193 Youth Representatives from around the world participated in the historic moment of the adoption of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.  Organized by the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth and the Office of the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning, the 193 young people joined world leaders, and Nobel Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, for “A once-in-a-life-time opportunity,” according to Ahmad Alhendawi, the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth.

Excited by the presence of 193 young people filling the highest balcony in the UN General Assembly Hall, the Envoy on Youth commented,  “I think it’s a very powerful message that young people are witnessing this moment.” He stressed, “They are going to be partners in implementation and they will also hold governments accountable to the promise they are making today.”

Pakistani education advocate Malala Yousafzai, alongside the 193 youth representatives, asked world leaders to promise that every child will have the right to safe, free and quality primary and secondary education. Speaking to world leaders gathered in the hall, Ms. Yousafzai said, “World leaders sitting there, look up because the future generation is raising their voice.”

“Today, we are 193 young people representing billions more. Each lantern we hold represents the hope we have for our future because of the commitments you have made to the global goals,” she said as each of the 193 youth representatives held up a blue light.

At the moment of adoption of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda the 193 youth representatives made their voices heard.

For a historic day at the United Nations, it was especially historic with the voices of youth in the General Assembly raising their voices for the leaders of the worlds to hear and see and know the importance of the world’s youth to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.