The critical role of youth engagement throughout the process was also reiterated by Ms Loes van der Graaf, MGCY Education Focal Point, who encouraged youth to share creative solutions for tackling education barriers and shaping inclusive education systems.
The diverse group of dedicated young champions shared their insights and creative actions taken in local communities, giving out recommendations for creating education that is more sustainable and equitable. The youth panelists urged for education's prompt adaptation to the rapid digital transformation, touching on issues of gender and disability inclusion, climate change, refugee emergency, and other critical aspects of learning for the future. Additionally, youth delegates from around world evaluated the broader context. They further identified priorities to make education for sustainable development truly transformative in order for learners to be equipped and empowered to address global challenges and contribute fully to peaceful and inclusive societies. Young leaders' concrete recommendations touched upon a wide range of focus areas to be further fine-tuned in the forthcoming youth consultations leading to the Pre-Summit Youth Meeting in June and the TES in September, 2022.
In closing Ms Armel Azihar, Transforming Education Summit Youth Advisor, underscored the significant contribution of ECOSOC Youth Forum SDG 4 session to the Transforming Education Summit in particular by positioning young people at the fore front of the education debate. Introducing the newly elected SDG4 Youth Network representatives to the SDG 4 Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee (HLSC) and the SDG4 knowledge hub, she invited participants to engage further on refining the youth-led solutions for the future of education.
Watch the event here.
The Economic and Social Council Youth Forum is an annual initiative of the President of the Council. It has evolved into a key platform where young people can contribute to policy discussions at the United Nations through their collective ideas, solutions and innovations. This year the forum addresses the theme of ECOSOC and the 2022 UN High-level Political Forum on sustainable development on "Building back better from COVID- 19 while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda." It also reviewed progress in the areas of quality education (SDG4), gender equality (SDG5), life below water (SDG14), life on land (SDG15) and partnerships for the goals (SDG17).
