Reflecting on ECOSOC Youth Forum - Day 1 (Jordan Arsenault)



UNA-Canada was at ECOSOC YOUTH FORUM 2019 and this is the first blog of a series covering the Conference. 


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Jordan Arsenault preparing for the Plenary at the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2019

Day one of the 2019 ECOSOC Youth Forum has come and gone, and it was surely an adventure to remember! Hearing from so many amazing people talk about the projects and organizations they're working with was extremely motivating. New ideas and questions pop up all day as you hear more and more information; it's a perfect place to learn and grow!

Maham Kaleem and Jordan Arsenault in front of the UN building in NYC 

One of the projects that was mentioned at a side event  run by the UNA-Germany is "Bringing the UN into Classrooms",  aims to educate high school level students on the processes of the United Nations. It also offers an opportunity to participate in mock delegations within the classroom, providing a platform to discuss common global & local topics while hearing from peers.​
In a hope to inspire youth to become global citizens, the project helps to educate students on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) put forth by the UN in 2015. These seventeen goals outline the required actions to ensure a safe and healthy planet for future generations to come. ​
The volunteers that go around to the schools are taught the processes and given training on remaining unbiased in discussions. This ensures that the youth are not being persuaded in any one direction, but have the new-found knowledge to create their own opinions, questions, and ideas. With hopes to get youth excited to be active community members and global change-makers, UNA-Germany has done wonderful work to ensure they are well prepared for the world of information that lie ahead them.​
The informal discussions allow the students to talk directly with UNA-G volunteer tutors and engage on a personal basis, as they were recently high school students themselves. This change in dynamics, from a more authoritative teacher role, allows for a certain level of equality and comfort within the setting. The volunteers take on many different roles to ensure an accurate and memorable experience that may inspire students to be the change they wish to see in the world.​
A major setback to getting youth involved into politics and policy is simply that they are not exposed to an experience that allows them to grow their knowledge and become more comfortable with the discussions. "Bringing the UN into Classrooms" aims to remove that barrier, giving more youth the understanding of the United Nations and its Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. This is a program that I feel should be in every school, to allow every student the ability to form their own thoughts while expressing themselves in a safe environment. Having youth gain experience with this project will lead to them having a better idea of what the world is all about and how they can be a part of the solution to common obstacles that we overcome.​
Trusteeship Council April 8, 2019

UNA-USA has recently started working on a similar layout, with a mobile application that would help the teachers have access to all the information to guide a session themselves. This classroom workshop is exactly how we educate the public, to get them more involved in the process where they can have a voice. It would be wonderful to see this in classrooms around the globe, as we increase the number of community engaged citizens, and inspire many youth to become a global change-makers. We hope to accomplish the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, as these seventeen steps are essential to ensure the survival of the human race over the next few decades.

 Jordan Arsenault, Maham Kaleem, Ambassador Marc-Andrée Blanchard, Adil Skalli and Caroline Richard met at the UNHQ. 

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