Young leaders share their insights with Conference on Disarmament in formal plenary session

On 10 August 2023, five young leaders participated in a panel discussion held by the Conference on Disarmament facilitated by UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) to share their views on the Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament (agenda item 1) as well as on the Prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters (agenda item 2).

The panel discussion was a joint effort by Germany as the President of the Conference on Disarmament and its member States to facilitate inclusive and meaningful participation of young people in inter-governmental processes. The session marked the second occasion in which youth voices have been invited into the discussion of the Conference on Disarmament, building upon the previous meeting held on the topic of youth and disarmament in 2021 by Canada.

Ms. Elif Erginyavuz, (from Türkiye), Mr. Waleed Hassan (from Egypt), Ms. Isa Begemann, (from Germany), Mr. SON Minjae, (from the Republic of Korea), and Ms. GOKAN Sakura, (from Japan), presented their insights on the role of young people in advancing nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts.

The five youth leaders also shared reflections on their experiences participating in youth engagement and empowerment programmes, including the UN Youth Champions for Disarmament Training Programme conducted by ODA’s #Youth4Disarmament Initiative with generous funding from the Government of Germany.

With thanks to the Conference on Disarmament’s interpreters, the youth panellists’ remarks were translated into all 6 of the UN’s official languages during the session: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Opening the panel discussion, Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, urged member States to expand and strengthen youth participation in decision-making at all levels in a pre-recorded keynote speech. “This session serves as an opportune platform to highlight the importance of providing spaces for young people to actively participate and contribute,” she added.

Ms. Wickramanayake also commended the variety of programmes provided by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) to engage young people in their role as the ultimate force for change. “Through workshops conducted on regional aspects of disarmament and discussions with stakeholders, ODA has made commendable efforts to include and engage young people,” she highlighted.

Following their presentations, delegations and panellists engaged in an interactive discussion and exchanged views on substantiating youth for disarmament initiatives, including ways for the international community to further engage the next generation on disarmament. Speakers included, and listed in alphabetical order, Australia, Brazil, Finland, France, India, Mexico, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States.

A digital recording of the session is available here.