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Youth 20 Interagency Meeting in Brazil: Proposals and Challenges for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future
The deliberations from this meeting will be presented at the Y20 Pre-Summit in Belém, Pará (Brazil), from 17 to 19 June 2024. Subsequently, they will be discussed at the Y20 Summit scheduled to occur in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 10 to 17 August 2024.
The event at UNESCO was held on 11 June. It brought together Brazilian Y20 delegates, representatives from United Nations agencies, the National Youth Secretariat, the National Youth Council, and the G20 to debate the five priority axes of the youth group:
- Combating hunger, poverty, and inequality
- Climate change, energy transition, and sustainable development
- Reform of the global governance system
- Inclusion and diversity
- Innovation and the future of work
The Director and Representative of UNESCO in Brazil, Marlova Jovchelovitch Noleto, and the UNFPA Representative, Florbela Fernandes, highlighted the importance of active youth participation in G20 discussions and decision-making for a more sustainable and just world.
Youth can play an active and relevant role in promoting and strengthening actions to address challenges and drive change both locally and globally, contributing to building more just, democratic, and inclusive societies.
Currently holding the G20 presidency, Brazil has the opportunity to lead discussions on the global agenda. In this context, Y20 can influence debates and contribute to the formulation of public policies to address the most urgent challenges.
Investments in youth are essential. We hope that these meetings will yield innovative proposals to tackle the current challenges of the country and prepare itself for the post-2030 period.
According to Guilherme Manços, delegate for innovation and the future of work, “Y20 is a significant space for youth construction and influence within G20 countries. It is Brazil's interest that Y20 recommendations are aligned with the national strategy for 2024-2030 and with the achievement of rights and opportunities for youth.”
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development signed by UN Member States in September 2015 is an action plan for the prosperity of people and the planet. It comprises 17 Goals, 169 targets, and 231 global indicators to monitor progress.
Brazilian Youth Delegates in Y20
Brazil has five delegates in Y20 for each priority axis: Philippe Diogo da Silva, Mahryan Rodrigues, Leandro Corrêa, Daniela Costa, and Guilherme Manços. Each brought essential perspectives on the challenges and solutions that youth can propose for global issues.
Daniela Costa, delegate for inclusion and diversity, emphasized the importance of including diversity in discussions. "It is impossible to talk about equality and building a more just and sustainable future without the presence of diverse youth, including Black, Indigenous, Quilombola youth, regional, urban and peripheral youth, girls and women, and LGBTQIA+ populations."
Leandro Corrêa, delegate for the reform of the global governance system, stated the need for a new economic model to address future challenges. "Our intention as a youth in this multilateral cooperation environment is to propose an economic model that addresses current and future challenges, as we will live the consequences of today's challenges tomorrow."
There was also an emphasis on sustainable development and the importance of leaving no one behind. "It is a significant challenge to discuss sustainable development leaving anyone behind, understanding that combating poverty, hunger, and innovation are crosscutting issues correlated with climate change. Therefore, it is important to have robust goals and focus on implementation, considering how to mobilize financial resources for this adaptation," said Mahryan Rodrigues, delegate for climate change, energy transition, and sustainable development.
Philippe Diogo da Silva, delegate for combating hunger, poverty, and inequality, addressed the difficulties faced by Brazilian youth, especially in accessing the labour market and fundamental rights. "Today, our two greatest difficulties as a youth, particularly Brazilian, are the access to rights, especially land and decent housing, and precarious access to the labour market, which is one of the most significant issues we face as a society. Therefore, I believe that youth must organize themselves to occupy these spaces and ensure their rights to combat our daily inequalities."
About Y20
Y20 is the Official Youth Engagement Group within the Group of Twenty (G20), created to facilitate dialogue among young people from G20 member countries. As future leaders of their nations and the world, young people can reflect on the priority agenda for youth, influence debates, and contribute to formulating public policies.
UNESCO in the G20
As a privileged partner of the G20 Brazil, UNESCO is committed to supporting the Brazilian presidency in establishing its priorities throughout the process, culminating in the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024. UNESCO is also the primary knowledge partner in this G20 edition, participating in various areas: education, culture, digital economy, research and innovation, women's empowerment, and the environment.
