Youth Shaping Sustainable And Innovative Solutions: Reinforcing The 2030 Agenda And Eradicating Poverty In Times Of Crises

Ivan Ransom, our Sustainability Ambassador and Youth Mentor, represented the POP Movement at  ECOSOC Youth Forum 2024, held from April 16-18, 2024.  Each day at the forum was packed with discussions about youth’s role in sustainable development and poverty eradication amid global crises.

Day 1: Engaging Youth in Solutions and Innovation

The forum opened with a performance by Chilean musician Ms. Rocío Rojas Monsalve, setting an inspiring tone. The day focused on empowering young people to leverage their experiences and creative approaches to accelerate SDG implementation. The speakers proposed solutions to support youth in overcoming significant challenges, including the impacts of global economic and social disruptions.

Ivan Ransom actively engaged with the community, forming partnerships with organizations like YOUNGO and The Grail International, among others, to enhance our collaborative efforts for sustainable development and youth empowerment.

Spotlight sessions discussed multidimensional poverty, focusing on empowering young people as catalysts for change. The talks promoted multi-stakeholder collaboration and advocated for increased investment in youth and gender-focused programs.

Day 2: Youth Perspectives on Regional Development

The second day offered a virtual networking session for young changemakers, followed by regional breakout sessions. These sessions identified development needs for youth at the regional level and considered how best to articulate and mainstream them in achieving the SDGs.

The discussions highlighted the need for intergenerational solidarity and showcased young people as innovators across different regions, from Asia-Pacific to Latin America and the Caribbean. The day underscored the importance of intergenerational, intersectional, and gender-inclusive solutions.

Day 3: Multilateral Solutions and the Future of Work

The final day featured the “Summit of the Future: Multilateral Solutions – Global Dialogue on Youth for a Better Tomorrow.” This plenary session cultivated intergenerational partnerships through meaningful youth engagement, discussing youth’s central role in multilateral solutions for a sustainable future.

Another focal point was the session “SDG 17 – Working with Youth as Full-fledged Partners: Youth and the Future of Work,” which explored opportunities for skilling, re-skilling, and upskilling youth to prepare them for ongoing and future changes in the world of work.

Call to Action

The ECOSOC Youth Forum 2024 provided a platform for The POP Movement to further our goals of sustainable development and youth empowerment. Ivan Ransom’s participation and the new partnerships formed during the forum are invaluable as we continue to advocate for inclusive and equitable policies.