Breakthrough to a better future - AFS Youth Assembly 2023

Last updated on Monday, 29/04/2024

The 28th Session of the AFS Youth Assembly took place on August 11-13, 2023 in New York City, and hosted hundreds of young people from all over the world, under the theme Breakthrough to a better future.

The Youth Assembly is a global platform that cultivates an international network of young leaders and changemakers through exchange, education, action and impact. Together with a group of Young Ambassadors, the 28th edition of AFS Youth Assembly held for the second time since 2019 the in-person International Youth Day event at the United Nations.

The theme of the 28th Session of The Youth Assembly was “Breakthrough to a Better Future.” Through discussions, skill-building workshops, networking, and ideation challenges, and with the support of experts and practitioners in the field, young attendees were able to discover new and relevant resources and opportunities. Likewise, they received input and inspiration to become change-makers and agents of change.  

On the first day, the AFS Youth Assembly initiated its journey in the Conference Room 4 at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York, where hundreds of attendees witnessed an exceptional opening. With the presence and participation of remarkable and high-level speakers such as H.E. Mr. Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly; Mr. Maher Nasser, Director of Outreach in the United Nations Department of Global Communications; or Ms. Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO; the main objective was to have an International Youth Day Panel Discussion with youth delegates, experts and activists to inform the conversation through inclusive and participatory engagement.

Celebrating the International Youth Day 

Anchored around a celebration of International Youth Day (12th August) with the theme of Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World, the AFS Youth Assembly carried out its activities and panels throughout a weekend in the vibrant city of New York where a bunch of privileged and international people shared their perspective, proposals, and ideas for actions on the Global Goals.

The main themes discussed during the weekend were about reducing inequalities, education and employment, climate action, global trust and global solidarity. Throughout numerous panels led by experts from different backgrounds and organisations, the participants had the opportunity to listen to the experts and exchange thoughts and doubts about how youth can be the generator of the change that the world needs. For instance, the session about “Reduce inequalities: tackling poverty and gender inequality” brought together the debate on leadership, the achievement of the SDG in an intersectional and transversal way, and the risks faced by many cities and communities around the world. 

Another interesting panel was the one dedicated to discuss the trust of the institutional organizations and their responsibilities. The “Global trust: peace and information integrity” session highlighted the importance of mutual understanding and respect across borders, cultures, beliefs and faiths, as well as a cross-collaboration, critical thinking, policy guidance and formulate new practices that contribute to further the Youth, Peace & Security Global Agenda.

The participants could also attend an opportunities fair, the AFS Award for Young Global Citizens (with a prize valued at 10,000$, this award recognises young people for their commitment to improving the global community and whose actions contribute to a more just, peaceful, and tolerant world. This year the winner was Moemen Sobh, from Egypt), Youth Assembly Ambassadors Panel, and other workshops and activities through which they were able to meet and discuss with many high-level experts and other young people from all over the world. 

Walking together for a promising future

In the current global context in which challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, conflicts, climate change, learning crisis and surging unemployment have drastically impeded development efforts and led to the rise of inequalities in all parts of life, it is needed more than ever to tackle these difficulties with determination and with the support of everyone. 

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Gueterres, states that “humanity faces a stark and urgent choice: breakdown or breakthrough. The choices we make — or fail to make — today could result in further breakdown and a future of perpetual crises, or a breakthrough to a better future”. As he also recognises in Our Common agenda, “now is the time to think for the long term, to deliver more for young people and succeeding generations and to be better prepared for the challenges ahead”.

And in the context of international affairs and the United Nations, the role of youth is also essential and present more than ever. Initiatives such as the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth showcase the efforts in bringing the youth agenda to the highest levels of participation and engagement. 

Definitely, it was really enriching to see how committed and motivated participants were and how willing to make a real change they were as well. Of course, things cannot stay just as theory but the real actions need to be carried out in the communities from all over the world. However, the first steps for having an aware and empowered youth keep growing. 

Inspiring youth

Along the weekend, hundreds of inspiring and exciting young people discussed openly about their worries and wishes and exchanged their experiences in a multicultural and magical environment that did not leave anyone indifferent. In fact, youngsters from over 80 countries joined and somehow represented the 1.2 billion young people around the world in a unique and privileged scenario. Although there is still much to do and the representation of young people must be more inclusive and accessible, all the steps taken forward are valuable.  

Given the current global context, youth involvement in these kinds of actions is more timely than ever. The enthusiasm and the tireless proactive attitude of thousands of inspiring young people not only reaffirm the importance of giving us a voice in decision-making spaces but also include us as part of the necessary change that the world urgently needs. 

From commitment, responsibility and empowerment, young people are willing to keep moving forward to leave no one behind and create a positive impact in the society. Altogether, walking  and standing for a better future.

What’s next?

Take actions. That is the key message that summarizes the whole closing of the assembly in which a Culturefest was the perfect finishing touch. No matter how hard this might seem, the important thing is to face the challenges and transform theory into real and small actions which impact the communities, leaving no one behind and adapting each proposal to the situation and needs.  
 
Until next year, when the following edition of AFS Youth Assembly will reunite youth from all over the world again and hopefully will bring more people from different backgrounds and realities, the youth initiatives will keep moving forward.

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Meet the authors

Miriam Rubio Ramírez 

I am a young Spanish journalist and internationalist interested in human rights, gender, childhood, and social communication. I have experience in advocating the rights of women and girls with disabilities from an intersectional point of view, and thanks to my volunteering in Romania with the European Solidarity Corps, I have developed new skills related to youth participation. Moreover, I have had the opportunity to work and learn at the UN with the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 2019 and 2022.

This article reflects the views of the authors only. The European Commission cannot be held responsible for it.