The United Nations (UN) Summit of the Future convened leaders and heads of state from around the world to engage with youth in discussions on pressing global issues. Key topics included the lack of representation of diverse audiences in the permanent bodies of the UN, global peace and security and the urgent necessity of recognizing young voices.
Multiple events and panels between Sept. 20 and 21 were arranged to discuss issues “largely overlooked,” according to Bob Rae, Canada’s UN ambassador, while exploring practical strategies for achieving shared aspirations through the Pact for the Future.
The UN states, “The Pact for the Future covers a broad range of themes including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations and the transformation of global governance.”
Howard students attended the event at the UN headquarters and talked with UN officials and diplomats from various countries.
Howard’s College of Arts and Sciences was invited to the summit by LeKiesha M. French, founder of the social and economic think tank, Future in Color.
A key focus of the event was empowering voices from people of color. Several international Howard students, from India, Nepal, Nigeria and other nations, spoke at the Church Center of the UN, calling for the immediate on-ground implementation of pipeline projects in their home countries.
Howard students briefly discussed the need for greater representation of the world at the UN Security Council, a point raised in the presence of diplomats from Western nations.
“I am the first person in my family to set foot in a place like this,” Taino Moreno said, a first-year honors political science major from Los Angeles.
He spoke on the impact the summit had on him, and what he intends to do moving forward.
“As a political science major focusing on U.S. policy and government, attending the United Nations and learning about its workings expanded my vision toward larger global goals and what our future could look like,” Moreno said.
Garima Rokaya, a senior honors psychology major with a minor in human development from Nepal reflected on her time at the summit as well.
“It was an empowering experience to be part of the discussion at the United Nations Summit of the Future as a Howard student advocating for global inclusivity in fields like science, education and development. I felt heard, included and my voice mattered on the international platform,” Rokaya said.
African Union UN side events received a lot of support from Howard students through views and dialogue. They were a part of discussions related to the integration of the collective interests of the African Union and measures that are going to be included in the Pact of the Future.
Ashton Brown, a junior honors economics major with a minor in Spanish from Houston said, “Exposure to an event hosted by the United Nations shows that Howard University’s reach is not limited to the local or national stage but extends to the global community.”
Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau
