Two alumni of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Angelo Wijaya, an alumnus of International Relations at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM), and Fajar Sidik Abdullah Kelana, an alumnus of the Faculty of Engineering (FT UGM), represented Indonesia at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum held on April 16-18 at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States.
They and two other Indonesian youths were appointed by the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports as part of the official Indonesian youth delegation supported by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the UN in New York.
This delegation was led by Alia Noorayu Laksono, Special Staff to the Minister of Youth and Sports.
Angelo Wijaya stated that he was involved in and contributed to discussions on critical global issues, such as youth-facing poverty and social inequalities, climate financing, sustainable agriculture and food systems, and artificial intelligence.
According to Wijaya, this year’s forum focused on strengthening the 2030 agenda and addressing poverty in times of crisis.
Through this forum, Kelana and Wijaya had the opportunity to present Indonesia’s initiatives and innovative solutions, collaborate with, and learn from other young global leaders.
“In this forum, we conveyed how Indonesia can leverage technology and innovative policies to address the challenges faced by the world today,” said Wijaya in a statement to journalists on Tuesday (Apr. 23).
According to him, the presence of young delegates at the forum demonstrates the important role of youth in global governance. It showcases the potential for innovative approaches to long-standing challenges.
Recommendations from young representatives like Wijaya and Kelana are expected to influence ongoing and future initiatives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
“Our presence at the forum can significantly impact how youth can influence policy-making at the global level,” said Kelana.
Author: Gusti Grehenson