4 August 2017

UNISDR Champion Highlights Youth Role

Source(s): United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction - Regional Office for Asia and Pacific

ULAANBAATAR, 4 August 2017 – UNISDR’s newest Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction has called upon youth leaders from around the world to make a bigger contribution to global efforts towards sustainable and resilient development.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, H.E. U. Khurelsukh told more than 4,000 youngsters from 51 countries at the Asia and the Pacific Area Conference of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) that they had a critical role to ensure stronger participation and collaboration in community development.

H.E. U. Khurelsukh emphasized that the growing level of disaster risk is one of the key threats to resilient and sustainable development and that efforts to strengthen resilience would benefit hugely from the engagement and leadership of talented and committed young people.

“It is vital to ensure the participation of all community members and to mobilize the cooperation of all sectors in our efforts to make a solid contribution towards implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, freeing the world from poverty, and empowering our communities to protect and prevent our citizens from economic, social, natural and disaster risks,” H.E. U. Khurelsukh said.

“As a result of your hard work and outstanding activities, positive changes are being made in lives and livelihoods of millions of people. I salute your commitment and commend your consistent hard work to develop yourselves as active citizens and better leaders shoulder to shoulder with your fellow young people around the world.”

H.E. U. Khurelsukh said the Junior Chamber International’s Strategic Action Plan for 2014-2018 was a role model of best practice for other public and youth organizations because of its commitment to work in partnership with government, business and civil society.

The Junior Chamber International (JCI) has four Area Conferences – Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, the Americas and Europe – which meet annually to provide a platform to members “to address international issues and show their commitment to becoming socially responsible leaders”.

H.E. U. Khurelsukh was recognized as an Asian Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Mexico, in May. He received the award from UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction Mr Robert Glasser for his “consistent track record of leadership and achievement in several key areas, including governance, urban seismic resilience, strengthening insurance and public-private partnership”.

In particular, Mr Glasser highlighted the Deputy Prime Minister’s personal leadership of preparations for the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR 2018), which will be co-organized with UNISDR, and hosted in Ulaanbaatar, in July 2018.