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La capitale tchadienne a été secouée par des détonations et crépitements d’armes lourdes et légères jusqu’au petit matin.

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President Metsola’s visit in Kyiv on Europe Day demonstrated the European Parliament’s continued support and commitment to Ukraine and its European path.

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

President Metsola’s visit in Kyiv on Europe Day demonstrated the European Parliament’s continued support and commitment to Ukraine and its European path.

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

President Metsola’s visit in Kyiv on Europe Day demonstrated the European Parliament’s continued support and commitment to Ukraine and its European path.

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

President Metsola’s visit in Kyiv on Europe Day demonstrated the European Parliament’s continued support and commitment to Ukraine and its European path.

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The United Nations Office at Nairobi is hosting the 2024 United Nations Civil Society Conference on May 9 and 10, under the theme Shaping a Future of Global and Sustainable Progress. Credit: Joyce Chimbi/IPS

By Joyce Chimbi
NAIROBI, May 9 2024 (IPS)

The world is neither on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) nor is it leveraging emerging opportunities to effectively address global concerns such as extreme hunger, poverty, conflict, and climate change. Global concerns have outpaced existing structures for international cooperation and coping.

To forge a global perspective, the United Nations Office in Nairobi is currently hosting the 2024 United Nations Civil Society Conference under the theme Shaping a Future of Global and Sustainable Progress. Bringing together more than 2,000 participants from civil society organizations, academic institutions, think tanks, member states, private sector companies, UN entities, change-makers, and other relevant stakeholders from across the globe.

“That civil society engagement remains a critical cog in the wheel of development is well established. Greater collaboration between civil society organizations, governments, and the private sector can therefore not be more urgent at this time as we gear up for the Summit of the Future,” says Carole Ageng’o, Global Initiatives Lead & Africa Regional Representative at HelpAge International.

“Indeed, civil society participation will contribute greatly towards meeting the aspiration of an international system that is better prepared to manage the challenges we face now and, in the future, for the sake of all humanity and for future generations.”

Since 1947, sixty-eight civil society conferences have resulted in successful outcomes due to previous interactions with civil society organizations. The ongoing conference is the premier event on the civil society calendar at the United Nations and the first of the UN’s civil society conferences to be held in Africa.

Born in Zimbabwe and currently working in South Africa as a human rights defender, Constance Mukarati told IPS that the role of civil society organizations and, more so, human rights defenders cannot be overstated towards ensuring that no one is left behind.

“For us, SDG 5 is really SDG 1. As a matter of urgency, women and girls everywhere must have equal rights and opportunities. We are still in an era where girl child education is not a priority and a gathering such as this is an opportunity for a revolution in how we think about issues of national and global concern, how we talk about these issues, who is in the room and how we execute and implement commitments towards sustainable development,” says Mukarati from the African Initiative of Women Human Rights Defenders.

The ongoing gathering of civil society and other stakeholders is on track to provide preliminary discussions and data ahead of the world’s leaders’ Summit of the Future on September 22–23, 2024, at the UN Headquarters in New York. The Summit is part of a monumental effort to reset global cooperation towards accelerating efforts to meet our existing international commitments and take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities.

Ultimately, the Summit of the Future is about rethinking what multilateralism means in a world characterized by plummeting levels of trust in public institutions, glaring wealth inequalities, and a majority of the world’s population in underdeveloped and developing nations being left furthest behind, falling deeper into extreme hunger and poverty. To address global concerns, the Summit will produce three international frameworks: the Pact for the Future (available as a zero draft), the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations.

“It is highly urgent that the UN systems relook and redesign how they engage its global citizenry so that the citizens can in turn engage the UN more effectively. This is what is needed to bring the SDGs back on track. What are people saying about the multiple challenges they face today? There is a feeling within the civil society movement that governments’ voices are prioritized within the UN system. This engagement is unique and highly relevant for our voices as activists and human rights defenders, which will inform and influence the direction that the Summit of the Future takes,” Eric Omondi, a Nairobi-based activist, told IPS.

This is a historic gathering aimed at galvanizing collaboration and reinforcing civil society organizations engagement in sustainable development. “We recognize that our generation stands at a critical junction where every action we take can significantly shape the future of our shared planet,” said Florence Syevuo, Executive Director, SDG Kenya Forum, and Co-Chair, Coalition for the UN We Need, Nairobi.

She stressed that the need to recognize the urgency of addressing global concerns such as climate change has never been more tangible as the effects of human interactions with nature become even more evident, underpinning why the outcome of the conference matters to all.

The Civil Society Conference and the Summit of the Future are critical platforms for deepening the engagement of citizens in international cooperation. As a prelude to the Summit of the Future, the Civil Society Conference features in-depth dialogues, a variety of workshops, and exhibits centered on three main objectives: inclusivity, impact, and innovation.

Inclusivity helps broaden the scope of discourse on global issues by enhancing the visibility and impact of diverse voices. On impact, participants are shaping global multi-stakeholder coalitions to advocate for and push the key issues that will be the outcome of the September Summit of the Future. On innovation, the two-day gathering is redefining the interaction between civil society and intergovernmental processes, showcasing a new model of collaboration that spans generations and sectors.

“The inclusion of youths and young voices in the SDG processes and other related commitments must become a priority. I recently completed my studies in law at Kampala International University and I intend to use my legal knowledge to amplify the most pressing problems facing young people in the global south and the communities in which they live,” Kiconco Shallom Esther, a youth participant from Uganda, told IPS.

As the curtain fell on the first day of the landmark civil society conference, there was consensus around the need to promote civil society’s insights and initiatives to bolster the Member State-led Summit of the Future process. Further emphasizing that a reinvigorated, organized civil society group can more effectively hold governments and powers accountable for progress towards a just, fair, and equitable shared future.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Les conservateurs du HDZ et le Mouvement patriotique (DP, extrême-droite) ont finalement trouvé un accord de principe pour former une coalition gouvernementale, après trois semaines de tractations. La Croatie met le cap à droite toute.

- Le fil de l'Info / Croatie, Courrier des Balkans, Politique intérieure, Croatie droitisation

Les conservateurs du HDZ et le Mouvement patriotique (DP, extrême-droite) ont finalement trouvé un accord de principe pour former une coalition gouvernementale, après trois semaines de tractations. La Croatie met le cap à droite toute.

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Már pályázható a Széchenyi Terv Plusz keretében megjelent „KKV-k közbeszerzési részvételét ösztönző támogatás” című (RRF-9.5.1-23 kódszámú) felhívás, melynek célja, hogy a mikro- kis- és középvállalatok nagyobb részt vállaljanak a közbeszerzési versenyben.

Minden olyan mikro-, kis- és középvállalkozás (KKV) átalány alapú, egységesen 600.000 Ft vissza nem térítendő támogatást igényelhet – tételes költségelszámolás kötelezettsége nélkül – közbeszerzési ajánlatának elkészítéséhez, amely

• több, mint 1 éve létező vállalkozás, és
• nem indult az elmúlt 12 hónapban hazai közbeszerzésen.

A támogatás igényléséhez nem feltétel a közbeszerzési pályázat elnyerése.

 

Érdekli a lehetőség? Töltse ki az űrlapot és kérjen ingyenes konzultációt!

 

A felhívás itt érhető el. A pályázat benyújtható a forrás kimerüléséig. Kérjen díjmentes konzultációt ide kattintva

A Magyar Honvédség a mai napon átadta a vitéz Reviczky László 1. Területvédelmi Ezred csapatzászlaját egy ünnepélyes ceremónián a gödöllői Szentháromság templomban. A zászlót Szalay-Bobrovniczky Kristóf honvédelmi miniszter adta át az ezrednek, kiemelve a tartalékos haderő fontosságát Magyarország védelmében.

A miniszter elmondta, hogy a területvédelmi tartalékos rendszer kiépítése a honvédelmi stratégiának kulcsfontosságú eleme. A cél, hogy minél többen csatlakozzanak a tartalékos állományhoz, és hozzájáruljanak a haza védelméhez. Szalay-Bobrovniczky Kristóf hangsúlyozta, hogy a tartalékosok nemcsak a haderő gerincét erősítik, de fontos szerepet játszanak a helyi közösségek védelmében is.

A csapatzászló az ezred összetartozásának és hagyományainak jelképe. Vitéz Reviczky László ezredesről kapta a nevét, aki az első világháborúban tanúsított hősiességével vívta ki a tiszteletet. A zászlót ősi magyar szokás szerint, egyházi szertartás keretében adták át, Reviczky Éva, az ezred névadójának leszármazottja, a zászlóanya jelenlétében.

A zászlóátadó ünnepségen Kun Szabó István vezérőrnagy, a Köztársasági Elnöki Hivatal Honvédelmi Igazgatóság igazgatója, az államfő főhadsegéde, Takács Attila altábornagy, a Honvéd Vezérkar főnökének területvédelmi helyettese, és vitéz Reviczky Éva is részt vett.

A Magyar Honvédség a következő hónapokban nagyszabású toborzási kampányt indít a területvédelmi tartalékosok számára. A cél, hogy a lehető legtöbb embert bevonjanak a haderőbe, és erősítsék Magyarország védelmi képességét.

The post A Magyar Honvédség átadta a vitéz Reviczky László 1. Területvédelmi Ezred csapatzászlaját appeared first on Biztonságpiac.

Közel öt esztendeje, hogy 2019. május 20-án az utolsó váltás hazaérkezésével véget ért a magyar szállító helikopteres közösség afganisztáni szerepvállalása. A Mi-17-es helikoptervezetők, fedélzeti technikusok és repülőműszakiak egy nemzetközi koalíció részeként, nyolc éven át segítették az afgán nemzeti hadsereg szállítóhelikopteres állományának képzését. Az ott szerzett tapasztalatokon nem változtatott az sem, hogy két évvel később, a 2021 nyarán bekövetkezett összeomlást és a tálib hatalomátvételt követően Afganisztán történetében új fejezet kezdődött.

A teljes magyar helikopteres fegyvernemet érintő afganisztáni feladatokból a szállítóhelikopter zászlóalj két misszióval vette ki a részét. 2011 és 2014 között Légi Tanácsadó Csoportként (AAT – Air Advisory Team) dolgoztak Sindandban, majd 2015-től Kabulban folytatták a munkát az Eltökélt Támogatás Misszióban (RSM – Resolute Support Mission), mindkét helyen amerikai parancsnokság alatt.

[...] Bővebben!

Jamais on a autant fait appel au transport routier, et jamais l'Europe n'a autant manqué de chauffeurs routiers. Ceux d'Ukraine ont presque disparu du marché européen et les chauffeurs de Bulgarie ou de Roumanie préfèrent travailler pour des entreprises occidentales, où les salaires sont bien meilleurs. Reportage.

- Articles / Libéralisation des visas, Roumanie, Economie, Bulgarie, Une - Diaporama, Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso, Questions européennes, Société

• Cégük közbeszerzési eljárásokban vesz részt, de kollégái nem rendelkeznek magabiztos elméleti és gyakorlati tudással a jogszabályi háttér tekintetében?

• A közbeszerzési ajánlatok elkészítését olyan adminisztratív munkatársak végzik, akik autodidakta módon tanultak bele a közbeszerzési ajánlatok elkészítésébe, ezért hiányoznak náluk az elméleti alapok?

• Gondot okoz a hiánypótlások vagy árindokolások elkészítése, egyéb ajánlatkérői felhívások teljesítése?

• Esetleg teljesen új Önnek a közbeszerzések világa?

Ismerje meg a közbeszerzési eljárások szabályozásának alapjait, és az Elektronikus Közbeszerzési Rendszer (EKR) naprakész használatát egy kifejezetten ajánlattevőknek szóló kiscsoportos, 1 + 1 napos, elméleti-gyakorlati felkészítő képzésen! Jelentkezni a www.ekrkepzes.hu oldalon lehet.

Food is distributed to Sudanese refugees in Koufron, Chad. Credit: WFP/Jacques David
 
Meanwhile, a former UN staff member who worked for a decade in Sudan’s Darfur region for the African Union-United Nations mission, UNAMID, has told UN News how she had to “avoid stepping on the bodies in the streets” as she fled for her life to neighbouring Chad. March 2024.

By James Elder
DARFUR, Western Sudan, May 9 2024 (IPS)

As dawn breaks over Darfur, my return after two decades feels heavy. Many millions are suffering once again. Twenty years ago, I was part of the humanitarian effort to make a difference. That was in the early 2000s, when celebrities and world-famous journalists would make the trek in a well-intentioned effort to focus attention on the atrocities across Darfur.

But despite years of progress, this return is difficult; something akin to a bleak déjà vu. Indeed, in many respects, this time it is much, much worse for children and women. Sudan’s Darfur region has long been plagued by conflict, displacement, and unimaginable suffering.

But now, as Sudan is torn apart by warring parties, there are no Hollywood actors, nor coordinated, concerted international pressure from politicians and media, to tackle what is the largest displacement crisis for children on the planet.

Darfur faces one of the world’s worst man-made disasters, yet so few people are talking about. After a year of fighting, more than 4.5 million children have been displaced. That’s more children than the entire population of many countries.

My initial experience 20 years ago left an indelible mark on me. Now, two decades later, I find myself standing once again on the soil of Darfur, the landscape hardly changed, but the problems all too familiar.

There’s a frightful, familiar pattern to this current war. The fighting has been brutal. The ceasefires almost non-existent. The clashes spreading. And the atrocities many, with girls and women so frequently targeted.

“If they couldn’t carry it, they burnt it”

Talking to the people, most of whom are displaced, I hear familiar themes from 20 years ago. Fighters didn’t just battle each other but looted whatever they could find, including basics like beds, mattresses, blankets, pots and pans or clothes. They took everything and, as an elderly woman told me in the city of Genenia: “If they couldn’t carry it, they burnt it.”

As I travel across West Darfur, I see evidence of a rebuilt life demolished once again, this time for the next generation. There were schools, health clinics and water systems less than 20 years old that now, after intense fighting, have been destroyed.

Lifesaving services that protect children and families again on the brink of collapse. Frontline workers like nurses, teachers, doctors, have not been paid in months. They are running out of medicines. Safe water is sparse.

Similarly, for those who were children the last time I was in Darfur it is again a desolate place. University students and graduates, mostly young men but some women – young people who wanted a job in economics, medicine or IT – are now refugees in Chad with next to nothing. They crave the tiniest opportunity.

Dreams on hold

In the chaos of this war, the brightest minds have been forced to abandon their studies, their ambitions shattered. As 22-year-old Haida said to me in Darfur: “I had a dream – to study medical science. I was living that dream. Now I have nothing. I do not dream. Sadness is my friend.”

Her gentle voice, perfect clarity, and utter grief floor me. I can only imagine how much more attention Sudan would get if the world could meet young Sudanese women like Haida.

Or Ahmed, 20, now in Farchana, Chad: “I cannot afford to dream here.” How then to reawaken their dreams? Those in power need to negotiate a ceasefire, and ensure aid is no longer blocked – from any side.

Those in the region need to show leadership. Those in donor countries need to show compassion – and translate that into funding to address immediate needs.

I speak to Nawal, 24, from Zelinge in West Darfur, for whom the stress of war had become so much that she delivered her baby, at home, two months premature. And then, as she was giving birth, Nawal’s house was bombed. Miraculously, she and her baby survived, but when I met her, the baby was badly malnourished. I will always remember the look of this mother, as she whispered to me, head bowed, “I am a nutritionist, but look at my child’.

She was ashamed. I thought she was heroic. She had walked for a day to get her baby to a facility where the baby could receive treatment from UNICEF, but without additional resources and improved access, she will be one of the few lucky ones.

James Elder is UNICEF’s spokesperson. Follow him @1james_elder

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Allan Ligare from Mzuri Organics in Kakamega County showcasing how insects are used to make fertilizer. Credit: Isaiah Esipisu/IPS

By Isaiah Esipisu
NAIROBI, May 9 2024 (IPS)

As the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit convened in Nairobi to review the progress made in terms of increasing fertilizer use in line with the 2006 Abuja Declaration, experts, practitioners, activists, and even government officials pointed out that accelerated fertilizer use may not be the magic bullet for increased food production in Africa.

During the opening ceremony of the summit, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, who was also the guest of honor, said that in Kenya, there are places where fertilizer has been used optimally, but maize yields have stagnated.

“Though fertilizers are estimated to contribute more than 30 percent of the crop yield, we have witnessed in our country that fertilizer alone cannot sustain increased agricultural productivity and production,” he said.

Studies have also shown that the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers has had a significant impact on soil acidity in many African countries, which is a major constraint on crop production and the sustainable intensification of smallholder farming systems.

According to an ongoing research project known as Guiding Acid Soil Management Investments in Africa (GAIA), 15 percent of all agricultural soils in Africa are affected by acidity issues and this has led to land degradation, decreased availability of soil nutrients to plants, and decreased plant production and water use.

According to Dr George Oduor, a soil scientist and international research consultant, African farmers should now consider or scale up the use of the Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) approach with a focus on return on investment and consider the use of lime on acidic soils.

“There is a need for governments in Africa to develop locally responsive tools that can advise farmers on how to combine different organic and inorganic fertilizers, how and when to intercrop with legumes for nitrogen fixation, and what crops to prioritize in different agroecological zones,” said Oduor in an interview with IPS.

However, some activists feel that there is a need for a complete shift from synthetic fertilizers to organic methods of farming such as agroecology, the regenerative agriculture (RA) approach, and permaculture, among other sustainable farming techniques.

“The heavy financial burden placed on African nations to support the purchase of expensive, imported fertilizers drains local economies and diverts funds from more sustainable local agricultural investments,” said Bridget Mugambe, the Programme Coordinator at the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA).

She called on governments and policymakers at the summit and across Africa to recognize the enormous potential of agroecology to sustainably increase food security and food sovereignty, so as to reduce poverty and hunger while conserving biodiversity and respecting indigenous knowledge.

So far, Kenya is one of the African countries that is in the process of developing policies for agroecology. The country also launched the National Agriculture Soil Management Policy (NASMP) alongside the Nairobi AFSH summit. The policy will help facilitate the restoration and maintenance of agricultural soils in order to increase productivity, improve food security, and contribute to poverty reduction while conserving soil and water resources for future generations.

Within the local governments, Murang’a County in Central Kenya was the first to develop the legal framework for agroecology, through which the government can easily allocate resources for organic fertilizer and pesticide production.

“The main reason why we had to pioneer in this is that our region is highly impacted by climate change, and therefore agroecology became a priority as a way of adapting to the phenomenon,” said Daniel Gitahi, the Director for Agriculture Value Chains, Policy, and Strategy.

“The second reason is that, as a county government, we observed that our yields were going down despite optimal use of fertilizers, and after research, we discovered that our soils had become more acidic due to overuse of nitrogen based fertilizers,” he said.

Other solutions showcased at the summit include the use of ‘bokashi’ fermented organic fertilizer, which has transitioned from small-scale production to a commercial scale in a few African countries.

“I have been able to transform my tea plantation using bokashi; as well, I no longer use fertilizers on my maize farm in West Pokot County, and yet my yields have almost doubled,” said Esther Bett, the Executive Director at the Resources Oriented Development Initiative (RODI Kenya).

RODI Kenya is already packaging and selling bokashi fertilizers through agrovet shops across the country, and has the capacity to produce up to 10 tonnes per month.

Allan Ligare from Mzuri Organics in Kakamega County, working in collaboration with the International Centre for Insect Ecology (ICIPE), brought along organic fertilizer made using black soldier flies while in the process of making animal feeds. “This fertilizer contains all the important nutrients; it adds organic matter to the soil; and it helps in the retention of soil moisture,” he said.

A 2022 study published in the Nature scientific journal found that insect frass fertilizers made from all the insect species had adequate concentrations and contents of macronutrients, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K)], secondary nutrients (calcium, magnesium, and sulphur), and micronutrients (manganese, copper, iron, zinc, boron, and sodium).

The main objective of the 2024 AFSH Summit is to highlight the central role of soil health transformation in stimulating sustainable, pro-poor productivity growth in African agriculture and food systems and to adopt the 10-year Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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La droite nationaliste l'emporte très largement à la présidentielle, avec près des deux tiers des voix pour sa candidate, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, et frôle la majorité absolue au Parlement. C'est la pire débâcle de l'histoire pour les sociaux-démocrates, qui sont même devancés en nombre de députés par la coalition emmenée par le BDI.

- Le fil de l'Info / Ohrid, Courrier des Balkans, Macédoine du Nord, Politique intérieure, Politique Macédoine

La droite nationaliste l'emporte très largement à la présidentielle, avec près des deux tiers des voix pour sa candidate, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, et frôle la majorité absolue au Parlement. C'est la pire débâcle de l'histoire pour les sociaux-démocrates, qui sont même devancés en nombre de députés par la coalition emmenée par le BDI.

- Le fil de l'Info / Ohrid, Courrier des Balkans, Macédoine du Nord, Politique intérieure, Politique Macédoine, Une - Diaporama

Photos

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This May 8th roundtable discussion, the final in a series of three sessions in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Singapore, focused on the topic of small states and their role in global governance relating to new and emerging issues such as cybersecurity, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and outer space.

These frontier domains pose both immense opportunities for development and potential risks that could further widen divides between and within countries. Small states must work together to build multilateral governance frameworks, rules, and norms that allow them to effectively manage the challenges posed by these issues, while not stifling innovation and growth. At the same time, they must find ways to level the playing field in the development and deployment of new technologies, so that all can benefit equitably, especially the small states themselves.

To guide the conversation, participants considered the following questions:

• What are the particular challenges faced by small states in dealing with emerging technologies, and are there existing avenues in the UN or other multilateral platforms that can help them to address these?
• What important elements ought to be considered in establishing governance frameworks and norms vis-à-vis frontier issues, that would help to build the most conducive environment for small and developing states to best harness the potential and opportunities of technologies?
• How can small states best contribute to growing global conversations on frontier issues and project their voices in these efforts, and how can they support each other in their endeavors?

The event was co-organized in collaboration with the Permanent Missions of Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Namibia, New Zealand, Samoa, Senegal, Switzerland, and Qatar.

Discussions will be captured in a final report to be prepared at the conclusion of the roundtable series.

Future Action Festival Organizing Committee

By Hiroko Ogushi
TOKYO, Japan, May 8 2024 (IPS)

We are at the tipping point in human history, facing major existential crises. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has heightened the risk of a nuclear weapon being used since the Cold War. Furthermore, the climate crisis is accelerating. In these crises, the most affected are those in vulnerable situations.

Future Action Festival Poster. Credit: Yukie Asagiri, INPS Japan

Amidst all these crises, the UN Summit of the Future will be held for the first time in September to strengthen global cooperation and revitalize the multilateral approach to tackle these challenges. It will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shift the course of humanity to a peaceful world where no one is left behind.

Toward the Summit, together with some youth-led civil society organizations in Japan, we decided to organize the “Future Action Festival” to create momentum to strengthen solidarity toward a peaceful and sustainable future.

The Future Action Festival Organizing Committee comprising of representatives from six organizations, including GeNuine, Greenpeace Japan, Japan Youth Council, Kakuwaka Hiroshima, Youth for TPNW, and Soka Gakkai International (SGI) youth, was established in the summer of 2023.Among all the global challenges, we decided to focus on addressing two major existential threats today – nuclear weapons and the climate crisis.

While youth engagement in these issues is more crucial than ever, there is also a need to cultivate awareness among youth in being agents of change. The event is not a summit, but a “festival” that is led by, with and for the youth and highlights the aspect of joyfulness in youth coming together for a better future.

To achieve a unique event, the committee engaged with as many actors as possible towards the festival. Throughout the process, the festival was joined by multiple stakeholders, including NGOs, private sectors, artists, and UN representatives, in many ways.

Engagement with corporations played a significant role in making the festival possible and raising awareness in the private sector. For example, Japan Climate Leaders Partnership (JCLP), which comprises of more than 240 corporations targeting zero-emission, agreed with the purpose of our event and supported us since the establishment of the organizing committee. In the end, the sponsorship and participation by more than 160 corporations not only supported the event financially but opened new possibilities in the sense of corporations’ involvement in abolishing nuclear weapons.

Future Action Festival convened at Tokyo’s National Stadium on March 24, drawing approximately 66,000 attedees. Credit: Yukie Asagiri, INPS Japan

The festival included entertainment elements performed by professional singers, comedians, YouTubers, and marching bands. The participation and active promotion of the event by those in the entertainment sector mobilized many people, including those who were not very much interested in the thematic issues, making the event uniquely engaging.

Finally, the engagement with the UN expanded the reach and possibilities of the festival. For example, one of the major advocates and partners of the event was the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Tokyo. Since the beginning of its preparation, UNIC supported us in gaining credibility with diverse stakeholders, especially corporations and artists. In addition, the first Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier sent us a video message which called upon youth participants to work together for a world without nuclear weapons and a world that is sustainable for all. At the end of the event, the Rector of the United Nations University Professor Tshilidzi Marwala gave his remarks, emphasizing the significance of the role played by youth in tackling these global issues. The partnership with the UN became the core driving force for the event’s success.

The strong partnerships and youth engagement resulted in the success of the festival held at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on March 24th. It gathered more than 60,000 participants at the venue and was viewed by over 500,000 people online through livestream.

Tshilisi Marwala, President of the UN University and UN Under-Secretary-General (Center) who endorsed the joint statement from the organizing committee, acknowledged the critical importance of young voices in shaping the Summit’s agenda and urged them to “be a beacon of hope and a driving force for change. Credit: Yukie Asagiri, INPS Japan

One of the key purposes of the event was to deliver youth voices to the UN. Toward the festival, the organizing committee conducted a youth awareness survey on nuclear weapons, the climate crisis, and the UN. About 120,000 responses from individuals ranging between their 10s to 40s were collected from November 2023 to February 2024. The results showed that young people have a high level of awareness on climate issues and that they think that nuclear weapons are not necessary. The youth want to contribute to addressing these issues. At the same time, more than half of the respondents find it difficult to have hope for the future. About eighty percent of all the respondents felt that youth voices are not reflected enough in national and government policies. Young people are dissatisfied with the status quo and seek a systemic change.

Based on the outcome, the organizing committee created a joint statement intended for the UN Summit of the Future to ensure youth voices are heard and reflected in the discussion process. The statement was handed over to Prof. Marwala at the event.

This is only the beginning of our journey to create a great momentum of youth standing up for a better future. As a next step to amplify youth voices, we plan to communicate with MOFA, a focal point of the Summit of the Future. We, the organizing committee, will also participate in the UN Civil Society Conference that will take place in Nairobi, Kenya in May, which is a key milestone for civil society to give their input to the Member States. We hope to convey the survey results to the co-chairs and UN high-level officials during the conference. In addition, at a national level, we will engage with the government, the UN, and like-minded organizations to contribute to the Pact for the Future in a meaningful way.

In addressing daunting global issues, we may feel a sense of hopelessness sometimes. However, through this festival, we learned that when diverse stakeholders of different background unite to create change, their solidarity serves as a beacon of hope for the youth. It is our responsibility to create a world where young people feel hopeful. Starting from youth in Japan, we will move forward, taking concrete steps to extend our local and global solidarity together with the UN and multiple stakeholders.

Future Action Festival Filmed and edited by Katsuhiro Asagiri, Yukie Asagiri and Kevin Lin of INPS Japan Media.

Hiroko Ogushi is a Committee Member, Future Action Festival Organizing Committee Co-representative, Soka Gakkai International (SGI) youth

This article is brought to you by IPS Noram, in collaboration with INPS Japan and Soka Gakkai International, in consultative status with UN ECOSOC.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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