Attending UN session was dream come true for this city girl
For Lucknow girl Saania Munawar (19) attending the 20th session of the Youth Assembly at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters, New York, has been a “dream”.
“I have been living this dream of working for the United Nations since I was in class 9. And when I stepped in the General Assembly, I felt overjoyed just being there,” she said. The assembly was held from August 9 to 12.
Munawar was overwhelmed to be at a place where world leaders have walked and where important decisions impacting the world have been taken. “It was a journey I had been dreaming about since a long time, to a building that was only seen in history and political science books - the United Nations Headquarters.”
How she managed to get there is an interesting story. “I happened to chance upon the application form for the Assembly, while randomly searching for Oxford certificate courses that I could pursue along with my graduation studies at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan,” she said.
Delegates from 110 countries got together to discuss the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations for the Youth Assembly.
There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN some of which are: Reduced inequalities, no poverty, life on land, peace and justice, no hunger and so on that the UN aims to fulfil by 2030.
It was a four-day assembly that required participants to have a deep knowledge and understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals they chose, said Munawar.
The sessions were well planned with prominent people who have made a change in their respective fields talking to the youth, understanding their perspective of the world and making them “understand our responsibilities towards the world today and in the years to come.
“I also had the privilege of attending a workshop by Microsoft which taught us coding and how we could reach out to the remote or untouched corners of the country,” she added.
An alumna of La Martiniere Girls College, Saania claimed, “On the last day, I was given the Outstanding Youth Delegate Award by Ignite India. I have to head a team of 10 people and travel to seven different cities of India and reach out to poor and unprivileged people.”
Munawar says she believes it is very important for the youth of India and the globe to be “involved and act in politics and not to cry about what is happening but to showcase their capabilities and make people believe in what can happen.”
On Monday, she met UP governor Ram Naik at Raj Bhawan and shared her experiences with him. He presented her with a copy of his book, Charaiveti, Charaiveti.