The Vienna+20 simulation is organized by the United Nations Youth and Student Association of Austria – Academic Forum for Foreign Affairs (UNYSA-AUSTRIA-AFA) as part of a global initiative called MyCity+20. The aim of this initiative is to bring the issues of the forthcoming Rio+20 conference of the UN to young people in different cities around the world.

Participation

At Vienna+20 about 40 to 60 students will participate by taking over the position of a national delegate, of a spokesperson for a major group or of an other entity. The goal is to get an agreement on a resolution which will be delivered to MyCity+20 initiative and through them hopefully to the Rio+20 conference.

Vienna+20 will be held with the focus on the implementation of sustainable development at the regional level. Informations for participants on Vienna+20, how it will be simulated and as well as background information on Rio+20 are provided in the Preparation Paper. It is necessary for participants, to carefully read the Preparation Paper and prepare themselves (eg. opening statements) accordingly. For the simulation, the Rules of Procedure for Model United Nations (MUNs) in Austria will be used. MUN experience is not necessary but suggested for key positions. Due to limited positions at Vienna+20, the processing and admission of the registration can take up to 5 days and participants will be informed, whether they got accepted or not.

Terms of Registration

The participation at Vienna+20 will be free of charge. Registration forms can only be accepted if they are completed. The informations are needed for admittance at the United Nations Office at Vienna. If a registered person doesn’t show up at the conference, without having submitted a note that he/she wishes to unregister at least one week before Vienna+20 takes place, a cancellation fee of 50.- Euro will be claimed.

More information about the available positions and the registration form can be found at the webpage of UNYSA Austria.

• “12,000 fewer children under five died every day in 2010 than in 1990.
• Stunting – damage to children’s physical and cognitive development caused by malnutrition – declined in developing countries from 45% to 28% between 1990 and 2008, while the prevalence of underweight children also fell.
• Fewer children are becoming infected with HIV or dying of AIDS.
• The number of children enrolled in pre-primary education worldwide increased from 112 million to 157 million between 1999 and 2009.
• From 1999 to 2009 an additional 56 million children enrolled in primary school and the number of out-of-school primary-age children decreased by 38 million.
• Globally, girls now make up 53% of out-of-school primary-age children, compared with 58% in 1990.
• The proportion of adolescents of lower secondary age who were out of school worldwide fell by 21% from 1999 to 2009.
• More children are being registered at birth, and rates of child marriage and child labour have gone down in many countries.”

The full report can be found here.

We will constantly add new products to the shop. This includes products related to events of the network like the upcoming General Assembly and Youth Projects and Cooperation Seminar in Izmir.

Very important: If you buy a shirt, please send us a picture (info@unyanet.org). We will soon create a gallery with all the people supporting the network and its work.

Stay tuned!

Speaking about the “Power of Young People”, he emphasized the advantage of youth of having the internet when fighting against injustice and for its ideals. Furthermore, he informed the participants that, after he announced the appointment of a Special Advisor on Youth, he got statements of youth associations representing over 100 Million people altogether. As youth does not cover in front of authority, they are talking about topics which other people are silent like “the terrible violence and discrimination against people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender”. Mr. Ban Ki-moon noted that he was holding a speech in March about this topic at a UN formal debate, urging the audience to take action against violence, decriminalize same- sex relationships.

The full speech of Secretary- General Mr Ban Ki-moon can be found below.

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

KEYNOTE ADDRESS TO THE GLOBAL COLLOQUIUM OF UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS
“From Youth Explosion to Global Transformation:
Unleashing the Power of Young People”
New York, 2 April 2012

Every year, this Global Colloquium addresses some of the most pressing issues facing our world. I have been honoured to join you a number of times so I know how dynamic this forum is – and how much you can achieve. Thank you for having me back.

I am especially happy that this year we will be talking about youth with youth. I look forward to a dialogue today. This beautiful rotunda has seen many dramatic events, including the protests back in 1968. I am not endorsing those protests, but I remember the time well. I was 23, and I was also protesting, on the other side of the world, in Korea. The circumstances were different. But in both cases, young people were seeking change. I mention this because when we talk about youth, we have to look beyond demographics to why young people are so powerful.

Youth are often the first to stand against injustice. Youth is a time of idealism. Young people are a force for transformation. These are timeless qualities. But today’s younger generation has a new advantage. You have the Internet. As a child, when I first saw a television, I put my hand on the screen because I was fascinated. Now, when my granddaughter sees a TV, she puts her hand on the screen because she expects it to respond to her commands. Young people are using social networking to drastically alter power dynamics. Some dictators in our world are more afraid of tweets than they are of opposing armies. Young people are using Facebook and Twitter to organize protests, speak out against human rights abuses, and end oppression. I wholeheartedly welcome this.

At the University of Kansas, students are designing social media strategies for United Nations campaigns that we are going to send to all of our offices around the world. And those students are going to create a flashmob on campus to promote interest in the United Nations. I wish I could be there!

Young people everywhere deserve the power to get information, connect and ask hard questions – about justice, equality and opportunity. Our job is to listen to youth and answer their calls. Today, I brought you some messages we gathered from young people on social justice and decent work. One was concerned about her future. Maybe this sounds familiar. She said: “You graduate from a good university, you passed with flying colours and yet you do not have opportunities. There you wonder: what went wrong?” Another young woman said: “With lack of money, poverty and hunger, it is very difficult to keep your dreams alive.” And a young man said: “If I sit around I’m wasting my time, but I feel like even if I’m looking for a job I’m still wasting my time. So I don’t know what to do anymore.”

I share these voices of youth because we cannot just make speeches saying we should listen to young people – we have to actually hear from them. But this is a dialogue, so I also want to share some of what I have learned from the university presidents in this room.

Yes – I have read your papers!

You describe youth as “a social challenge.” You stress “the significance of youth empowerment to the prosperity of the nation.” And you acknowledge that “access to higher education is not an automatic guarantee of having access to work.” Maybe if I put footnotes in my speech you will give me an A. But actually I would prefer an E, because that is the letter I want you to remember. Today I will speak about three E’s: Education, Employment and Empowerment. Education is key to progress.

I am often asked about the experience of my own country, Korea. People want to know the secret to Korea’s remarkable development. In a relatively short period of time, we went from being devastated by war to being one of the world’s strongest economies. Without hesitation, I say: “Our secret is education.” Korea wisely invested in education early on. That gave the country a knowledgeable, skilled workforce by the time the industrialization phase took off. Korea continued investing in education, and this continued to pay great returns in prosperity, stability and happiness.

Around the world, countries are bringing more children into classrooms. But still, more than 125 million young people cannot read or write. Two thirds of all illiterate people are women. This is a problem for those millions of individuals. But it is also our problem. Because when we hold women back, we hurt progress for all people. I am convinced – and I say this everywhere I go – that investing in education for girls and women is the key to unlocking advances across society. That is why I have made education one of my top priorities in the next five years.

We especially have to focus on girls. A girl who never gets the opportunities she deserves is one less scientist discovering a breakthrough … one less peacemaker negotiating ceasefires … and one less university president helping to shape a better future. The United Nations is working to get more girls in schools. We have to address gender inequality – and we have to look at other injustices. Migrants, persons with disabilities, refugees and other marginalized young people struggle just to go to class. Learning can be a matter of life or death – especially when it comes to information on reproductive health.

Every minute and a half, a woman dies in pregnancy or childbirth. Many of them are just teenagers. Their lives could be saved with the right information and supplies. Every minute somewhere in the world, a young woman is infected with HIV. Until they develop a vaccine for the virus, the best protection is education. Last year, I went to health clinics in Nigeria and Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indonesia. I saw first-hand the value of educating women to provide care for the community in the community.

The second E is employment. There are nearly 74 million young people who are jobless in our world. I was in Baghdad last week for a meeting of the Arab League. The unrest in North Africa and the Middle East was driven partly by the lack of opportunity and freedom. In the next decade, Arab countries need to create 50 million jobs for new people joining the workforce. The Arab Awakening was a season of hope and expectation. At the time, I told the region’s leaders: listen to your people. They were not only talking about democracy. Many young people were looking for a better future with decent jobs and decent pay.

Millions of youth work in unsafe conditions. They have no benefits, no job security and limited rights. Young people may be resilient, but they should never be exploited. The opposite: we should be doing everything possible to encourage their potential. The United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) will hold a conference this year on youth employment. Scores of young people will be there to face problems and to find solutions. Beyond conferences, we need action to create development that is rich in jobs for young people.

Youth deserve an education and employment. But every young person also needs empowerment. This is my third “E”. To unleash the power of young people, we need to partner with them. This is what the United Nations is trying to do. We are developing an action plan for the coming years. We want to work with youth on major issues affecting them, including joblessness, political inclusion, human rights and sexual health. I have also decided to appoint a Special Advisor on Youth. After I made the announcement, youth organizations with 100 million members wrote me a letter. They said: “It is up to you to prove that the UN’s commitment to empower young people is what you believe in and what you are striving for!”

I take these words very seriously.

We want youth to be part of our upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create future we want. To the students I say: what is the future you want? Think about it. Ask your friends. Bring your ideas to the UN. Get engaged. This is your moment, All the issues at stake in Rio – climate change, the scarcity of water, food and energy, and the health of our planet. At Rio we will try to marshal a global movement for the future we want.

To the university presidents among you, I ask for your partnership. Consider joining the United Nations Academic Impact, an initiative that brings higher education and the UN system together. Above all, train your students to think globally, to inspire your students to go out in the world, and to work not only for the betterment of their own country but the betterment of all humankind. In an era where social inequalities are growing, we need to build resilience and equality. And the way to do that is to help youth and women. Ladies and gentlemen, old and young, but especially old.

I have spoken today about youth because I believe we can change what is often called a ‘population explosion’ into a global transformation. But let me say a word to the elders in the room. After all, I am one of you. It is fashionable to say, “Youth is a state of mind.” People like this expression because it implies that we can always be young. It is a kind of consolation. But I would frame it differently. “Youth is a state of mind,” is not a consolation – it is a challenge.

Youth are idealistic and brave. They do not cower to authority. I am not young. But I recently had the chance to speak about an issue where too many people have been silent: The terrible violence and discrimination against people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Last month, we had the first ever formal UN debate on this issue. Like many people of my generation, I did not grow up talking about sexual orientation – but I learned to speak out because lives are at stake. Delegates from some 50 countries walked out in protest. They did not want the Council to even discuss the issue. But my message to them is up on YouTube, and I hope they hear it.

After I spoke up for my beliefs, I received great praise from some and brutal criticism from others. But my response to both was the same: human rights are human rights. I am not in this job just for the easy issues where everyone already agrees. My point is we can all be young in our attitude. The determination to right wrongs that drives young people can motivate all of us. All of you in this room today know this. All of you in this room share these values and virtues. I look forward to hearing from you on how we can advance together.

Thank you

“Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.”

(Article 29. (1), Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

You want to do something, to have an impact on society but you don’t know how? You want to inspire people and change something? Well, it seems harder than it actually is!

If you want to do something, join us! Join your local “United Nations Youth Association (UNYA)” and start within a strong framework, which will assist you by every means necessary.You can find our national UNYAS here.

No UNYA in your country, but you want to do something? Create your own movement! We would be happy to assist you in founding something new. Contact us! All you need is inspiration and motivation. Also find out how easy it is, to create a Movement!

University of Gdansk Model United Nations (UGMUN) is organized in cooperation with other Polish associations that are working towards establishing United Nations Youth Association in this country with the support of UNYANET Advice Team and is considered as one of the start-up projects of the UNYA Poland.

We are pleased to announce that the registration is already open.

The conference will be held in venues of the University of Gdansk and the finest cultural centers in Tri-City.

Please be advised that UGMUN 2012 is for students only, aged 18 or over.

 During the conference there will be four committees:

- the Human Rights Council,

- the Security Council,

- the Economic and Social Council,

- the UNESCO committee.

For more information and to register for the conference please visit our website: http://ugmun.ug.edu.pl/

We look forward to seeing you at UGMUN 2012!

VIMUN is the biggest and most prestigious event organized by UNYSA-Austria and always attracts around 250 people from approximately 40 different nations. It is the only UN simulation of this kind in Austria and the only UN simulation worldwide where the entire conference is held in the original conference rooms of the UN.Besides these hard facts, VIMUN is a unique opportunity to meet different people from all over the world and to engage with them in interesting discussions. Next to extensive negotiations over the period of four days, different social programs are offered every day.

At this year’s conference UNYSA-Austria will simulate the following committees:
- two Security Council (SC), including one crisis committee
- the Human Rights Council (HRC),
- the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),
- the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO),
- the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
- and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The different topics cover a wide range of prevailing and pressing issues. It is certain that everyone can find something of his or her interest. However, please sign up as soon as possible to ensure your favourite position.

You can find all relevant information on the homepage:
http://www.vimun.org

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Organizing Team:
vimun@afa.at

It would be a real pleasure for UNYSA-Austria to welcome you all at VIMUN 2012.

UNYANET-Delegations: Please ask also for the reduced Participation Fee.

This June, at the Rio+20 Conference, world leaders, along with thousands of participants from the private sector, NGOs and other groups, will come together to shape how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an ever more crowded planet. It is probably the most important global conversation, as it has the potential for determining whether we will galvanize action to achieve a sustainable future.

The official discussions will focus on two main themes: how to build a green economy to achieve sustainable development and lift people out of poverty; and how to improve international coordination for sustainable development. It is an historic opportunity to define pathways to a sustainable future – a future with more jobs, more clean energy, greater security and a decent standard of living for all.

In this context, we would be honoured to have a contribution from you, approximately 300 to 400 words, sharing your vision of “The Future We Want,” which is the name of
our Rio+20 global campaign. You are welcome to submit in any of the official languages of the UN: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, as well as in Portuguese. Your contribution will bring a renowned voice to bear on how we can shape the future of the planet.

The high-profile contributions like yours will be rolled out in the lead-up to Rio+20 to generate support for a more sustainable future. Besides publishing your essay on the world campaign website (www.un.org/sustainablefuture), the UN’s social media outlets will share it with more than a million followers. You will retain the right to reprint this
contribution elsewhere, with a reference to it having first appeared on the UN’s sustainable future website, although its copyright will be held by the United Nations.
While it would be wonderful to have your contribution by 30 March to allow for timely publication, we would be happy to work around your schedule.

Please e-maile your essay directly to the Messenger of Peace Programme, Laetitia Kouassi (kouassil@un.org) and Carlos Islam (islamc@un.org) Please include your preferred title and photograph for possible use. Should you have additional questions, please contact Laetitia via email or call (212) 963 1285.

The goal of this challenge is to solicit new approaches to communications that motivate the public in the wealthy countries of the world to change their minds about aid, and take actions to demonstrate their support. The development community has traditionally focused on the “why” of aid. But most people already believe it is the right thing to do.  We must do a better job of explaining the “how” and the “what” (How exactly does aid work? Where does the money go? How is it used? What impact does it have on communities?).

The challenge wants to find revolutionary ways to make these issues matter deeply to the global community,  inspired by projects that allow anyone– no matter where they live or what their background– to take part. In the Foundation’s words, “we encourage projects that embrace the complexity of these issues. We admire work that surprises us with its emotional power, and that comes at the problem from entirely new angles.”

You can find the call here: http://www.grandchallenges.org/pt

Anyone with a great idea is encouraged to apply. The submission process is simple, requiring just a two-page proposal. Instructions can be found here:http://www.grandchallenges.org/Explorations/Topics/Pages/GHCommunicationsRound9.aspx

The call will close on May 15, 2012. Up to 10 Phase I grants of $100,000 USD will be awarded within just a few months. The Cannes Lions Chimera, a special panel made up of the best talent across advertising, media, and technology, are advising the program, and will mentor the winners as they develop their projects (more information on the Chimera can be found here: www.canneslions.com/chimera). Each of the Phase I grant-recipients will have one opportunity to apply for a follow-on Phase II grant of up to $1,000,000 USD.

Those who want to share their view shall post their statement in Twitter with the hashtag #UN4youth

The global youth unemployment rate, which has long exceeded that of other age groups, saw its largest annual increase on record in 2009; at its peak, 75.8 million young people between 15 and 24 years of age were unemployed. In 2010, the global youth unemployment rate was 12.6 per cent, dramatically overshadowing the global adult unemployment rate of 4.8 per cent. Today about 152 million young workers live in households that are below the poverty line (US$1.25 per day) comprising 24 per cent of the total working poor.

The failure to provide more and better jobs for young people is a concern for both industrialized and developing countries. In Spain and Greece the youth unemployment rate doubled between 2007 and 2011, and now stands at 46 and 42 per cent, respectively. In Puerto Rico, the rate of unemployment among youth is nearly 30 per cent, and it is about 20 per cent in Colombia. Young people are generally the first to lose their jobs in times of economic contraction and the last to find jobs when the economy rebounds. Data from Brazil and Chile shows that employment declined much more quickly among young people during economic downturns.

In 2010, the total youth unemployment rate was 25.5 per cent in the Middle East and 23.8 per cent in North Africa. Female youth unemployment in these regions was particularly striking, at 39.4 per cent in the Middle East and 34.1 per cent in North Africa.

Developing countries are home to 87 per cent of the world’s youth, who are often underemployed and working in the informal economy under poor conditions. Youth living in poverty cannot afford to be unemployed.

Non-governmental and civil society organizations, as well as youth organizations and networks can also play a critical role in this regard. National labour legislation and collective bargaining agreements are instruments which can be used to mutually reinforce equality of access and of treatment for young people in the world of work.

More information can be found here. The Press Release can be found here.