Generation17 Young Leaders Explore Openness and Collaboration to Drive the Global Goals at Summit of the Future

Each year, global leaders and changemakers come together during Climate Week and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to assess progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and formulate solutions to address the world's pressing challenges, such as climate change, inequality and global security.

Amid growing global tensions and a stark call to action by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, this year's UN Summit of the Future, a high-level assembly during UNGA aimed at addressing the challenges of the future, marked a pivotal moment for world leaders to address mounting 21st-century challenges.

Against the backdrop of the newly adopted Pact for the Future, an action-oriented pact promoting a multilateral system that addresses the future of sustainable development and innovation, nations are now urged to turn dialogue into action on critical issues such as climate change, AI governance and increasing inequality. With less than six years until the 2030 deadline for the Global Goals, it is more crucial than ever for young people to have a seat at the table and actively participate in shaping meaningful change in our collective future.

As part of these efforts, Samsung Electronics and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted the Generation17 Networking Event, bringing together three Generation17 Young Leaders and a diverse group of young changemakers at Samsung's New York office. Through Generation17, an initiative of Samsung and UNDP's partnership, the Young Leaders had the unique opportunity to showcase their impactful work at Summit of the Future and demonstrate how youth-led initiatives create a powerful impact in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Empowering Youth Voices Through Partnership

During the Networking Event, Generation17 Young Leaders Efe Johnson, Yurii Romashko and Zubair Junjunia presented their work and shared stories of resilience, innovation and impact, providing the audience with a snapshot of how young people are contributing to achieving the Global Goals.

"I've always believed that education and technology are powerful tools for change. Being part of Generation17 has enabled me to broaden my reach and connect with like-minded individuals who share the same vision of an equitable world," said Efe Johnson, a Generation17 leader working to advance access to sexual and reproductive health for young girls and women in her community. "Samsung and UNDP have given me the opportunity to scale my work and reach 5,000 young girls in Nigeria. Being part of Generation17 has allowed me to share my journey at prominent forums and truly feel that young voices are valued."