Voices of Youth

Hi, I am Kelvin, a Fijian youth who will be participating at the 6th World Youth Congress from 4-13 June, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To maximise the impacts of this once in a lifetime opportunity and with the kind assistance and support of UNICEF Pacific, I hope to create as much awareness possible and engage Pacific as well as global youth on the climate debate using social and traditional media before, during and after the WYC 2012. What is climate change? The challenges it poses to us now and in the future? How can we adapt to the challenges? and What are the possible solution?

These are a few of the many questions that I would like for…

There are many ways to describe the experience that I have been given the opportunity to witness. Originally I had the standard expectation of a conference, a long and monotonous ceremony where I would be lectured and put to sleep with no chance to offer input and everything be laid out in front of me. It was quite the opposite upon my arrival I have been met with nothing but participation and enthusiasm from both my fellow juices of our creative young minds for the betterment of children around the world and for this I express a million thanks for this marvellous and creative opportunity.

-Craig, Young Media team of the conference, Jamaica

About the event: Caribbean leaders converged in…

I attended UNGASS as a member of the Kenyan Government delegation 10 years ago. I don’t think I fully grasped the impact of that opportunity at the time. It was the first time the Kenyan government had ever taken on any children on their delegation for any negotiations. I was terribly excited, particularly because they really made me feel like a valuable and significant part of the team despite my age.

I was around 13 at the time and UNGASS was my second opportunity to be in New York as I had already attended the preparatory session the previous year. My family was incredibly supportive, in light of their slight nervousness at me being away from home without them for…

By Nobuhle Dladla

In February 2007, I started working for WhizzKids United as a Life Skills Trainer. It was a big change in my life and an eye opener of how the AIDS epidemic is threatening in South Africa and the whole world especially in young persons who get infected. I felt like I could help change, like I owed Edendale's youth a behaviour change initiation.

I've become an older sister to them, someone they can talk to since they are afraid to talk to their parents about sex and stuff. So I opened my arms to make them feel free to come and discuss every thing with me. I've changed most of their behaviours in how to take care…