May 2024, Hiroshima, Japan - Agnes Chiu, a high school student in Hong Kong, leads a global youth initiative called “Design Your Life at 25” to help teenagers envision their life and career paths and make informed decisions to reach their dreams. In immersive three-hour workshops, Agnes and her team guide teenagers through self-discovery journeys to envision their lives at age 25. To date, the initiative has already trained 300 young people from 14 countries. Inspired by the UNITAR Asia Pacific Ambassador Programme, Agnes and her team are now developing an app driven by artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance engagement and accessibility for her workshops.

Agnes’s path was not without challenges. She faced scepticism from people about her age and experience. At times, these doubts crept into her mind, making her question her chosen path.

The biggest problem is people don’t trust us. It’s like, ‘Oh, you’re 15? And you’re 17? Who are you to tell me how to design my life at 25? How helpful are you?’ We face a lot of these doubts from both adults and teenagers who want to join us.” – Agnes Chiu, high school student from Hong Kong and UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia Pacific 2023

But amid the doubts, a spark of inspiration reignited Agnes’s determination, and it came from Egypt. One young person expressed interest in joining the programme, and soon after, Agnes noticed a surge in registrations from Egyptian participants. Agnes discovered that one participant had shared information about her initiative widely in group chats and on social media. Word spread quickly, leading to a significant response from young people from Egypt eager to participate in the “Design Your Life at 25” workshops. This prompted Agnes to expand her focus beyond Hong Kong to include Egyptian communities.

The passion and eagerness of these participants deeply moved Agnes. One student, in particular, made a lasting impression. Despite having school lessons at the same time as the workshop, she managed to join and actively participate, asking questions in Arabic, which Agnes’s friend translated into English. At the end of the session, the student expressed heartfelt gratitude to Agnes for her valuable insights, emphasizing how the opportunity for self-discovery had kindled newfound confidence and aspirations within her.

To them, this experience was so valuable. They didn’t question us or our expertise.” – Agnes Chiu, a high school student from Hong Kong and UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia Pacific 2023

The enthusiasm shown by the Egyptian participants showed Agnes that her initiative could make an impact far beyond her hometown. She also realized that similar resources and opportunities were needed not only in Egypt but worldwide. Now, she aims to expand globally, especially to reach more underprivileged youth who otherwise might not have access to such opportunities.