CFRC in the NewsClick here to return to news listings »
Two youth delegates presented at the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris
“Young voices from around the world will tell us our future, but the world must listen”, according to Professor Pat Dolan, Director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre and Chair in Children, Youth and Civic Engagement at NUI, Galway. Professor Dolan and colleagues attended the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum held in UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 17 to 20 October 2011.
Pictured (R-L) are: Ciara O'Donovan and Lwando Chibwe
Speaking at this year Forum were two students who have completed a Youth Leadership Exchange Programme coordinated by NUI Galway’s UNESCO Chair, Foróige, and Alan Kerins Projects and accredited by NUI Galway. The programme included the completion of extensive youth leadership training and skills. It resulted in a group of students from Spiddal raising over €25,000 in their community for the Alan Kerins Projects youth development initiatives in Kaoma, Zambia prior to visiting the region in April 2011. Ciara O’ Donovan from Galway and Lwando Chibwe from Zambia were given the opportunity to share their experiences of the programme and discuss what it means to them to be a young person in the 21st century.
The Forum brought together 210 youth delegates from 127 UN member states in order to discuss, debate and exchange ideas surrounding issues affecting youth. The Forum was also attended by civil society participants, UN entities, intergovernmental organizations, academics, NGO’s and the private sector. The culmination of the event resulted in the preparation of a report by the youth delegates that will be presented to the representatives of Member States during the upcoming 36th UNESCO General Conference.
Speaking about the programme, Professor Dolan said: “The initiative is proving to be very successful and has provided meaningful and challenging opportunities for civic engagement, leadership and development education among young people from Ireland and Zambia. It is testament to the quality of the programme that Ciara and Lwando have being given this opportunity to speak at such a prestigious event”. He added: “The overarching aim of the partnership between the NUI Galway’s UNESCO Chair, Foróige and Alan Kerins Projects is to further the long standing commitment of UNESCO to address the challenges facing youth and to foster young people’s participation in the development of their societies. The partnership recoginises the valuable contribution young people can make to society. It was very encouraging to hear the girls share their experiences on a global stage. I am sure their experience will inspire other young people from around the globe”.
