Emirati represents country at UN Youth Assembly
dubai — Jawaher Almehairi, a 24-year-old member of the Dubai Youth Council, represented the UAE’s younger population recently at the UN Youth Assembly 2017.
She is the first Emirati to get nominated for an international fellowship by one of the UN projects.
Over 1,000 people — including youth leaders, delegates, ambassadors and other representatives of international organisations from more than 85 countries were part of this programme.
The assembly focused on the youth’s actions towards the sustainability development goals for 2030.
“Discussions centred around quality education, poverty, the refugee crisis, climate change, the digital era, social media and youth-driven change. The 2017 Winter Youth Assembly at the UN is an opportunity for young people to work under the topic ‘Realising the 2030 Agenda: Youth in Action’,” noted Almehairi.
“As future leaders and active agents of change, being at the UN made me learn real world skills and take on prominent roles, in implementing sustainable development goals announced by the UN in September 2015. It is a global gathering where youth are empowered and responsible development is nurtured”.
As an ambitious youth and a person who aims to be an international leader, Jawaher made a notable statement on youth engagement in implementing change. “The change starts from us. To help our governments achieve their promises, we have to start being the actual action. My educational background and contributions allowed me to be nominated by one of the United Nations projects to an international youth fellowship, which I consider an honour, making me the first Emirati nominated for such an opportunity”.
At the Assembly, she also suggested forming an international platform — led by organisations such as the UN and monitored closely by them — through which the youth highlight the issues from one country.
Experts from that field or related ones and a select number of youth representatives could have discussions on the topic through this platform, brainstorm and come with notable and measurable outcomes.
Almehairi was supported by the UAE Embassy in New York throughout her trip. “When I reached, the streets were spilling over with people because of the protests after the Trump ban, but I was well attended to and helped by the UAE Embassy”.
ankita@khaleejtimes.com