Swiss UN Youth Reps were invited to UN Archives & Library at Palais des Nations in Geneva for an event entitled "Young People and Multilateralism: Intern Networking and Carreer Inspiration". Flora Chiper, Swiss UN Youth Rep 2023-2025, gave the second opening speech to the event, about the role and value of youth inclusion in multilateralism. Here's what she stated:
The Swiss UN Youth Reps represent young people who live in Switzerland on the international stage. We often get asked what exactly we do and whether young people are even competent enough to contribute to the international discourse. The good news is that the UN believes in us. The UN recognizes that youth brings a unique value to multilateralism, and many countries have established a Youth Delegate program that the UN supports. And I believe that Youth can not only make a difference in shaping the future; but it is also the driving force of the present.
Today, I would like to offer you some thoughts on the role young people play in multilateralism. Given my background in the medical field and my involvement in biomedical research, I'd like to give my reasoning a scientific touch. I've formulated a hypothesis about some ways in which young people can positively impact multilateralism. Since I lack statistical evidence to prove my hypothesis, I have no other choice than sharing my personal thoughts and reasoning, and I invite you to discuss and challenge during the panel discussions.
Communication & Collaboration
To start, I'd like to highlight recent advancements in technology. Here, my hypothesis is that our generation is capable of communicating and collaborating multilaterally more effectively than ever before.
A lesson we've been reminded of recently is that crises do not stop at national borders. For instance, think about the COVID-19 pandemic and consider how nations had to come together, share information, resources, and expertise to combat the pandemic. In such crises, collaboration on a multilateral level becomes essential.
Furthermore, we live in a highly digitalized world, where digital communication, social media, and AI are the norm. Our generation, as digital natives, is comfortable with those new ways of communication and constant cultural exchange through social media, which makes communication across borders easier for us than ever before.
Now, communication is a prerequisite for collaboration. Combining these two points, it's fair to say that young people, thanks to their innate fluency with communication technologies, are well-positioned to collaborate effectively with individuals from different backgrounds, collaborate across borders, collaborate multilaterally.
Youth is creative, sprouts ideas and proposes innovative solutions
Moving on to my next hypothesis, I propose that one of the most significant values of youth is that we often sprout innovative ideas. In traditional hierarchical systems, young people had often been discouraged from sharing their ideas, and therefore regrettably their ideas haven’t always received the attention they truly deserve. However, in flourishing sectors like technology and healthcare, young people's fresh ideas have been highly valued. More and more fields are recognizing that youth can not only challenge the status quo but also propose innovative solutions. And I believe this is because young people are not constrained by the limitations of the past, enabling them to think outside the box, approach global challenges with an innovative mindset, and come up with unconventional ideas.
Youth inclusion in decision-making process about youth (and the future)
Lastly, I hypothesize that the inclusion of youth in policymaking is crucial for social development and the establishment or maintenance of peace. It's a fundamental principle of democracy that decisions affecting a specific group should involve that group in the decision-making process. Therefore, we must include youth in decisions about youth. As Swiss Youth representatives we grateful to the UN for granting us and Youth Delegates from around the world the opportunity to speak on behalf of our countries' youth and to raise awareness. However, we believe that our active roles could be extended even more, in order to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the outcomes of negotiations about our future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I firmly believe, and it's hardly a hypothesis, that youth is essential for the future of multilateralism. Youth can facilitate communication across culture, borders and generations, fostering better multilateral collaboration. Because youth can challenge the status quo, bring fresh ideas to the table, and come up with innovative solutions. And the energy and ideas that young people bring should be embraced even more, because there is value in including youth in multilateralism.
Disclaimer: The statement is the personal opinion of the author in agreement with the current Swiss UN Youth Rep team, and may not necessarily represent the views of the organizations Swiss UN Youth Reps operate under.
