Held this year from 11 to 17 July, student ambassadors at the Summit will demonstrate how their schools have made progress in addressing the SDGs as part of Nord Anglia Education’s annual Global Challenge.
Hosted at Nord Anglia International School New York (NAIS NY), students will join workshops, seminars and debates, including speaking opportunities at the UN’s High-level Political Forum (HLPF). There is also a Model United Nations event, a trip to the UN Headquarters in New York City, and much more.
“We have been thrilled to have Nord Anglia students around the world learning about the SDGs and taking positive actions in their schools and communities year over year,” said Shannon O’Shea, Team Leader: Public Partner Advocacy and Visibility Section, UNICEF.
“The Nord Anglia Student Summit in July is an excellent opportunity for students to share their ideas and efforts to leaders at the United Nations during the annual High-level Political Forum, where different stakeholders meet to share ideas and assess progress on the Global Goals,” Shannon added.
“This year is the most ambitious yet, where students will be participating in various sessions and events at the HLPF as well as showcasing their creativity on what the SDGs mean to them through art and activism,” she said.
For the MUN, held over two days at NAIS NY, students will act as representative of different nations and debate resolutions. This year, three students will act as Deputy MUN Chairs alongside our main MUN Chairs from New York University.
For the HLPF, eight articulate student panelists have been chosen to speak onstage to audiences at this United Nations side event. They will be part of two panels sharing how they are taking steps to make the world a better place through the SDGs. These panelists have been chosen as a joint decision between NAE, UNICEF and the World’s Largest Lesson. At the start of the HLPF event, one Nord Anglia student has been specifically asked to launch a piano donated by Sing for Hope to UNICEF to tie the arts and the global goals together.
Also, during the HLPF, winners from Nord Anglia’s Global Campus Visual Arts competition will be showcased as a part of an Arts Exhibition at the United Nations. This allows our students to promote what NAE is doing to tackle the SDGs and to network with government and UN officials as they admire our students’ artwork.
Last but not least, two NAE students have been asked to present at the ECOSOC Chamber at the United Nations as a part of governments’ voluntary national reviews. This will be held in the iconic General Assembly Hall.
Following the HLPF, a glamorous Gala dinner will be held at The Juilliard School to allow students to celebrate their accomplishments during the week. There will also be awards given out to students for their efforts during the MUN.
Nikita Soh (Y11) and Manesha Raveendrakumar (Y10) have been selected after a rigorous application process to represent BSKL at the Summit.
In the build up to the trip, they have been preparing proposal papers about Global Goals 4 and 11 for the countries they are representing in the MUN, as well as preparing arguments and ideas to be presented at the various workshops and seminars they will attend during the Summit.
As fledgling members of the NAU community, BSKL is excited to attend the Summit for the first time. Nikita and Manesha are excited about the opportunity to engage with like-minded people from around the world on pressing global issues, and speak passionately and articulately about the value and impact youth voice can have in modern society.
We look forward to the contributions they will make to this global dialogue in the summer, and to Nikita and Manesha passing on the undoubted expertise and guidance they will gain to the rest of the BSKL community next year. Student voice and activism regarding the pressing issues of modern society faces is something BSKL is committed to developing, and the NAE UNICEF Summit is a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to engage with this.
Stay tuned to our website and social media for more updates on the NAE-UNICEF Student Summit.
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