UN Science Summit Proposal

See formatted most up-to-date version here

Topic

Mobilizing Grassroots Youth Advocacy with Education Institutions: the Future of Global Social Justice, Community Building, and Youth Flourishing

Introduction and Aims

From climate change to human rights abuses, from global democracy crisis to divisive emergent technologies, for many urgent issues of our times, youth want to help, to advocate, and to fight for what we believe in.

Youth is the future. Youth advocacy is the future of global sustainable development and social justice. To us individual youth, advocacy means something beyond. It means not only doing good to the communities that have nurtured us but a valuable opportunity to step out of our comfort zones and grow through helping others, the key to our own flourishing.

We have a dream: to find ways to mobilize all grassroots youth for advocacy, thereby, with our own hands, advancing a sustainable globe, engaging our local communities, and bringing flourishing to all youth. And education institutions provide critical pathways.

Education institutions not only shape and mold the minds of the next generation, equipping us with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to address pressing societal issues, but more importantly, serve as the community hubs where youth can find like minded peers, critical mentorships, and plugs to local and broader communities where we can get involved with or make a advocacy project happen.

Recognizing the potential of education in nudging social change, this event brings together most prominent grassroots youth leaders from the United States of America, United Kingdom, India, German, Japan, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey. The session consists of two parts. In the first part, youth leaders will share our experiences, success stories, and insights on our advocacy journey, how we mobilize the peers, and how education institutions helped facilitate our work. In the second part, grassroots leaders from across the globe will showcase their work, big or small, their experiences, their needs, and their dreams and hopes.

Keywords

Youth Advocacy, Community Building, Partnership, Well-Being, Education

Sustainable Development Goals

Direct Goals

Goal 4 QUALITY EDUCATION

Goal 3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Goal 17 PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

Goal 11 SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

Related Goals

Goal 1 NO POVERTY

Goal 2 ZERO HUNGER

Goal 5 GENDER EQUALITY

Goal 6 CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

Goal 7 AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

Goal 8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Goal 9 INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Goal 10 REDUCED INEQUALITIES

Goal 12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Goal 13 CLIMATE ACTION

Goal 14 LIFE BELOW WATER

Goal 15 LIFE ON LAND

Goal 16 PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS

Expected outcomes

We are a global group of youth leaders who are united in utilizing youth led community projects as a catalyst for positive social change and meaningful impact in our communities.

We intend for the session to have the following objectives:

• Showcase grassroots youth advocacy efforts and inspire more youth to participate in advocacy and community work
• Foster a discussion across youth leaders of different country on what’s the most effective way and strategy to mobilize more peers for advocacy, especially with with education institutions
• Amplify the stories, efforts, struggles and needs of young changemakers from around the world advocating for a variety of issues
• Build a coalition of renewed youth leaders as an unifying voice for change and an open community where we can help each other and empower more that seek changes

Plan

1. Summary

In 3-5 countries, we each gather youth leaders and grassroots leaders and their work.

In the days leading up to the events, we conduct social media campaigns and showcase youth advocacy work on instagram, tiktok, twitter and websites.

On the day of Sep 13/Sep 15 (TBD), each country section gathers youth leaders in the same space (ideally physical space). For instance, in the Japan section Tamaki will organize and bring 5 prominent youth leaders to a space in Tokyo such as Rethink Fashion Waseda and Projekwaste.

During the event we use zoom to connect remotely and conduct a discussion session and a showcase session.

After the event at 8PM EST, each country section can host their own discussion sessions, mixer, and afterparty.

2. Pre-event Preparation

3. Identify and designate local hosts from different regions/countries.

4. US, Japan: Confirmed

5. China, India, Nepal: In Discussion

6. Europe, Africa, South America: To do

7. Provide guidelines and resources for local hosts to organize discussions in their respective locations.

8. Decide Time

9. Decide Date

10. Decide location requirement

11. Collect youth leaders in each perspective country

12. Accomplished Youth leaders

13. Feature and speak opportunity during the UN event

14. Grassroots youth leaders

15. Showcase their work on Ins, tiktok

Collecting the following in format of video, photos or text of their preferred media

1. Who are we

2. Our story/work

3. The good, the bad, the fun, and the horrific of our work

4. What we need

5. How we mobilize peers

6. How we work with education institutions

7. Showcase their work on website

Supply the following to wiki

1. Project details

2. Project to do/plans

3. Project needs

4. Project photos

5. Set up a dedicated online platform for participants to access event information and resources.

6. https://wiki.foryoupage.org/books/un-science-summit

7. Timeline

8. Confirm participating countries by July 15th

9. Venue confirmed by August 1st

10. US main venue confirmed by July 15th

11. Start to collect projects until August 1st

12. Social Media Campaign/Promotion on August 1st to Sept 13th

13. Local Organization

- Local hosts organize physical venues for discussions, adhering to any COVID-19 safety guidelines.

- Local hosts promote the event within their communities and invite participants.

- Local hosts facilitate registration and manage participant communication.

- Local hosts ensure necessary audiovisual equipment and stable internet connection at the venues.

- Local hosts coordinate with relevant stakeholders (e.g., government officials, NGOs, local communities) to engage diverse perspectives.

4. Virtual Connection via Zoom

- Prior to the event, provide participants with detailed instructions on accessing the virtual event platform (Zoom) and any necessary software installations.

- Conduct technical checks with local hosts to ensure smooth connectivity and audiovisual setup.

- Schedule the event agenda, specifying time slots for each discussion session.

- Share the Zoom meeting details with all participants and local hosts.

5. Event Execution

- Start the event by giving an opening speech, emphasizing the value of collaboration and dialogue.

- Divide participants into breakout rooms based on predefined discussion topics.

- Each breakout room will have a local host to moderate the discussion.

- Encourage participants to share their perspectives, exchange ideas, and propose solutions.

- Provide support and guidance to local hosts throughout the event.

- Use virtual tools (e.g., polling, Q&A sessions) to enhance participant engagement.

- Ensure smooth transitions between breakout sessions, allowing participants to join different discussions.

6. Plenary Session

- Conclude the breakout sessions and reconvene in a plenary session.

- Local hosts summarize the discussions from their respective venues.

- Facilitate a collaborative synthesis of the key ideas and recommendations.

- Encourage participants to share their insights and reflections on the discussions.

- Highlight any common themes or areas of consensus.

7. Closing and Next Steps

- Deliver a closing address to summarize the event's outcomes and express appreciation to participants and local hosts.

- Encourage participants to stay connected and continue collaborating beyond the event.

- Share resources, contact information, and relevant follow-up actions.

- Collect feedback from participants to improve future events.

- Express gratitude to all involved and conclude the event.

8. Post-event Activities

- Compile and document the discussions, recommendations, and outcomes.

- Disseminate the event's findings through various channels (e.g., reports, publications, social media).

- Evaluate the event's success and identify areas for improvement.

- Plan for future events based on the outcomes and feedback received.

(For a similar event in the past, refer to https://ssunga77.sched.com/event/1Aiwt/ref-20521-global-teen-leaders-youth-changemakers-as-the-future-of-global-stem-education-and-advocacy?iframe=no )

Abstract

From climate change to human rights, from global democracy crisis to divisive emergent technologies, for many urgent issues of our times, youth want to help, to advocate, to build connections with our communities, and to fight for what we believe in. To us, youth advocacy means not simply doing good to communities that have nurtured us but a valuable pathway to exercise our agency, the key to youth flourishing, the future of our times. Yet there can be so many barriers on a youth’s path to become an activist, from personal struggles to lack of resources and support.

On the other hand, education institutions provide an invaluable opportunity. Education institutions not only have the unique ability to shape and mold the minds of the next generation, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to address pressing societal issues, but more importantly often serves as the community/resources hubs where youth can find like minded people and critical mentorships, and where we can be plugged in directly with the local and broader communities and directly started with activism projects.

This event aims to highlight the significant role of young people and education institutions in driving social justice and sustainable development within their local communities and globally. By emphasizing the power of youth advocacy, the event seeks to explore innovative approaches, initiatives, and strategies that empower young individuals to create positive change and foster sustainable communities.

During the event, renowned youth advocates from across the globe will share their insights, experiences, and success stories related to youth-led initiatives and community building efforts. They will discuss the challenges faced themselves as young advocates, showcase inspiring examples of youth-driven social justice movements, and highlight the transformative impact of such initiatives on local communities.

Additionally, the event will facilitate interactive discussions and networking opportunities, allowing participants to exchange ideas, collaborate, and learn from one another. The ultimate objective is to inspire and mobilize young people to take active roles in addressing global social justice issues and promoting sustainable practices at the community level.

By emphasizing the intersection of youth advocacy, social justice, and sustainable community building, this event aims to foster a collective commitment towards achieving a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. It recognizes the immense potential of youth in shaping the future and calls for increased support, recognition, and resources to empower young individuals as agents of positive change.

Expected outcomes

We are a global group of youth leaders who are united in utilizing youth led community projects as a catalyst for positive social change and meaningful impact in our communities.

We intend for the session to have the following objectives:

• Foster a discussion across renowned youth leaders of different country on what’s the most effective way for community building and youth advocacy
• Amplify the stories and efforts of young changemakers in the social advocacy and grassroots social movements from around the world
• Inspire fellow youth to utilize education institution to take action and raise awareness in their local communities
• Build a coalition of renewed youth leaders as an unifying voice for change and an open community where we can help each other and empower more that seek changes