Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at #AskPGA: A Conversation with Youth
17 April 2024
[As Delivered]
Assistant-Secretary-General for Youth, Mr. Felipe Paulier,
Youth Envoy for the African Union, and Moderator of today’s conversation, Ms. Chido Mpemba,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished Guests, and Dear youthful friends,
I am delighted to be with you this afternoon, with a clear message.
That – as young people – you are not merely the leaders of tomorrow; but you are also the leaders of today.
History has shown us time and again that young people are the architects of change – pushing the boundaries of what is possible and leading movements that have changed and reshaped the world.
In our journeys towards a sustainable future, the role of the youth is indispensable.
The English series entitled Generation Change – which I see airing on Al Jazeera – is not just a title but one among many other acknowledgements how your innovative ideas can shape and reshape the world.
In my tenure as President of the General Assembly, I have and will continue to uphold my commitment to inclusive multilateralism – ensuring that the voices of young people are not just heard but are factored into the decision-making processes of the United Nations.
I have deemed it necessary to offer you space today on the sidelines of the first-ever UN Sustainability Week – a week of activities focused on critical sectors of the economy including tourism, transport, energy, and infrastructure connectivity, as well as spotlighting the question of debt sustainability and socio-economic equality for all.
I know that you – the young people, many of you committed globalists – are well-equipped to contribute to these discussions and so to add substantive value to the outcome.
Because, in the apt words of the late Secretary-General Kofi Annan – ‘any society that does not succeed in tapping into the energy and creativity of its youth will be left behind’ – and I will do my utmost to ensure that we leave no one behind in our determined pursuit of sustainable development for all.
Dear Friends,
I often hear a lot about the youth asking for a seat at the table – and I am sure I will hear more of that here today.
For now, I would say that meaningful engagement of youth means more than just participation but having a say.
It means empowering you with the tools, skills, and opportunities needed so that you can make tangible impacts.
Through mechanisms like the ECOSOC Youth Forum, the UN aims to provide a platform for young voices from across the world to share their insights and solutions for sustainable development.
Through the #AskPGA platform on my official website, I have opened a channel for dialogue with global citizens – providing written responses directly to queries related to the work of the UN – from people around the world.
While I encourage you to take advantage of it, today I am excited to hear directly and in-person from you – and I will even pose some questions of my own to you too.
As I said, as part of the General Assembly’s first-ever Sustainability Week, your perspectives on debt sustainability, sustainable tourism, transport, and energy are invaluable to our mission.
And I also look forward to the engagement of youth representatives as we intensify preparations going forward to the Summit of the Future – which will be convened in September, in accordance with the mandate, ensuring that your views and voices resonate amidst the discussions to formulate and agree multilateral solutions for a brighter more sustainable future.
Dear Friends,
As I close, it is worth re-emphasizing that you – the young people – cannot be mere spectators or recipients of policies crafted without your input.
You have a say in creating the future and your legitimate concerns are worthy of consideration.
Today, we acknowledge and embrace the power of your ideas – as key collaborators in our quest for a sustainable world.
Through inclusive policies – and by providing necessary resources and capacity building on youth – we are laying the groundwork for achieving the SDGs and ensuring a prosperous future for all.
For many regions – such as in Africa where the young people average around 63 percent of the population – investing in youth is the most prudent thing to do; to fully reap the full benefit of this demographic dividend.
Your energy, creativity, passion, and resourcefulness are the most powerful forces we have in the fight for a sustainable future.
Let us harness this potential together – not tomorrow – but now, today.
Your leadership and vision are needed more than ever – and I look forward to hearing from you very shortly.
Thank you for your kind attention.
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