham Bell. (graham.bell@wfp.org)
5-10 May 2009: World Creative Youth Forum (WCYF) 2009
The theme of the Forum is "Education for Sustainable Development". It will focus on Peace and Human Rights, Climate Change, Sustainable Lifestyle, Entrepreneurship, Education and Technology, and Advocacy for Sustainable Development. More information: www.worldcreativeyouthforum.net.
4-6 May 2009: Vanguardia Latina Youth Forum, Los Angeles, California
Vanguardia Latina is an innovative annual forum that aims to strengthen inter-American networks. It provides an opportunity for young university students to exchange ideas on current and emerging issues at the national, regional and global levels. The Forum will also contribute to the consolidation and development of networks of young Latin American leaders (in the United States and Latin America) in order for them to develop joint proposals and common strategies for action.
Organized by EVAC (Espacio Vinculacion A.C.), the Forum brings students together with a view to developing concrete plans of action. The theme of this year’s Forum will be "The youth perspective", which will be the basis of discussions about migration, the environment, and the media, among others.
UNESCO, through its Section for Youth, Sport and Physical Education selects a delegation of young people from Latin America to participate in the Forum.
For more information, please visit: http://www.esmas.com/vanguardialatina/
9-14 June 2009: Global Youth Forum in Mongolia
The Forum aims to encourage dialogue among young people to develop mutual understanding and cooperation in addressing global problems. The event is being organized by OYUNLAL-UILS, a non-governmental and non-profit organization working to promote youth development in Mongolia. Issues covered at the Forum will include environmental protection & climate change, poverty, decent work and unemployment, public health policy and HIV/AIDS, and gender equality. More information: http://www.oyunlaguils.mn/index.php?ID=7.
10-12 June 2009: The United Nations Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development (UNDESA-GAID) Annual Meeting in Monterrey, Mexico
The Annual Meeting of UNDESA-GAID will be a truly global event which will be attended by policy makers, United Nations high-level representatives, technologists, academics, business leaders, social entrepreneurs, the civil society and young leaders. The attendants will engage in active conversations in the field of ICT for Education and participate in interactive, multi-stakeholder panel discussions. The Monterrey event consists of the Global Forum, which will focus on ICT and Innovation for Education, the GAID’s Strategy Council and Steering Committee. In addition, several parallel events will be organized by various GAID network partners and an iMarketSpace will be set-up to create an interactive exhibit space where stakeholders from the ICT for development community can showcase and exhibit their initiatives, projects, and ideas.
GAID looks forward to the improved dynamism and innovative dialogue that youth participation brings to these proceedings.
For more information on the Annual Meeting of GAID, please visit their website:
http://www.un-gaid.org/tabid/1027/Default.aspx
11-14 June 2009: Baltic Model United Nations
The 2nd International Baltic Model United Nations for high school students around the world will focus on the theme “Building Bridges - A foundation for sustainability and progress”. Herewith, we cordially invite you to join BALMUN 2009 and to carry on the success of last year’s conference. Only 150 participants will discuss the most imminent issues of today’s world in six different committees. This makes BALMUN a more personal and intense conference. Meanwhile an independent press team will publish a daily newspaper during the time of the conference. For more information please visit: http://www.balmun.de
5-7 August 2009: Global Model UN Conference
The UN Department of Public Information will organize the first annual Global Model UN Conference in Geneva, Switzerland from 5-7 August 2009. The event will bring together university-level students from Model UN programmes currently organized around the world. The theme of the conference will be “The Millennium Developments Goals – Lifting the bottom billion out of poverty”. It will involve youth in all aspects of the planning process and encourage the organization of new Model UN programmes where they do not exist, serving as a model of best practices. Furthermore, it is expected that the Global Model UN will inspire the next generation of leaders to be involved in national and global issues. More information: http://www.un.org/gmun.
12 August: International Youth Day 2009
The theme for International Youth Day 2009 is Sustainability: Our Challenge, Our Future.
Sustainability encapsulates three facets of life: the environment, society and the economy, and sustainable development can only occur where three intersect in symbiotic fashion. Therefore, in order to embrace the challenge of sustainability in its fullness, we must all adopt a global sense of social responsibility.
How will YOU celebrate International Youth Day 2009? Are you ready to take on the challenge?
For more information visit: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/iyouthday.htm)
21 - 26 August 2009: TUNZA International Youth Conference
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the UNEP National Committee for the Republic of Korea will be organizing its Tunza International Youth Conference on the Environment in Daejeon. The Conference will bring together 200 youth, to learn about the environment through plenary sessions, workshops and field trips. The Conference will be in three segments: Global Town Hall meeting on 21 August, Regional Meetings from 22-23 August and Conference from 24-26 August. The daily themes include Climate change: Limiting the FootPrint, Youth and Green Jobs, Disasters and Conflicts and their Impact on the Environment and Sustainable Lifestyles.
For more information: http://www.unep.org/tunza/youth/conferences_events/TIYC2009.
31 August – 4 September 2009: World Climate Conference-3
Organized by the World Meteorological Organization, the World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3) provides the world community with a unique opportunity to address the challenges associated with current climate variability so as to build societal resilience to the imminent effects of climate change. More information: http://www.wmo.int/pages/world_climate_conference/index_en.html.
29-30 September 2009: Global Youth Enterprise Conference
Designed as a participatory learning event, this conference aims to support youth enterprise and entrepreneurship programmes and policies to achieve greater effectiveness around the world. Participants include practitioners, funding organizations, the private sector, academics and youth leaders from around the world who will share best practices, unique approaches, and groundbreaking ideas that help youth develop the necessary skills and opportunities to start their own businesses or seek quality employment. Prospective participants are being encouraged to share their 2020 Vision for the Youth Enterprise, Employment, and Livelihoods Development Field. A call for proposals has been issued. For more information visit: http://www.youthenterpriseconference.org.
7 - 18 December 2009: United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change entered into force on 21 March 1994. The Convention sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle climate change and recognizes that the climate system is a shared resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The Convention enjoys near universal membership, with 192 countries having ratified. A number of nations had approved the Kyoto Protocol, as an addition to the treaty with more powerful (and legally binding) measures. The Protocol’s first commitment period ends in 2012. A strong multilateral framework needs to be in place by 2009 to ensure that there is no gap between the end of the Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period in 2012 and the entry into force of a future regime. COP15 (Conference of Parties) in Copenhagen is a vital step in this process.
For more information, visit: http://www.cop15.dk.
SUBSCRIPTION
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CONTACT INFORMATION
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UN Programme on Youth
Division for Social Policy and Development
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
United Nations
2 UN Plaza, DC2-1306
New York, NY 10017
USA
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