- Twenty-six young changemakers from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, India, Japan and the Philippines completed the 8-week Youth Ambassador Asia-Pacific Programme 2024 on 30 November 2024.
- The Youth Ambassador Asia-Pacific Programme aims to support Asia-Pacific youth in developing their abilities to address international issues and work towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year’s theme was “Local Solutions for Global Challenges: Youth Empowerment and Community Impact.”
- Four young changemakers won awards for their creative SDG-based projects at the final presentation event.
UNITAR
11 December 2024 – The 2024 Youth Ambassador Asia-Pacific Programme concluded on 30 November 2024 with participants showcasing their creative proposals for projects that address local issues and create global impact. Guided by UNITAR and partner ITS Education Asia, 26 young changemakers from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, India, Japan and the Philippines completed the 8-week training programme.
For eight consecutive Saturdays, from 12 October to 30 November 2024, the young leaders joined online to learn from experts in various sectors including:
- Momoka Narasaki, Global Experience Director at Peace Culture Village, who spoke on peace and entrepreneurship through the lens of Hiroshima’s recent peace activities
- Nihal Ahmed, founder of Limitless Institute, who spoke on idea generation and framing ideas in the context of social enterprises
- Dwayne Evans, basketball player for the Hiroshima Dragonflies, who spoke on the importance of teamwork
Through the course, the young people learned about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), systems thinking, solution framing, problem identification and ideation, theory of change, team building, positive and negative peace, project sustainability and strategies to create lasting community impact through innovation and entrepreneurship.
From apps that help manage screen time to programmes supporting refugees in sports, initiatives for women and youth in Afghanistan, and AI that assists with daily decisions – each idea holds the potential to redefine the way business serves society. These ventures embody the vision of a circular economy, prioritizing sustainable growth over mere extraction.” – Ms. Junko Shimazu, Programme Officer and Team Leader L.E.A.D. #Future, UNITAR
On the final day, each participant made a four-minute pitch on their projects. Judges including Youth Ambassador alumni and staff from UNITAR and ITS Education Asia cast their votes to pick the top proposals.
Yet again we see the power of bringing together the energy and desire for change that so many young people have today with the tools to get impactful projects up and running. [YAAP] class of ’24 did not let us down, and we have high hopes for them being agents of change in the coming years.” – Mr. Danny Harrington, Founder and Director, ITS Education Asia
THE WINNERS
- Impact Prize: Koto Kajihara (Japan) proposed Eat to Smile!, which will support a Hiroshima-based community cafeteria to raise funds to donate and enable individuals to socialize, eat and learn from others.
- Presentation Prize: John Isidore Laure (Philippines) proposed Emerge, a training and capacity-building initiative for youth public officials in his community.
- Inclusion Prize: A female participant from Afghanistan proposed A Gateway to Bright Futures, an empowerment initiative, which would provide STEM education for youth and women.
- Innovation Prize: Quincy Li (Hong Kong) designed Fash Forward, an app that uses AI to reimagine one’s existing wardrobe, while keeping track of clothing that could be donated or recycled. The app also provides recommendations on how to be more sustainable when it comes to fashion.
Thank you so much for providing a platform to innovators, game changers, or even normal individuals who dream of making a change or providing solutions to the problems in their community. I am very thankful to the ITS Foundation and UNITAR for the opportunity they gave me.” – 2024 Youth Ambassador Asia-Pacific participant
The award allowed me to take a free course from Microsoft AI Azure. I learned how to use the fundamentals of AI and integrate it into the workshop features of my project. It was a transformative experience, but more importantly, the connections between UNITAR graduates and with the judges was more worthwhile than the award itself.” – Bryan Chiu, 2023 Youth Ambassador Asia Pacific alumnus, Co-Founder of Design Your Life at 25
All participants received a UNITAR certificate of completion. The winners will have access to UNITAR courses on social entrepreneurship and receive additional mentoring sessions from ITS Education Asia.
About UNITAR
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations. In 2023, UNITAR trained over 540,000 learners around the world to support their actions for a better future. UNITAR has a global presence, with offices in Geneva, Hiroshima, New York and Bonn and networks around the world. Find out more at www.unitar.org