UNESCO with, by and for youth.
The Youth Programme is part of the Social and Human Science sector of UNESCO. According to the World Youth Report (2020), there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16 percent of the global population. Youth is a priority group for UNESCO. Recognizing their creativity, innovation and capacity to make change happen in the world, we firmly believe that young people are crucial actors, leaders, and partners. UNESCO is committed to accompany them in fighting inequality, contributing to sustainable development and building peace through activities implemented in and across all Major Programmes (education, natural sciences, social & human sciences, culture and communication & information.) UNESCO’s objective is to help empower young people, reaching out to them, responding to their expectations and ideas, fostering useful and long-lasting skills. The United Nations, for statistical purposes, defines ‘youth’ as those persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years, without prejudice to other definitions by Member States.
Youth for Youth
Every two years prior to the UNESCO General Conference, youth representatives from all over the world meet to discuss on matters of importance to the youth.
Youth Group Curaçao
In order to involve more youth in the UNESCO Youth Programme under the coordination of the National Committee Member for Youth, a youth committee was established with the aim to make known the Youth Programme and to get the Curaçao youth involved in activities concerning youth. The Youth Committee will advise the Curaçao National Commission on themes that are of importance to young people.
UNESCO Youth Forum
Every biennium during the General Conference of UNESCO, the Youth Forum takes place at which Forum selected young persons from the Member and Associate Member States meet and discuss various topics concerning UNESCO’s work in the areas of Education, Natural Sciences, Social & Human Sciences, Culture, Communication & Information.
Take a look back at the 12th UNESCO Youth Forum, held 19th of November 2021.
13th Youth Forum
This 13th edition will be an opportunity to take advantage of UNESCO’s cross-cutting mandate to discuss the theme for this Youth Forum: “The Social Impact of Climate Change and the Need for an Equitable Climate transition, particularly for Young People”. The 13th UNESCO Youth Forum will be held on 14 and 15 November 2023 at UNESCO Headquarters, during the 42nd session of the General Conference.
Curaçao will be represented by Ms Tiara de Doelder.
She is a forensic analyst currently researching how everyone from local gardeners to large municipalities can discover the human and environmental health benefits of healthy soil. Her interest in nutrition and ethnobotany grew during the years, so she sought a job related to the food industry. After working at a food laboratory, she returned home from abroad and noticeable changes in the island’s environment, have led Tiarah to start her own company TD Forensic Analytics with the mission to combat these local ecological imbalances. She also created social projects like an ethnobotanics database where the data for local plant use is being documented and published. The database is an attempt to cure plant blindness on the island. This database has led to her leading a project approved by UNESCO through the Participation Programme to rebuild traditional craftsmanship in the area of culture, implementing thus part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention.
Project
Man and The Biosphere Youth Forum
The Curaçao National Commission with UNESCO’s support has been actively promoting the introduction and establishment of the Biosphere Reserve vision in the country for the last 7 years; the Commission held planning and training workshops on the Man and the Biosphere Programme and Biosphere Reserves.
In order to get the youth involved a project was submitted to UNESCO via the Participation Programme to organize workshops and trainings for youth on the island and off the island with the Youth section in Jamaica and the Regional Office for Science in Montevideo and with the participation of other youth.
The objective of the Man and the Biosphere Youth Forum was to seek to accomplish the following objectives:
1. Educate, students about features of the Middle Curaçao Biosphere Reserve through interactive sessions, workshops practical activities and the use of modern technology.
2. Obtaining the views of the general public on environment and development issues through facilitating two-way feedback, through research activities, opinion surveys, talk shows and other activities, supported by radio, television, social media, including face book, twitter, WhatsApp, and Instagram, and print media.
3. Encouraging young islanders to discuss environment, social entrepreneurship and social cultural issues among themselves using new technologies.
4. Exploring and understanding the basic science and social impacts of climate change, and sustainable development as it relates to the proposed territory of the Middle Curaçao Biosphere Reserve.
5. Create further awareness of the proposed territory of the Middle Curaçao Biosphere Reserve.
Would you like to know more about the UNESCO Youth Programme and do you have an affinity with any of the below:
• They provide guest lectures at schools and thus collect input for the Commission.
• Member of a youth organization
• Good general development
• Good communication skills
• Between the ages of 16-25/30
• Good command of English, Papiamento and Dutch
• Writing skills in English, Papiamentu and Dutch
• Being able to present oneself in public (Public Speaking)
• Being able to work in a team
• Discipline and responsibility in performing work related to UNESCO
• Knowledge about points of interest that are important for youth (Education, Science,
Culture, Communication and Information)
• Be representative of the youth in the country
• Experience of participating in workshops; conferences and more
• Prepare to represent the National UNESCO Commission Curaçao locally, nationally and internationally
Feel free to contact us.