Sign up NOW for August 12 UN Event for International Youth Day!

This August 12 is International Youth Day! This is an internationally recognized day to celebrate youth. This year's theme is on civic engagement. Civic engagement is defined as: the encouragement of the general public to become involved in the political process and the issues that affect them.

On August 12, there will be an International Youth Day event held at the UN headquarters in NYC! This event is meant for youth (under 25 years old) and is an exciting opportunity for you to go to the UN and have your voice heard, while also meeting other young people who are passionate about global issues and social justice. You can register for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/register?orderid=444627433623&client_token=1b0aae330df74ff08265490586bb7a86&eid=17770214189

Didn't get picked for the event or can't get to NYC? Create your own event in your community! The UN's Envoy on Youth has some excellent suggestions for you to take with your troop, friends, or community organization. Or, you can take action online.

More information here: http://bit.ly/1L2KsS2

United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY) Survey on Youth, Peace, and Security

The United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY) is calling for youth to respond to their survey/consultation on youth, peace, and security to understand the opinions and concerns of youth in this area. You can access the consultation here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1U0CgqkY3vGkd7RZ2UHXJLUYNhbtd0gzyc67BJjV15gw/viewform?edit_requested=true

More Information About the Consultation:

Young people around the world face a wide and diverse set of experiences, challenges and problems, which vary according to their nationality, ethnic and racial background, gender, sexual orientation, religion and much more. In order to ensure that the declaration will truly reflect the youth’s viewpoint and include such multiplicity of perspectives, we would like to ask for your contribution. This is your chance to make your voice heard by helping us draft the declaration!

Through the questionnaire below, you can express your opinion about the most pressing aspects within the field of Youth, Peace and Security. The questionnaire is composed by two multiple choice and nine open-ended questions. The open-ended questions are optional, thus, you are not required to answer all of them. Instead, you can focus on the ones of your interest. Please, try to be specific and short in your answers.

Who is UNOY Peacebuilders?

UNOY Peacebuilders is a network of youth peace organisations from around the world. We currently have 60 member organisations in 45 countries. We have an office in the Hague coordinating the network, with four members of staff. We also have an International Steering Group, representing the different member organisations around the world, and a board based in the Netherlands.

More info here: http://unoy.org/who-we-are/

#OrangeDay: What does a future free of violence against women & girls mean to you?

This Saturday is Orange Day! Upload your short video to social media to share what a future free of violence against women and girls means to you. Be sure to use the hashtag #OrangeDay so that others can see why youth are making the call to end violence against women & girls.

What is Orange Day?

The United Nations Secretary-General’s Campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women has proclaimed the 25th of each month as ‘Orange Day’, a day to raise awareness and take action against violence against women and girls. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls, for the UNiTE Campaign. Orange Day calls upon activists, governments and UN partners to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls, not only once a year, on 25 November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), but every month. This month, the UNiTE campaign highlights the role of one particular group whose efforts are vital if a future free from violence against women and girls is to become a reality; the theme of action for 25 July, Orange Day, is “Orange our Future: Engaging youth to prevent and end violence against women and girls.”

More Info on How to Participate

Here’s how you can add your voice:

1. Take a short video of up to 30 seconds of yourself, your friends or your organization answering one or more of these questions:

• What does a future free of violence against women and girls mean to you? 
• Why are the Sustainable Development Goals, which will be agreed in September 2015, an important framework for realizing a future free of violence against women and girls?  How can young people help to end violence against women and girls? 
• What do you commit to do to end violence against women and girls? 

2. Make sure there’s a touch of orange in your video and don’t forget to introduce yourself and say which country you are from.
3. Upload your video to YouTube or Instagram.
4. On 25 July, share the link to your video on Twitter using the hashtags #OrangeDay and #OrangeOurFuture
5. Encourage other young people to do the same!

More information here: http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/orangeday.shtml

International Day of the Girl Call for Submissions Until 7/17!

Exciting news about International Day of the Girl (IDG) being held this October 9! The International Day of the Girl is a global celebration of girls and their struggles, successes, and rights. The UN hosts the event annually by collecting arts submissions from girls around the world who share their experiences. Submissions are selected and displayed or presented to UN officials as well as girls and women from around the globe! Selected submissions that are presented are often performed or acted out by girls in the NYC area. The discussions from these works are powerful and emotional--touching on everything from living with a disability as a girl, to sexual abuse, to body image and the media.

This year will be another great year for girls to celebrate themselves and put their thoughts and ideas in front of the UN! Here is the intro to the call for submissions (due 7/17!):

Imagine: The year is 2065 and girls hold all leadership positions at the United Nations and more than half of the governmental positions in countries around the world. Girls’ rights are honored, respected and the global economy is booming. Why? How did this happen? What was the event that changed everything? How did you, your parents, teachers, friends, and siblings help make this happen? What did community leaders, government officials, the UN and YOU do RIGHT NOW, in 2015 to improve our world for girls? 

You can help us make IDG 2015 the greatest celebration of girls, girl power, and the unique roles girls play in our world. We invite all girls ages 18 or younger to send us your creative writing or artwork so you can share your voice and your ideas to help shape the Girls Speak Out 2015!

Girls  have two great ways to be involved. Firstly, girls around the world can submit their artwork, poem, songs, etc. to be presented at the IDG Summit at the UN. See the above flyer for information about this year's themes! Please note the submission deadline is very soon!

Secondly, girls in New York City and nearby areas can actually perform these great works. Below is the IDG audition flyer with more info and how to get involved:

Last year, the WAGGGS UN team attended the IDG Summit! You can check out more info here: http://wagggsunteamnyc.blogspot.com/2014/10/international-day-of-girl-speak-out.html And here are a few select photos from last year: