Youth

The nominations for WFUNA Young Leader of the Year award are officially open! WFUNA supports and encourages youth engagement and participation in the United Nations Associations and United Nations Youth Associations around the world through the WFUNA Youth Network. With this initiative, we want to highlight the contributions of thousands of young people to our organization and share their achievements with a wider audience. A WFUNA Young Leader of the Year has to be able to inspire other youth looking to get involved in global issues.

Friday, February 21, 2020 was UN Kids Day at the United Nations Headquarters. Kids from all over New York were invited to participate in activities, learn about the UN, and meet some important employees, like Chloe the therapy dog.

At the WFUNA table, kids colored, made flowers and popsicle people, folded origami, and learned about WFUNA activities.

Heidi Saarinen from UNYA Finland was announced as WFUNA’s Young Leader of the Year in December 2019 after a competitive selection process involving a panel of judges including several WFUNA staff and WFUNA Youth Advisory Council members. As the President of the United Nations Youth Association of Finland, she was chosen for her outstanding contribution to her UNYA and towards achieving SDG 4 on Quality Education through the promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence.

WFUNA and the United Nations Association of Italy hosted the WFUNA European UNA and Youth Meeting in Rome, Italy from 19-21 of May 2019. This meeting took place at the Italian Society for International Organization Headquarters (SIOI-UNA Italy) jointly with the European UNA Meeting. 

MONDAY, JULY 31, 2017

WFUNA had the chance to unite its youth network concluding the ESCOSOC Youth Forum in a Meet-and-Greet. This meeting took place on April 10th and consisted of representatives from UNA Canada, UNA USA, UNA Germany, UNYA Hungary, and UNYA Tanzania. The meeting served as a space for young people to learn about WFUNA’s programs, share their current projects and initiatives, and meet other young leaders working on similar youth topics.

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum took place on April 8th and 9th, 2019 at the UN Headquarters. Over 1,000 youth participated in this year’s forum, which makes the ECOSOC Youth Forum the largest gathering of young people at the United Nations. The forum serves as a unique space for young people to share their ideas at the global level, allowing representatives of youth-led and youth-focused organizations to participate in dialogue with Member States.

Students from high schools and universities throughout mainland China visited New York between the 11th to the 15th of February to learn about the work of the United Nations, study the Sustainable Development Goals, and learn 21st century skills, during our latest edition of YTP: China.

From 18th – 22nd February a group of twenty-five students chosen jointly by Zhejiang University and UNA China, visited New York for WFUNA’s first Chinese Youth Global Competency Training Program at the United Nations (CYGCTP).