They were among thousands of contestants from some 128 countries who had participated in the international essay contest, Many Languages, One World. Each of them was asked to write an essay on the role of multilingualism in a globalized world – under 2,000 words – on global citizenship in one of the six UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). But there was a catch: the language in which they were to write the essay could not be the mother tongue, nor could it be their primary language of instruction.
Ultimately, the sixty winners – ten from each language category – stood out not only because they had mastered a language other than their own, but because they were able to articulate what it means to be a global citizen in an inter-dependent world.
In appreciation of their efforts, the sixty winners were invited by ELS Educational Services Inc. for a series of activities in New York, culminating in an International Youth Forum at UN General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters on 27 June 2014.
In welcoming the winners United Nations Under-Secretary-General Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, praised the highly talented young students for their sense of purpose, foresightedness and ingenuity in addressing complex global issues and articulating a vision for an inter-dependent world. “Reading your essays, learning about your project proposals for UN Academic Impact and speaking with some of you, it is clear there is no project more rewarding than investing in our youth,” he told the cheering winners.
Each of the winners attending the event spoke from the General Assembly Hall in their chosen language category, presenting concrete proposals on three UNAI principles – educational opportunities for all, global citizenship and inter-cultural dialogue.
The forum was also addressed by Mark Harris, CEO of ELS Educational Services Inc., Dr. Bob Scott, President of Adelphi University, USA, and Mrs. Susan Adams, whose late husband J Michael Adams, former President of Fairleigh Dickinson University, played a key role in defining the UNAI..
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