Events
The Future Youth Want: Interdependence, Cooperation and Friendship
The United Nations is marking its 75th anniversary this year, at a time of great challenge for the world. COVID-19 continues to upend the lives of billions of people, destroying lives and livelihoods, and destabilizing the global economy. As the UN continues its efforts to fight the pandemic, it has launched UN75 – a global consultation that gives the public a chance to shape our collective future.
As we celebrate the International Day of Friendship, the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, in collaboration with One Shared World, presents a virtual live event to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and the future of the world in the next 25 years – while recognizing the principles of our shared humanity and the importance of friendship and human solidarity to address the world’s most challenging problems. The crises we are facing serve as an impetus for all of us to come together to accelerate the progress for the 2030 Agenda and beyond.
Join the livestream on Facebook: facebook.com/TheYouthAssembly
Speakers:
Jamie Metzl
Founder & Executive Director at One Shared World Jamie Metzl is a technology and healthcare futurist, geopolitical expert, novelist, entrepreneur, media commentator, Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council, Singularity University faculty member, and the Founder and Chair of OneShared.World. In 2019, he was appointed to the World Health Organization expert advisory committee on human genome editing. Jamie previously served in the U.S. National Security Council, State Department, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and as a Human Rights Officer for the United Nations in Cambodia. He serves on the Advisory Council to Walmart’s Future of Retail Policy Lab and has been an election monitor in Afghanistan and the Philippines and advised the government of North Korea on the establishment of Special Economic Zones. Jamie appears regularly on national and international media his syndicated columns and other writing on science, technology, health, politics, and international affairs are featured regularly in publications around the world. He is the author of a history of the Cambodian genocide, the historical novel The Depths of the Sea, and the genetics thrillers Genesis Code and Eternal Sonata. The highly revised paperback edition of his bestselling non-fiction book Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity was released in April 2020. A founder and Co-Chair of the national security organization Partnership for a Secure America, Jamie is a board member of the International Center for Transitional Justice, the American University in Mongolia, and Parsons Dance, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Brandeis International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a former White House Fellow and Aspen Institute Crown Fellow. Jamie holds a Ph.D. from Oxford, a JD from Harvard Law School, and is a magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brown University. Jamie speaks frequently to corporate, nonprofit, and academic audiences around the world.FIRST PANEL:
Grace Martens
Grace Martens is a third-year student at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Mathematical Economics. Her other academic interests include political science, the Spanish language, and data analysis. In college, she enjoys being a part of the Secretariat for UPenn’s Model United Nations Conference and a member of UnEarthed, an organization that publishes an educational magazine for kids in the West Philadelphia community.Shagun Sethi
Shagun recently graduated from Columbia University with a Masters in Global Thought. Prior to that, she studied Political Science and Sociology at The University of Delhi. Shagun’s interests lie at the intersection of social development, globalization and business. Shagun works in the field of Business and Human Rights and she is passionate about women’s rights and gender. She has started her own non-profit initiative in India entitled ‘Be A Man’, she has also delivered a TedX talk on this issue.Omar Sana
Omar Sana is the founder of Inveniam Consulting, a Toronto-based consultancy firm working with individual and institutional clients, primarily from the asset management industry. Prior to that he worked in property development, where he was involved in project forecasting, strategic development, and financing. On the non-profit side, Omar is a member of the Global Sustainability Network (focused on achieving goal 8 of the UN SDGs) and Social Welfare Academics and Training Trust. He holds a Bachelors in Finance from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University.SECOND PANEL:
Malaika Bhayana
Malaika is a rising freshman at Duke University. She has worked on several political campaigns, lobbied at a national level for gun control, interned at the NIH, and during her gap year worked as the Assistant Press Secretary for the US delegation to the European Union. As a member of One Shared World, Malaika is also the Outreach Coordinator for the Education Committee and a Coordinator for Social Media.Tianna Herman
Tianna is a Rhodes College Alumna and a Master of Science in Public Health Candidate at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Herman currently works for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as a Data Abstractor analyzing opioid overdoses. She has previously worked on a number of projects including running a task force in Southwest Florida to combat the opioid epidemic; testing well water for fecal coliforms in Kisumu, Kenya; and improving access to family planning services for immigrant teens in Teton County, Wyoming. She is passionate about promoting and improving public health through advocacy and policy reform.Katherine Elias
Katherine Elias studies Political Economy at the University of California, Berkeley, where she is an active member of Delta Phi Epsilon, a co-ed professional foreign service and international relations fraternity. She is interested in international security and the role of both international and domestic institutions in reducing socioeconomic inequality. She is currently a coordinator for One Shared World where she has helped launch its first report “Rise or Fall Together.”Dana Al-Anzy
Dana is a Qatari youth activist and recent graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown SFSQ. She majored in Culture and Politics with a focus on Cultural Diplomacy of the Middle East. She works at the UNHCR in Geneva as a Partnership Associate and has extensive experience in working in various UN organizations. She serves as Founder and President of Y17 Society, an organization that aims to increase the awareness and engagement of Qatari youth and civil society with the SDGs through providing workshops, mentorship and leadership opportunities and works with Education Above All Foundation. Serving since the 23rd Session of the Youth Assembly as an Ambassador, she is adamant on expressing the voice of the MENA region for the advancement and achievement of the SDGs.Daniel Sebugwawo
Daniel Sebugwawo is a Ugandan human rights advocate, social entrepreneur, mentor, and blogger. He studied Leadership of the 21st Century at Harvard Kennedy School. Daniel is the Founder/Director of Suubi Community Development Organization in Uganda, Mubende District, an organization that supports rural women and young girls to be entrepreneurs. The organization has established a permanent business center in a rural village of Kakindu which is a canter for mentorship, training, encouraging, and inspiring more women to have access to credit and to do business. He has served as the Global Action and Impact Network Impact Coordinator since 2018 with FAF.
About One Shared World
One Shared World began as a community of hundreds of people around the world coming together to collectively draft the Declaration of Interdependence.
We are a broad and inclusive movement of stakeholders working collaboratively across diverse cultures, communities, ethnicities, organizations, entities, interests, generations, and nations to ensure a better future for humankind and the sustainability of our collective home.
Youth Leadership: COVID-19 and Beyond
Join Friendship Ambassadors Foundation Executive Director Andrew Macdonald and our ambassadors from around the world for a discussion on youth leadership in the face of COVID-19 and how young people can help turn the tide on this crisis.
Decade of Youth Action
How do we promote youth action to accelerate progress on #GlobalGoals by 2030?
The last decade was marked by dialogues and campaigns around climate emergency, peace conflicts, gender inequality, poverty, and inadequate education and health facilities. This decade, the focus is on action and mobilization of youth to achieve the Global Goals by 2030. The United Nations Department of Global Communications and Friendship Ambassadors Foundation are joining hands to support the UN Decade of Action while giving a particular focus to youth. The Decade of Action aims to provide a framework and call-to-action for all sectors of society, along the three levels suggested by the Secretary-General: global action, local action, and people action.
Join us for a discussion on youth action to accelerate the progress of the #GlobalGoals. The event will specifically focus on:
- How to strengthen youth engagement in UN priority areas, including the Decade of Action
- Ideas and solutions for action to accelerate the achievement of the Global Goals
- Youth participation in platforms and discussion at local and national levels
Speakers include:
- Shaaz Nasir, Director of Digital Transformation, Microsoft
- Marco Sanchez, Youth Engagement & Advocacy Coordinator UNA USA
- Cecilia Chapiro, Yunus & Youth Founder; Investment Adviser @ UNICEF Innovation
- Valeria Gomez-Palacios, Co-Founder & Program Director, Global Emergency Response and Assistance
- Mayela Calderon, Partner Engagement Manager, Girls Who Code
- Alexandria Villaseñor, Climate Activist & Founder of Earth Uprising International
- Representative from Civil Society Unit, Department of Global Communications
- Moderator: Ali Mustafa, Youth Programs and Communications Consultant, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation
- Emcee: Andrew Macdonald, Executive Director, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation
Join the conversation: #DecadeofYouthAction#GlobalGoals #DecadeOfAction #UNWithCivilSociety #UN75
“Decade of Youth Action” Program Schedule
In Collaboration with the UN Department of Global Communications Civil Society Unit
4 March 2020, 10:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
Opening Remarks and Welcome (10:30 A.M.)
Andrew Macdonald, Executive Director
Opening Keynote (10:35 A.M.)
Representative, Civil Society Unit, Department of Global Communications
Panel (10:40 A.M.)
Moderator: Ali Mustafa, Youth Programs and Communications Consultant, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation
Shaaz Nasir, Director of Digital Transformation, Microsoft
Marco Sanchez, Youth Engagement & Advocacy Coordinator, UNA USA
Cecilia Chapiro, Yunus & Youth Founder; Investment Adviser @ UNICEF Innovation
Valeria Gomez-Palacios, Co-Founder & Program Director, Global Emergency Response and Assistance
Mayela Calderon, Partner Engagement Manager, Girls Who Code
Q&A / Open Mic (11:10 A.M.)
UN75 Presentation (12:05 P.M.)
Closing Keynote (12:35 P.M.)
Alexandria Villaseñor, Climate Activist & Founder of Earth Uprising International
Conclusion / Photo Op (12:45 P.M.)
Consultations: Declaration of Priorities – Human Development
Description:
The Youth Assembly is a place for young people to build partnerships and networks, learn and develop critical skills, and take action that delivers real impact to their local and global communities.
The outcome is a powerful cross-sector and cross-national network among the next generation of leaders, translated into action-based projects and initiatives after the conference. We expect participants to experience The Youth Assembly, not as an event, but as part of a journey that directs significant action and impact on the ground in their communities and across the world.
To guide this journey, the Delegates will help produce a landmark document – FAF’s first Declaration of Priorities, which will set out the primary issues, goals, and strategies for youth action to support sustainable development as determined and agreed upon by The Youth Assembly and the FA community globally. The priorities will gather consultations and input from the Global Action and Impact Network (GAIN), the Youth Assembly Delegates, Alumni, and the broader Friendship Ambassadors Community. Attendees of The 25th Youth Assembly will play a key role by formulating ideas and language for the outcome document. Subsequently, the 26th Session of The Youth Assembly will convene in Summer 2020 to monitor and evaluate the progress of the implementation of the priorities.
Consultations: Declaration of Priorities – Peace
Description:
The Youth Assembly is a place for young people to build partnerships and networks, learn and develop critical skills, and take action that delivers real impact to their local and global communities.
The outcome is a powerful cross-sector and cross-national network among the next generation of leaders, translated into action-based projects and initiatives after the conference. We expect participants to experience The Youth Assembly, not as an event, but as part of a journey that directs significant action and impact on the ground in their communities and across the world.
To guide this journey, the Delegates will help produce a landmark document – FAF’s first Declaration of Priorities, which will set out the primary issues, goals, and strategies for youth action to support sustainable development as determined and agreed upon by The Youth Assembly and the FA community globally. The priorities will gather consultations and input from the Global Action and Impact Network (GAIN), the Youth Assembly Delegates, Alumni, and the broader Friendship Ambassadors Community. Attendees of The 25th Youth Assembly will play a key role by formulating ideas and language for the outcome document. Subsequently, the 26th Session of The Youth Assembly will convene in Summer 2020 to monitor and evaluate the progress of the implementation of the priorities.
Consultations: Declaration of Priorities – Environment
Description:
The Youth Assembly is a place for young people to build partnerships and networks, learn and develop critical skills, and take action that delivers real impact to their local and global communities.
The outcome is a powerful cross-sector and cross-national network among the next generation of leaders, translated into action-based projects and initiatives after the conference. We expect participants to experience The Youth Assembly, not as an event, but as part of a journey that directs significant action and impact on the ground in their communities and across the world.
To guide this journey, the Delegates will help produce a landmark document – FAF’s first Declaration of Priorities, which will set out the primary issues, goals, and strategies for youth action to support sustainable development as determined and agreed upon by The Youth Assembly and the FA community globally. The priorities will gather consultations and input from the Global Action and Impact Network (GAIN), the Youth Assembly Delegates, Alumni, and the broader Friendship Ambassadors Community. Attendees of The 25th Youth Assembly will play a key role by formulating ideas and language for the outcome document. Subsequently, the 26th Session of The Youth Assembly will convene in Summer 2020 to monitor and evaluate the progress of the implementation of the priorities.
YA Connect with Speakers and the Friendship Ambassadors Community
Description:
Youth Assembly Delegates come from an extraordinary range of backgrounds, regions, and fields of expertise. There is a great benefit to be had from meeting and sharing ideas with this community of global young leaders, and it is particularly important for all attendees to find others working in similar areas who may be able to mutually benefit from each other’s experiences. YA Connect will provide a networking platform for exactly this: a chance for delegates to meet, learn from, and potentially form partnerships with those working in a similar field. The room will be set up with different sections for various regions, and various topics within the SDGs, so that one can easily find others who may be appropriate partners or supporters in the future.
Youth Involvement at the United Nations
Speakers:
- Hawa Diallo, Civil Society Unit, UN Department of Global Communications @UNDGC_CSO
- Aishu Narasimhadevara, Medical Women’s International Association
- Alpha Diallo, Environmental Development Action in the Third World (ENDA)
- Ali Mustafa, United Nations Civil Society Youth Task Force and Youth Programs and Communications Consultant, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation @smalimustafa
- Juan Pablo Celis Garcia, UNA New York
Model Diplomacy Simulation (GDL Participants Only – Pre-Sign Up Required; Observers Welcome)
Topic: Conflict and Humanitarian Efforts in South Sudan
This session is open for viewing for Conference-Only delegates. If you are a GDL Delegate and signed up as a participant, you will be required to do preparation work before the conference, which includes research and writing on the topic indicated. Participants will be assigned to work in pairs or groups of three.
Facilitator
- Xan Northcott, Project Coordinator, Generation Global, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change @XanNorthcott
FAF Ambassadors and Regional Impact Coordinators Award Ceremony
Description:
Enjoy this unique opportunity to attend the Ambassador and Regional Impact Coordinator Awards Ceremony.