Media Advisory

The UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, will lead a mission to India, the country with the world’s largest number of young people. This is the first mission of the UN Envoy on Youth to India.

Beginning his mission in India, on Tuesday, 25 August, the Envoy will address the AIESEC 2015 International Congress on the theme 2020 AIESEC Strategy.

On Wednesday, 26 August, the Envoy will participate in the launch of the youth mobilization campaign Dizzy Goals that aims at harnessing the energy and popularity of football to propel better global understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda. The Envoy will also brief the UN Country Team and UN Youth Task Force on future youth strategies in implementing the SDGs.

On Thursday, 27 August, the Envoy will lead a panel discussion on “Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent Health” of the Call to Action Summit 2015 followed by high-level meetings with officials at India’s Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The mission will conclude on Friday, 28 August , with the Envoy meeting with youth and civil society organizations; interacting with adolescent youth who are part of a UNFPA- implemented Adolescence Education Programme (AEP) at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi; and addressing a town hall meeting with UN Volunteers.

The UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth is mandated with the task of bringing the voices of young people to the United Nations System. The Envoy works with different UN Agencies, Governments, Civil Society, Academia and Media towards enhancing, empowering and strengthening the position of young people within and outside of the United Nations System. The role of the Envoy on Youth is described by the UN Secretary-General as a “harmoniser between all UN agencies” bringing them together to explore cooperation opportunities for working with and for young people.

The Work Plan of the UNSG’s Envoy on Youth outlines 4 priority areas; Participation, Advocacy, Partnerships and Harmonisation. The Envoy seeks to increase focus on Youth Employment and Civic Engagement while ensuring the integration of a gender perspective across all work areas. In parallel, the Envoy will support the Education First Initiative and upscale activities related to youth and education.

For further information please contact: Trevor Gowan, Communications Consultant, Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, United Nations gowan@un.org