UN Rewarded Chinese Youth for Creativity

With a population of 278 million young people aged 10 to 24, China’ youth population constitutes a huge percentage of the estimated 1.8 billion young people on the planet today. This vast number of young people, unprecedented in history, will move into their working lives with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a critical topic in global political discourse. Youth groups in China will see great benefits from engaging on the SDGs, including access to improved education, healthcare and economic opportunities. But what do young people really think about sustainable development, and where do they visualize the world will be by 2030?

On April 12, the United Nations in China hosted the Awards Ceremony of the Imagine 2030 Campaign at the UN Compound in Beijing, to recognize the creative ideas submitted by young people to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Campaign was launched on 24 October 2016 by the UN Subgroup on Youth in collaboration with the UN Communication Group as part of the United Nations Day celebration. Its objective was to stimulate participation amongst the Chinese youth population on implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 SDGs.

The campaign engaged a large number of young people, including many left-behind children and other marginalized groups, providing them with the opportunity to express their imagination to inspire our societies to eradicate poverty and promote prosperity, in line with UN values and China’s development priorities. Mr. Nicholas Rosellini, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms. Wang Yi, Deputy Director of the International Department of All-China Youth Federation, and Mr. Wang Yuan, pop singer from TF Boys, joined the event along with other UN and media representatives in support of youth and to celebrate the winners of the campaign competition.

“By engaging with youth and encouraging them to take part in leading our institutions, opening up to fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, and inviting the kind of energy and creativity that can inspire the changes needed to meet new challenges that keep emerging in our rapidly evolving world, we help to connect the present with the future and lay the tracks for positive and inclusive development. Nowhere is this more important than in the 2030 Agenda whose fundamental purpose is in building a better world for future generations,” said Mr. Rosellini, who delivered the opening remarks.

Seventeen outstanding works submitted were selected, and the participants were invited to attend the Award Ceremony. They hailed from all corners of China, ranging from the western regions of Xinjiang and Shanxi to coastal cities including Shanghai and Shenzhen. Two representatives of the competition winners, Ms. Liu Qianya and Mr. Zhang Qingyuan, delivered their acceptance speeches.

Ms. Liu Qianya, a 5-year-old girl from Chongqing, shared her imagination of how the world will be in the year 2030. She used the color green to represent life and hope, and sincerely hoped that by 2030 everyone on Earth will be free from poverty and hunger. Mr. Zhang Qingyuan, a primary school student from Shandong province, introduced how students from his school conducted classes and extracurricular events on raising awareness towards UN values and Sustainable Development Goals. His work displayed a harmonious future for all forms of life on earth, free from violence and excessive human activities.

After the speeches, a stage performance by students from Central Conservatory of Music was presented. It was then followed by interactive SDG Games and finished with a networking session over lunch.

The event represents the great efforts United Nations in China is making to ensure that young people are more engaged in sustainable development, and showcased the huge potential of youth inclusion for meeting the 2030 Agenda.