Making the United Nations Relevant to all PeoplePRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA GRAYLEY, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA
Good afternoon, everyone!
PGA CHAMPIONS YOUTH EMPOWERMENT DURING 68TH CIVIL SOCIETY CONFERENCE, IN SALT LAKE CITY
The President of the General Assembly has arrived in Salt Lake City to speak at the Civil Society Conference.
Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa started the day by talking to the Youth Caucus on climate action and youth empowerment.
The PGA said empowering young people is one of her top priorities as global challenges cannot be addressed without the ideas, creativity and sheer determination of young people.
Ms. Espinosa shared her conviction that multilateralism can benefit from an intergenerational dialogue and as PGA she has been inviting young people to participate and contribute at all events of the General Assembly (including high-level events).
The GA President also highlighted her efforts on Youth, Peace and Security which is one of the seven priorities during the current session of the GA.
Ms. Espinosa emphasized the urgency to address climate change and noted the benefits to accrue from taking climate action.
Climate-smart development, for example, could generate as much as U$26 trillion dollars in the next decade. The transition to sustainable sources of energy could result in a net gain of over 11 million jobs.
The PGA praised the commitment on banning single-use plastics included in the Youth Declaration, to be agreed at the conference in Salt Lake City, and she mentioned her global campaign against plastic pollution.
She said that young people have power individually and collectively as activists, citizens and consumers to help change behavioural patterns.
The 68th Civil Society Conference gathers over 4,000 people from over 130 countries in the US state of Utah.
Ms. Espinosa also paid a visit to the LDS Charities Humanitarian Center. Later today she will hold separate bilateral meetings with the Mayor of Salt Lake City and State legislators.
The PGA is also taking part in a press conference and granting interviews before heading back to New York tomorrow, 29 August.
PGA’S OFFICE TO LAUNCH SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO ACCELERATE ACTION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
The Office of the President of the General Assembly will launch a social media campaign, starting on 4 September, to promote collective action for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The “SDG Acceleration Hub” will help to promote the SDG Summit, which will take place in the afternoon of 24 September, in New York.
In a letter to Member States, Ms. Espinosa said that the campaign will also further encourage engagement and participation and the need to for global solutions to address global challenges.
The initiative will share quotes from Heads of State and Government, expressing their views on the importance of the event as well as previewing any voluntary acceleration commitments or initiatives in their respective countries.
The social media cards will also be cross-promoted on the UN Global Goals Twitter account.
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