United Nations and Partners Announce Package of Youth Services at Partnership Forum

The Forum is being held under the theme “Partnerships for Peace, Planet and Prosperity. For Youth. By Youth. With Youth.” The United Nations and its partners will announce a host of service offerings for youth and sign a new UN partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Additionally, the Forum provides the opportunity for Jamaica’s youth leaders to build partnerships for SDG implementation and share and learn about efforts for SDG acceleration.

This year’s forum features the launch of the UN’s first Youth Engagement Action Plan for Jamaica, the signing of UN’s Declaration of Intent for greater partnership with the UWI, Mona as well as a series of interactive dialogues, breakout sessions and panels from The Ashe Company, The British High Commission, Jamaica Animation Nation, Jamaica College Robotics, The Heart Foundation of Jamaica, The Planning Institute of Jamaica, The Jamaica Constabulary Force, and others; with a live outside broadcast with Chiney K and the FYAH Fam on 105.1 FM. The initiative will also see key remarks from The Hon. Marsha Smith, MP, State Minister, Ministry of Education and Youth, Mr. Deanroy Bernard, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Mr. Dennis Zulu, United Nations Resident Coordinator and Professor Densil A. Williams, Principal, UWI, Mona.

In a UN first, the keynote presentation features a live address from Ronald J. Taylor, Global Youth Safety and Wellbeing Product Policy Manager at TikTok.

The one-day event will see over 200 youth attendees and partners building their capacity to support Jamaica in delivering on Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals through shared best practices, innovation and partner-building.

“This Youth Forum unfolds against a backdrop of complex national and regional issues, including national youth priorities around education, employment, gender-based violence, safety, wellness, a relentless climate crisis coupled with the gradual but uneven recovery from the pandemic,” said Dennis Zulu, United Nations Resident Coordinator.

“Admittedly, progress towards achieving the global goals by 2030 is off track. Now more than ever before, it is critical that we empower Jamaica’s youth, by amplifying their voices, their expertise and their innovative ideas to get us back on track to achieve Vision 2030 and the SDGs,” added Zulu.

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