BY WILLIAM WESTON, HEAD OF GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS
Hope, a word we hear a lot but one which can never be emphasised enough. The message of hope was the prominent theme communicated during the Day 2 Plenary, with a keynote speech to inspire all the current and future changemakers in attendance. The hour-long session kicked off with a thought-provoking speech by Plenaries Team member, Otis Fischer. Below is an extract from Otis’ speech:
“A new generation is entering the global community. With each new generation, there is hope. Each new generation begins hope but few finish with it. However, after seeing the actions of those around me – of those who have built up these grassroots programs that fight for the education of underprivileged children or for the cleanliness of their beaches or for politicians that will fight for sustainable development – I have hope.
Each new generation brings new hope. This generation brings more than hope. It brings a fight to improve.”
MUN Impact’s third Global Summit has truly encapsulated that very sentiment, the power of the youth to deliver change and the constant striving to improve our planet. This introduction was complemented by the MUN Impact Choir’s very fitting performance of High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco. The video which premiered at the 2nd Global Summit is the work of 11 young singers from across the globe, all with a connection to MUN Impact, Ms. Taylor Pietz from John Burroughs School in St. Louis, Missouri, USA and MUN Impact Director Mr. Andrew Newman. Participating in this project myself during the very uncertain summer of 2020 was an incredibly humbling and inspiring experience. Watching this video filled me with the same emotions I experienced this time last year, despite how much the world has moved on. The performance is available to watch here and you can read the article explaining the whole choir project here.
The plenary session then transitioned into the main event, a keynote speech by radio journalist, environmental activist, and youth empowerment leader, Mr. Brighton Kaoma. This speech focussed on three main areas, collaboration, diversity and youth action. Kaoma was keen to stress the importance of working together in order to drive change and discover solutions, a theme the Summit is encouraging through its Open Forums, SDG Sandbox and Dolphin Pool sessions. Kaoma told his story of running radio campaigns at the age of 14, calling to action those in power. He stated that you are “not too young to lead” and instead you should take risks and collaborate with others to drive what you are passionate about. Alongside this, the importance of self-care was also noted, especially the importance of our mental wellbeing in these difficult times. By being an “active citizen” and leading by example we can create the change so many of us young people are passionate about. Mr. Brighton Kaoma’s organisation, SDSN Youth, is dedicated to supporting this youth-driven change and forms part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network, an initiative launched by UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. To find out more about this organisation and to get involved you can access their website here and find them on social media @SDSNYouth.
The Day 2 Plenary marked the halfway point in the Summit’s schedule and provided an important reminder to all in attendance of the purpose of these events, to provide a platform for collaboration and to inspire students with the message of hope. We are very grateful of Mr. Brighton Kaoma for dedicating his time to provide such a motivational speech, and the dedication of the plenaries organisers did not go unnoticed either. The Day 2 Plenary was the perfect celebration of our generation’s high hopes and set the stage for another 24 hours of inspiring talks, workshops and sessions.