"South African Sustainable Development"
What was the point of me attending a United Nations meeting in South Africa this summer when I could have been at home in Long Island writing a press release about the importance of sustainable development? An exhausting but thrilling day of lobbying had left me with little time to spare for the Youth Caucus at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (WSSD). At the greatest United Nations summit in history, my mission was to help persuade world leaders that sustainable development is important for the future of our planet. I was aware of the necessity of sustainable development in this context because I had previously attended a UN conference on children's rights. After that, I was selected to attend the WSSD as a representative of the youth network SustainUS. I was able to raise all of the money I needed to travel. To see the human spirit at its purest, working together to help those in need all over the world, was an incredible experience for me.
It was a different matter, however, to argue over the wording of the conference document's goals for providing access to water for people in underdeveloped countries. Soweto, just a few miles from the conference, was a completely different experience when I saw underprivileged Africans living in shanties with no water access. When I heard this statement, it made me realize how serious my task was in a way that statistics couldn't. Soweto and Alexandria's harshness and beggars' long-suffering expressions and begging eyes were considerably different from the challenge on paper. A constant reminder to myself prompted me to work around the clock while in South Africa.
I went to the International Youth Summit after I arrived in Johannesburg in August. I helped to develop a statement from the youth delegates for government leaders to read and evaluate while they were negotiating the youth declaration. Aside from regular news releases for the AP and Reuters, I authored speeches for the delegates, including over one hundred heads of state, during my time at the WSSD. During a press conference, I felt a rush of adrenaline as I answered questions from journalists. I learned a lot from these hard events and gained a different perspective on life than I had in high school. Learn more about the history of international financial institutions and how they interact with the governments of different countries.
A new perspective on global politics and how it affects people's lives has been obtained as a result of my participation in the World Summit. Seeing people from around the world working together to address a global problem inspires and awes me.
Aside from formal education, I learnt more about global politics, international relations, and environmental issues as part of my work with the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). To ensure that our planet's future is bright, we must join forces with others to raise awareness about the critical importance of sustainable development. To be able to attend and contribute to international meetings, I've had to learn how they work and accept the responsibility that comes along with that knowledge.
