At the session entitled “Saving Children from the Horrors of War,” Senior Advisor Andrea Pfanzelter of KAICIID spoke about the important roles of international community in mediating cultural and religious conflicts, pointing out that
“Children are the single most vulnerable group in conflict-affected areas. Without adequate safety, justice and support they fall victim to the abuses of war, which destroys a society’s chance of recovery by eroding the social cohesion of a future generation.”
Director of Corporate Responsibility of RELX Group, Dr. Márcia Balisciano, moderated a session “International Young Scholars’ Perspectives: Spotlight on National Initiatives for the SDGs I” where speakers discussed various topics covered by the papers that the scholars have submitted. Senior professionals and experts in the relevant field exchanged their insights and knowledge with the young scholars and the audience. An award ceremony followed the session where the winners of the selected papers received awards.
For the “Youth as Partners to Achieve the SDGs” session moderated by Sam Okyere, a TV host in Korea, Co-founder and Vice President Michael Sheldrick of Global Citizen participated as an advisor to the youth presenters who presented their innovative ideas and project plans for advancing the SDGs. Sheldrick did not only mentor the students, giving them his insights on their projects, but also introduced existing mentoring programs and potential partners they could approach to further develop their projects.
This youth session introduced various student-led initiatives such as the Environmental Group “Yongreen,” “YeS” that works to free the world from urban waste, “Rhythm of Hope” for rescuing patients for disaster medical cost, “Education for Democratic Citizenship,” Medical Volunteering Club “Uichung,” and “YMDU” that aims to reduce inequality through Yonsei Hope Expedition.
