A Project of

2017 WINTER YOUTH ASSEMBLY

PROGRAM
AGENDA
 1-3 February 2016 UN Headquarters, NYC

2017 Winter Youth Assembly at the United Nations

Realizing the 2030 Agenda: Youth in Action

2017 WINTER YOUTH ASSEMBLY LEAD ENDORSERS
His Excellency Ms. Gillian Bird and The Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations
His Excellency Mr. Ib Petersen and The Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations

HONORARY CHAIR | H.E. Ms. Simona-Mirela Miculescu, Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UN
Office in Belgrade DIRECTOR & TREASURER | David Hill, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, Inc. YOUTH CHAIR
| Jolly Amatya, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, Inc.

SPECIAL THANKS to the following Permanent Missions to the United Nations:

Canada, Costa Rica, Finland, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdoms, United States, Zambia

PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS Pencils of Promise

International Labour Organization
UN Environment SDG Academy
UNESCOs Global Education Monitoring Report SDSN Youth
Sustainable Development Solutions Network TakingITGlobal
The Resolution Project TerraCycle
BRAC USA The Campus Kitchens Project
BuildOn The Hunger Project
FeelGood UN-HABITAT
IDEAS for Action UN Foundation
Instagram United Nations Association of the United States of America

STAFF | Yanyu Li, Operations Manager | Victor Izquierdo, Registration Manager | Jeanina Casusi, Communications Specialist
Shan Cheema, Program Specialist | Yumna Khan, Youth Development Specialist | Jolly Amatya, Youth Chair, 2017
Winter Youth Assembly Diana Bosch, Logistics Coordinator

The Annual Youth Assembly at the United Nations is a project of Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, Inc. (FAF).
The Foundation presents this event as part of its annual service and contribution as an NGO formally associated with the United Nations
Department of Public Information, with ECOSOC and UNESCO Consultative Status. FAF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that creates and
leads transformative cultural exchanges that aim to build friendships and advance mutual understanding and global peace.

FRIENDSHIP AMBASSADORS FOUNDATION, INC.

299 Greenwich Ave, Greenwich, CT | Office: +1 (203) 542-0652 | Fax: +1 (203) 542-0661 | Email: team@faf.org | Website: www.faf.org

For more information, go to: www.youthassembly.nyc

2017 Winter YA Hashtag: #ActionBeginsWithYouth
Follow us on Twitter @YouthAssembly Instagram @youth_assembly

1 2017 WINTER YOUTH ASSEMBLY AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Realizing the 2030 Agenda: Youth in Action
 Wednesday, 1 February 2017 1
OPENING SESSION UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY HALL

10:00 - 10:15 a.m. Call to Order

10:15 - 10:20 a.m. video: UNRocks Music Groups Strong UN, Better World

10:20 - 10:50 a.m. H.E. Ms. Simona Miculescu, Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of United Nations Office in
Opening Remarks Belgrade; Honorary Chair, 2017 Winter Youth Assembly at the United Nations
Deena Merlen, Esq., Board Member, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, Inc.
Jolly Amatya, Youth Chair, 2017 Winter Youth Assembly at the United Nations

10:50 - 11:30 a.m. H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the 71st United Nations General Assembly
United Nations H.E. Mr. Ib Petersen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations
Welcome H.E. Ms. Gillian Bird, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
video: Dr. David Nabarro, Special Adviser on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate
Change
11:30 - 11:55 a.m. Aaron Benavot, Director, Global Education Monitoring Report, UNESCO
Quality Education
11:55 - 12:20 p.m. Vinicius Pinheiro, Special Representative to the United Nations and Director, ILO-New York
Poverty
12:20 - 12:45 p.m.
Responsible Jamil Ahmad, Deputy Director, UN Environment
Consumption &
Production
12:45 - 1:00 p.m. Announcements
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Lunch Break
AFTERNOON SESSIONS UN CONFERENCE ROOMS
1:00 - 3:30 p.m. The Resolution Social Venture Challenge Forum conference room e

All delegates are welcome to drop in throughout the day

3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Option A: Quality Education for People and Planet (UNESCO GEM Report)
First Sessions conference room 3

Moderator: Aaron Benavot, Director, Global Education Monitoring Report, UNESCO

Nora Fyles, Head of the Secretariat for the United Nations Girls Education Initiative or UNGEI
Patience Stephens, Director/Special Advisor on Education, UN Women
Mark Waltham, Senior Education Adviser, UNICEF
Dean Brooks, Director, International Network for Education in Emergencies or INEE
Alice Jowett, Policy Manager for Education, One Campaign

Option B: Reaching Higher Heights: The SDGs and Higher Education (SDG Academy)
conference room 11

Liz Moyer, Manager, SDG Academy

Yemissrach Melka, SDG Academy
Abigail Orzolek, Manager, SDG Academy

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 1 Wednesday, 1 February 2017
AFTERNOON SESSIONS UN CONFERENCE ROOMS

3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Option C: Sustainable Approaches to Addressing the Global Education Crisis

First Sessions (Cont) conference room 12

Emily Varni, Senior Impact Coordinator, Pencils of Promise

Adnan Karim, New York Program Director, BuildOn

4:30 - 6:00 p.m. Option A: Youth Plan of Action Deliberations: Goal 4 - Quality Education (SDSN)
Second Sessions conference room 3

Option B: Cities and Climate Change: Youth Action (UN-Habitat)

conference room 11

Douglas Ragan, Chief, Youth and Livelihoods, UN-HABITAT

Miro Polzer, International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global
Challenges Joao Felipe Scarpelini, Youth Advisor, Office of the Deputy Special
Representative of the Secretary General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia

Option C: Refugee Crisis

conference room 12

Moderator: T. Alexander Aleinikoff, Visiting Professor of Law and Huo Global Policy
Initiative Research Fellow, Columbia Global Policy Initiative
Gregory Maniatis, Co-Director, International Migration, Global Policy Initiative; Senior Advisor
to the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for International Migration; Senior
European Policy Fellow, Migration Policy Institute (Invited)
Firas Kayal, Senior Policy Advisor, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Sarah Case, Director Policy and Planning, International Rescue Committee
Lamya Agarwala, Student Advocate, International Refugee Assistance Program; Chair, IRAP-NYU Board

2 Thursday, 2 February 2017

MORNING SESSIONS UN CONFERENCE ROOMS & INTERCONTINENTAL NEW YORK BARCLAY
10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Option A: Supporting the Implementation of SDG 1 through Better Jobs for Young People (ILO)

Third Sessions grand ballroom, intercontinental new york barclay

Moderator: Dino Corell, Programme Analyst, ILO
Niels Caszo, President, AIESEC International
Anna Fendley, United Steelworkers (USW); Member, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Youth
Committee
Samantha OBrien OReilly, UN Youth Delegate Ireland
Tchegoun Koba, Youth Programme Specialist, United Nations Volunteers (UNV), Senegal
Option B: Youth Leadership to End Hunger: Break the Cycle of Poverty

conference room 11, un headquarters

Keynote: Mattia Prayer Galletti, Lead Technical Specialist, IFAD
Yvette Cabrera, Food Waste Analyst, Rockefeller Foundation
Paula Hunker, Director of Strategy and Policy, Hunger Solutions Institute, Auburn University
(Cont)

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MORNING SESSIONS UN CONFERENCE ROOMS & INTERCONTINENTAL NEW YORK BARCLAY

10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Erin East, Board Member, FeelGood

Third Sessions Laura Toscano, Director, Campus Kitchens Project

(Cont) Mary Kate Costello, Policy Analyst & UN Representative, The Hunger Project

Option C: Girls Club Toolkit: Microfinance, Livelihoods & Youth (BRAC USA)
conference room 12, un headquarters

Linda Patentas, Program & Development Associate, BRAC USA

Option D: #ActionBeginsWithYouth -- Using Your Instagram to Change the World

1st Session conference room e, un headquarters

Bernadette Anat, US Teens Lead, Instagram Community Team

Carolyn Merrell, Public Policy Manager, Instagram

11:30 - 1:00 p.m. Option A: Youth Plan of Action Deliberations: Goal 1 No Poverty (SDSN)
Fourth Sessions grand ballroom, intercontinental new york barclay

Option B: Young Womens Economic Empowerment (UN Women)

conference room 11, un headquarters

Moderator: Allyson Humphrey, Youth Partnership Analyst, UN Women

Emad Karim, Regional Coordinator, Empower Women, UN Women
Shruti Kapoor, Founder, Sayfty
Diana Rusu, Knowledge Management Analyst, UN Women
Mendhi Wu, Designer & Founder, Miss Locker

Option C: #ENDChildPoverty as Part of the SDGs: Empowering Youth to Making a

Lasting Difference (UNICEF and Global Coalition to End Child Poverty) conference
room 12, un headquarters

Antonio Franco Garcia, Child Poverty Advocacy and Programmes, UNICEF

Cristina Diez, Director of Advocacy New York Office, ATD Fourth World
Katherine Ronberg, Advocacy & Policy Advisor, ChildFund
Beatrice Mauger, Associate Director, Equity for Children
Sofia Garcia Garcia, Representative to the United Nations, SOS Childrens Villages
Masue Suzuki, Program Officer, Arigatou International
Marggie Simo, Advocacy & External Engagement, World Vision

Option D: #ActionBeginsWithYouth -- Using Your Instagram to Change the World

2nd Session conference room e, un headquarters
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Lunch Break

AFTERNOON SESSIONS UN CONFERENCE ROOMS & INTERCONTINENTAL NEW YORK BARCLAY

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. The Resolution Social Venture Challenge Finals conference room e

All delegates are welcome to drop in throughout the day

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 2 Thursday, 2 February 2017

AFTERNOON SESSIONS UN CONFERENCE ROOMS & INTERCONTINENTAL NEW YORK BARCLAY

3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Option A: Putting Sustainable Consumption and Production in Practice: Sustainable Lifestyles (UN

Fifth Sessions Environment) grand ballroom, intercontinental new york barclay

Moderator: Jamil Ahmad, Deputy Director, New York Office, UN Environment
H.E. Mr. Per Thresson, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN (Invited)
Halina Brown, Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at Clark University
Alden Wicker, Founder of EcoCult Blog, Freelance Journalist
Steve Lee, Founder of Foundation for Environmental Stewardship
Option B: The Hive UN: Think Tank For Sustainable Development (IDEAS for US)

conference room 11, un headquarters

Chris Castro, Co-founder & President, IDEAS for US; Director of Sustainability, City of Orlando

Clayton Ferrara, Executive Director & CEO, IDEAS for US

Option C: Eliminating the Idea of Waste (TerraCycle)

conference room 12, un headquarters

Emily Dinan, North American Director of Client Services, TerraCycle
Anthony Rossi, VP of Global Business Development, TerraCycle
Meg Hilbert, Director of Global Business Development, TerraCycle
Amanda Smoluk, Global Business Development Associate, TerraCycle
Option D: How Young Voices Can Inform the Worlds Most Important Challenges

conference room e, un headquarters

Kevin D. Grant, Co-founder and Managing Editor, The GroundTruth Project

4:30 - 6:00 p.m. Option A: Youth Plan of Action Deliberations: Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
Sixth Sessions (SDSN) grand ballroom, intercontinental new york barclay

Option B: The Role of Youth in Policy Making

conference room 11, un headquarters

Saskia Schellekens, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-Generals Envoy on Youth, Office of

the Secretary-Generals Envoy on Youth
Aashish Khullar, Board Member & Organizing Partner, Children and Youth International, UN
Major Group for Children and Youth
Pernille Borgbo, Youth Advisor, Permanent Mission of Denmark to the
United Nations Pablo Angulo-Troconis, Youth Program Officer, WFUNA
Nicol Perez, U.S. Youth Observer to the UN, UNA-USA

Option C: Collaboration in the Digital Age (TakingITGlobal)

conference room 12, un headquarters

Jessica Matthews, Project Coordinator, TakingITGlobal

Jasmine Baker, Program Coordinator, TakingITGlobal
Tania Rashid, Senior Project Administrator, TakingITGlobal

5 2017 WINTER YOUTH ASSEMBLY AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Realizing the 2030 Agenda: Youth in Action
 Thursday, 2 February 2017 2
CLOSING SESSION GENERAL ASSEMBLY HALL

6:45 - 7:00 p.m. Call to Order

7:00 - 7:10 p.m. Oliver Libby, Chair and Co-Founder, The Resolution Project
Resolution Social George Tsiatis, President and Co-Founder, The Resolution Project
Venture Challenge
Awards
7:10 - 7:55 p.m. Moderator: Ravi Karkara, Senior Advisor Strategic Partnership and Advocacy To the Assistant Secretary-
Integrated Nature of General/Deputy Executive Director, UN Women
the SDGs Fionna Smyth, Senior Advocacy Adviser, Sustainable Development Goals, UN Women
Shannon OShea, Agenda 2030 Partnerships Manager and Team Leader, UNICEF
Mitchell Toomey, Director, UN SDG Action Campaign
Sergio Fernndez de Crdova, Co-Founder & Chairman, PVBLIC Foundation

7:55 - 8:10 p.m. Syed Shoaib Hasan Rizvi (Canada)

Outstanding Youth Jane Okafor (USA)
Delegate Awarding & Agnishwar Jayaprakash (India)
Statements
8:10 - 8:20 p.m. Isabel Perez Dobarro, Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Youth Plan of Action
8:20 - 8:30 p.m. Ahmad Alhendawi, United Nations Secretary-Generals Envoy on Youth
Special Keynote
8:30 - 9:00 p.m. H.E. Ms. Simona Miculescu, Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of United Nations Office in
Closing Remarks Belgrade, Honorary Chair, 2017 Winter Youth Assembly at the United Nations
Genevieve Gimbert, Board Member, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, Inc.
Jolly Amatya, Youth Chair, 2017 Winter Youth Assembly at the United Nations

Friday, 3 February 2017 3

PERMANENT MISSION VISIT/BRIEFINGS VARIOUS LOCATIONS

4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Important Note: Applicable only to Youth Assembly Delegates who have signed up for Permanent Mission
Visits
Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations
U.K. Mission to the United Nations
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of Zambia to the United Nations

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Realizing the 2030 Agenda: Youth in Action
Programme Partners