Ajman University Students Participate in the United Nations’ Youth Cafe
On the occasion of United Nations (UN) Day on October 24th, the UN Resident Coordinator Office in the UAE (UN RCO) extended an invitation to students at Ajman University (AU) to participate in the UN Youth Café consultations at the International Humanitarian City (IHC), Dubai. This is the first of a series of consultations that the UN will be conducting with youth in the UAE.
Hend Alkhoori, Ghaya Alblooshi and Fatema Alzaabi from AU joined the exclusive session for Emirati students and young professionals from different Emirates to share their interests in sustainable development and the work of the UN.
The session aimed to gather participants’ experiences, understand their priorities, and allow their voices to guide the UN’s strategic objectives in the UAE.
Fatema Baker Alzaabi, Student at the College of Mass Communication, said: “Given that this is my first experience attending an event for the UN and having the opportunity to learn about its goals and participate in its programs, I am really excited to take part and represent AU”.
Through this session, that was coordinated by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and AU Women Empowerment Council, students were able to witness firsthand the relief operations of UN agencies as they respond to global emergencies, tour the IHC facilities being the largest logistics hub in the world for humanitarian aid, and get the chance to meet representatives from the UN.
Maya Haddad from the office of EHS said: “It was a great honor for AU to be invited to the first session of the UN Youth Café Consultations. The event was an enriching experience that introduced the 17 UN sustainable development goals to the youth in a fun and interactive manner. Such sessions are great drivers for our students to be empowered as sustainability and climate action leaders of the future.”
This initiative comes as part of the UN’s commitment to strengthening engagement with the youth in UAE and creating a space for dialogue that serves as a sounding board.
As a space for dialogue between the UN and youth, the UN Youth Café will solicit inputs on thematic areas of interest and explore avenues for further engagement. The discussions will help bridge information gaps about the work of the UN in the UAE and globally, and will also encourage actions for the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At the end of the session, students received certificates of participation as a gesture of recognition for their efforts and contributions to the UN Youth Café.
