15 young leaders from around the world give voice to the generation who will end extreme poverty — Press Release
Heads of States from more than 160 countries will attend the UN Sustainable Development Summit from 25-27 September at UN Headquarters in New York to adopt an ambitious new sustainable development agenda.
The morning before the summit, the President of the General Assembly Mr. Mogens Lykketoft will meet with 15 fifteen year olds from 15 countries around the world, gathered by Save the Children to represent the voices of the next generation of leaders who can help eradicate extreme poverty and stop climate change before it’s too late.
These 15 young leaders will meet with the PGA Mr. Lykketoft to convey their messages and share their visions for the world they want to see in 2030.
The SDG-agenda is especially important to these young people, who enter adulthood in 2030 when the goals are to be achieved. Indeed, they have the highest stake in the next development agenda.
Mr. Lykketoft is looking forward to the meeting with the young persons and hearing about their hopes and dreams for the future. During the meeting, Mr. Lykketoft will show a photo of himself at age 15 and tell about the world he dreamed about when he was their age. Primarily he will listen carefully to bring their perspectives and messages forward to the world leaders convened at the Summit on Sustainable Development.
“These inspiring young people will be most affected by the decisions that we as politicians take this year. Therefore, I am looking forward to meet with these 15 representatives from around the world and listen to their messages for the world they want to see in the next 15 years,” says Mr. Lykketoft
But it is not just the youth here in New York City who hope to make a difference. In Denmark, for example, Save the Children is organizing school summits where students – much like the member states at the UN Summit in New York – will discuss the SDGs, their own priorities and decide what kind of world they want to live in by 2030.
“I am so inspired but the work these young people are doing in my country and throughout the world,” says Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children USA. “As the stewards of the next set of global goals, I have no doubt that they will help us achieve these ambitious targets and create the world we all dream of living in by 2030.”
“I am mostly excited about meeting the other participants my age, because this opportunity doesn’t only teach me personally about politics and helping the ones in need, but also about different cultures and what different countries need,” says Lina Al-Ansary, 15 year old delegate from Denmark. “I am very interested about gender equality and I would like to see a falling death rate because of war and sickness.”
Media Contacts:
Phil Carroll, Director, Media and Communications Save the Children US, mobile: +1 267.992.6356,
e-mail: pcarroll@savechildren.org
Ulla Østergaard, Media Advisor to PGA Mogens Lykketoft, mobile: + 1 646 388 3080,
e-mail: oestergaard@un.org