Hundreds of young leaders from around the globe will gather at the for the June 24–July 1, 2017. The delegates will address many of the issues discussed at the 2016 . The 2017 congress is being hosted by the , a UH student organization, and Â鶹´«Ã½.
“Youth voices play an important role in international dialogue not only to introduce fresh ideas today, but also to empower the stewards of tomorrow to sustain future conversations,” said Jessica Sevilla, a University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Mānoa Sustainability Fellow.
“Â鶹´«Ã½ is thrilled to host the 2017 World Youth Congress (WYC), particularly after being the host for the first WYC in 1999,” said Jessica Worchel, board chair of Peace Child International Â鶹´«Ã½. “Youth across the globe are actively engaged in exploring how communities are tackling international challenges by reconnecting to indigenous wisdom and identifying contemporary solutions and Â鶹´«Ã½ is an ideal location to demonstrate how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals can be owned and advanced at local levels. We also look forward to welcoming back the Hōkūleʻa and celebrating a new generation of youth voices”
Inspired by the and its global call to Mālama Honua, international delegates attending the 2017 World Youth Congress will explore the theme “Reconnecting to our Ancestral Roots to build Sustainable Communities” and work on the following questions:
- How do we repair, restore and regenerate our natural environment?
- What kind of livelihoods do we want to create to ensure that our communities and planet thrive?
- How can young leaders engage with and influence global decision makers?
- How can young leaders contextualize the United Nations Sustainable?
- Development Goals and work with member states to achieve them by 2030?
“We are kind of a microcosm of the world,” said Student Sustainability Coalition of Â鶹´«Ã½ member and Kapiʻolani CC student Jeff Kim. “If we can make sustainability work here, we know that there’s a lot of hope for the rest of the world as a whole.”
“The 2017 World Youth Congress reinforces next generation leadership on the Aloha+ Challenge, Â鶹´«Ã½’s statewide sustainability initiative to achieve the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at a local level,” said Celeste Connors, executive director of . “This is an extremely exciting opportunity for Â鶹´«Ã½’s youth, especially as it will be timed with return of Hōkūleʻa from the Worldwide Voyage and the launch of the Aloha+ Green Workforce and Education 2030 goal.”
The World Youth Congress series began as the Millennium Young People’s Congress in Â鶹´«Ã½ in 1999 under the chairmanship of Senator Daniel K. Inouye and leadership of State Senator Suzanne Chun-Oakland, Mae Mendelson and Joanne Tachibana of the United Nations Association-Â鶹´«Ã½.
For more information on the World Youth Congress including how to apply or volunteer, email hawaii@peacechild.org.
