The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, has reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting young people and praised their role in driving positive societal change.
Fall stated this at the sixth edition of the Lagos Secondary Schools Model United Nations (LASSMUN) conference on Tuesday.
The conference was convened by the six Lagos Education Districts, the United Nations Information Centre in Nigeria, and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.
This was contained in a statement signed by the National Information Officer, UNIC, Oluseyi Soremekun, on Wednesday.
Fall stressed the importance of young people in decision-making processes, referring to the Pact for the Future, which calls for youth to be decision-makers, not just guests.
He urged the delegates, who were students from Lagos public secondary schools, to use the conference as a learning platform.
“Your journey starts now. Learn. Debate. Connect. And when you leave this conference, carry this fire forward,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Abisola Dokunmu-Adegbite, also addressed the delegates, encouraging them to direct their energies toward positive change.
She urged them to remain bold and confident, but to avoid aggression.
“Be bold, but not aggressive; be confident but not unruly. Don’t get tired. Don’t give up. Don’t flow with the tide, I charge you to stand out,” she said, stressing the importance of determination and vision in achieving their goals.
LASSMUN President Grace Ogungbamigbe highlighted several challenges faced by young people, including economic disparity, limited opportunities, the digital divide, and unequal access to education.
She called for a paradigm shift in how youth engagement is approached, advocating for genuine partnerships that allow young people to take the lead.
“This requires a paradigm shift in our approach, moving beyond tokenistic gestures to genuine partnerships that empower young people to lead and innovate,” she said.
Ogungbamigbe also urged member states, international organisations, and the private sector to invest in education and skills development to prepare youth for future challenges.
The Secretary General of the LASSMUN Sixth General Assembly, Peter Alademehin, noted that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals was a collective effort, with youth playing a central role.
At the end of the conference, rapporteur Al-Amee Sowemimo presented a resolution advocating for the inclusion of youth in global decision-making.
The resolution emphasized the need to tackle educational inequality, pointing out that millions of children worldwide still lack access to education. It urged member states to enact policies that promote genuine youth leadership and create supportive environments where they can thrive.
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