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"My mission is to make the world a better place an open society where everyone is equal." This bold rationale is the mission statement of Eunwoo Kim, the South Korean delegate at the United Nations Global Youth Leadership Summit, held in New York, in October. Together with 384 fellow delegates a young man and woman from each UN member country, Eunwoo went to the Summit to share her ideas and action plans on ways to reduce poverty and work towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Over the course of the three-day-long conference, progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goal targets was analysed and suggestions were made about how change could be implemented faster and with more efficiency. Most importantly, delegates benefited from discussion with global peers, encouraging each other to continue and strengthen their campaigns for world action. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Barbara Hachipuka of Zambia gave a uniting call to all of her fellow change makers, saying: "This is a new day. This is a day when we are no longer called future leaders, but the leaders of today." During the year leading up to this Summit, five other regional congresses had been organised, one in each continent of the world. These gave the youth campaigners the chance to meet their near neighbours and discuss the local implications of the Development Goals. From a political perspective the events enabled the delegates to forge relationships with their peers, share resources and ideas while laying the foundations for international co-operation in the future. In New York, which was the culmination of previous summits, the youth delegates participated in cluster groups focusing on different Development Goal issues. These included a session on how to advance the progress of the Goals through cultural exchange and discussions about how more young people and especially young women, could be encouraged to get involved in challenging their own governments to change. Thirty participants publicised the Summit throughout America, appearing as special guests on CBS Channel’s Early Show. Anyone interested in finding out more about the outcomes of this summit can log onto the event website where they can participate in forums and download the Summit’s Concept Paper. People wishing to get involved can download their own Millennium Development Goal Campaigning pack on the site. Now is the time to take action! Contact: United Nations New York Office of Sport for
Development and Peace, 2 United Nations Plaza, DC2- 26th Floor, New York
10017, U.S.A. Corina Murafa chairs a group Students who started university in London last Autumn had much more to read than their textbooks! Working with free daily paper, The Metro, the Capital’s Mayor, Ken Livingstone, launched a special edition: Green Metro a comprehensive guide for those who want to start leading a more eco-friendly student life. This 16-page one-off paper features environmental articles previously run in The Metro and plenty of advice on living sustainably, including information on how to recycle and swap unwanted goods, an eco-fashion shoot and even suggestions for re-using your copy of the Green Metro. Students reading the newspaper can pick up handy, easy-to- do tips which can really help reduce carbon emissions and pollution. In a 60-second interview inside the Green Metro, Ken Livingstone discussed the plans he is implementing in London to make an eco-difference. He encouraged students to read the paper and understand how they can help make the City a more environmentally conscious place. Download the Green Metro for free at: Contact: Positive Youth News 5, Positive News Issue 50 A new newspaper for young people in Armenia has recently been launched with the intention of publishing new ideas. "This is not going to be just another political newspaper," said the 26 year old youth leader who started the project, Arthur Ghazaryan. Young Dilijan is a monthly, tabloid-sized newspaper that covers national news as well as tackling much tougher issues like the country¹s education policies. The project, part of the local Youth and Community Programme provided by the Academy for Educational Development, is to encourage young people to get involved in decision making. "We want to ensure that they are something in the community and not just zero," said Arthur. Fifteen years on, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, freedom of the press remains tenuous in Armenia, and this makes Arthur’s role even more important in pushing boundaries. Youth groups around Armenia are starting newsletters and websites since 60 students, youth leaders and teachers underwent training in journalism, provided by the Knight International Press Fellowship programme. Youth centres are also gradually becoming equipped with all the technology needed. International group, Reporters without Borders, ranks Armenia 102 out of 167 nations in its recent press freedom index. Arthur, who was always eager to be a journalist, believes that although today’s media is not yet independent, the new generation of journalists will change all of that. With a youth radio station in the pipeline and plans for a complete team of newspaper press staff within its first year, it seems this younger generation is already on its way to making change in Armenia. Contact: First published in Positive Youth News 5, Positive News Issue 50 This is one of many stories available from Positive News newspaper. For more stories like this please visit: www.positivenews.org.uk (In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.) |
