23rd Session of
The Youth Assembly
February 15-17, 2019 • New York City, USA
THEME
Empowering Youth for Global Development
THE PLATFORM
For the past sixteen years, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation (FAF) has
championed youth leadership and development by spearheading one of the
foremost global platforms for young leaders – The Youth Assembly. To tackle
society’s greatest challenges and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for
a better world, it is imperative that we engage the talent and drive of the world’s
1.8 billion youth, as The Youth Assembly has strived to do since its foundation.
The 23rd Session of The Youth Assembly will continue FAF’s legacy of youth
empowerment by once again serving as a platform to strengthen and mobilize
youth with the skills and opportunities needed to be agents of impactful
change. The conference connects the world’s foremost young talent in the
fields of sustainable development and social entrepreneurship, together with
leading professionals and practitioners in various fields. Through discussions,
skill-building workshops, networking sessions, and ideation challenges, youth
delegates gain the relevant knowledge, resources, and opportunities they need
to take action and build projects of their own.
THE PROGRAM AGENDA
The 23rd Session of The Youth Assembly takes the theme of “Empowering
Youth for Global Development”. Throughout history, young people have played
crucial roles in leading national and global movements that changed the world,
despite the numerous challenges that they face, such as age discrimination,
underrepresentation, lack of resources and unemployment. This conference aims
to address these gaps and will work towards fostering the inclusion of youth
across all social and regional groups in tackling and solving global challenges.
Inspired by the upcoming 2019 U.N. High-Level Political Forum, the role of youth
in global development will particularly be considered with regard to Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) 4 (Quality Education for All), 8 (Decent Work and
Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 13 (Climate Action), 16 (Peace,
Justice and Strong Institutions) and 17 (Partnership for the Goals). This will
include assessment of progress on these core challenges of our time, while also
exploring new opportunities to advance these issues through the lens of youth.
In light of our global outlook, regional inclusion will be emphasized, with special
sessions dedicated to the specific interests and issues of different continents
and regions. A strong focus will also be placed on reducing inequalities, with in-
depth reviews into achieving gender and racial equality, and amplifying inclusion
of those with disabilities, indigenous communities and other minority groups.
In view of FAF’s commitment to creating impact for sustainable development,
all conference sessions will seek to develop and strengthen tangible, pragmatic
contact us Friendship Ambassadors Foundation team@faf.org www.faf.org
299 Greenwich Ave, Greenwich CT +1 (203) 542-0652 www.youthassembly.nyc
a program of
hard skills that can be put to immediate and effective use to solve local and
global problems. Additional effort will be made to foster soft skills such as
creativity, collaboration, intuition, and developing a global mindset.
THE OBJECTIVES
Over the course of The Youth Assembly, delegates will develop the following:
• Skills - Discover groundbreaking new tools, knowledge, training, and
resources to succeed in their projects
• Networks - Build partnerships and motivation through connecting with
influential young leaders, experts and practitioners in global issues
• Dialogue - Join a cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder dialogue on current
global development and pursuit of social justice
• Ideation - Co-create and design solutions that drive action for sustainable
development
• Impact - Participate and engage in new initiatives and opportunities to
bring real impact to local and global communities
THE OUTCOME
Through The Youth Assembly, Friendship Ambassadors Foundation seeks to
stimulate long-term intergenerational and cross-sectoral collaboration to drive
social impact and fulfill the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Delegates are called to continue their work beyond the conference as part of a
global movement of young changemakers developing groundbreaking solutions
to tackle the world’s greatest challenges and build a better future for the
generations to come.
All delegates will be called upon to voice their opinions and experiences during
the conference. Their concerns and policy insights will be collected and shared
with relevant stakeholders within the spheres of youth and global development,
further expanding the voices of youth in international dialogue.
In addition, delegates will have the opportunity to receive further support and
mentorship through FAF’s new action-driving initiatives: the Impact Facilitator
Program and Impact Challenge. The Impact Facilitator Program will provide
continued guidance and resources for Delegates to succeed in their work.
Winners of the Impact Challenge will launch their own new social impact projects
with funding and mentorship from FAF and other experts in the field.
In this way, The Youth Assembly seeks to generate a well-equipped cohort of
youth who will address the foremost problems and opportunities of the present
and the future, and catalyze positive change for a better world.