ECOSOC Youth Forum

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations organized “#Youth2015: Realizing the future they want” on 2nd and 3rd June 2014 at the UN Headquarters in New York. After a competitive selection process, two Bangladeshis, Kashfia Nehrin and I, Nabeera Rahman were selected to attend the prestigious Youth Forum.
The forum featured five working sessions. The opening session of the ECOSOC Youth Forum #Youth2015 started with a performance by Lisa Russell Spoken Word's Artists.
Session one was titled “Youth employment: Creating decent jobs for a more sustainable future.” Session two focused on reports from global and regional Youth Forums, and presented regional youth forums in Latin America and the Arab region.
In session three, “Advancing progress in Africa beyond 2015: a youth perspective”, speakers discussed various challenges that are barriers to progress faced by the African nations.
After session four, “The youth: The future they want beyond 2015”, there was an additional side event titled “The future we want for us – young peoples' vision for the post-2015 agenda.” I discussed how the challenges faced by Nepal in the areas of quality education and opportunities for youth are very similar to the scenario in Bangladesh.
The final session was on “Youth: The future they want beyond 2015 – continued.” There were responses from the floor where more than 60 representatives from all over the world commented on the resolution presented, and shared their commitment for taking it further at regional and national levels.
After my experience at this amazing Youth Forum, I would like to say that Bangladesh could also take the leadership to oorganize and host a regional Youth Summit in Bangladesh, inviting youth representatives from all the SAARC countries to share their youth empowerment initiatives.