The 18th edition of the United Nations Youth Conference (COY 18) will commence on Sunday, November 26th, at Expo Dubai. The event will be hosted by the Arab Youth Center in Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the American University of Sharjah (AUS), and the Green House Research Center, affiliated with New York University Abu Dhabi.
The United Nations Youth Conference is a prominent gathering targeting climate movements, serving as a global platform that aims to unite Arab youth, researchers, and enthusiasts to discuss crucial topics such as international climate policies.
Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Development, COP28 Youth Climate Champion and Deputy Chair of the Arab Youth Center, commented: "The United Arab Emirates considers the role of youth pivotal in leading global efforts to address climate challenges. Hosting the COY18 conference presents a golden opportunity to apply our national model in empowering youth during the COP28 conference. We are committed to providing unique opportunities to amplify the voices of the youth, ensuring their effective participation in all facets of the COP decision-making process and guaranteeing their impactful engagement."
H.E. Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, stated, ‘The UAE has taken concrete steps to enhance global efforts to achieve sustainability and mitigate the effects of climate change, creating a sustainable future for all. These efforts culminated in hosting the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28) and the Youth Climate Conference in its 18th edition. This underscores the need for the concerted efforts and joint action to fulfil the UAE’s climate commitments and accelerate sustainability efforts across various sectors.
Her Excellency emphasised that the conference would be an opportunity to start anew in shaping the destiny of a crucial issue such as climate change. It is a chance to rally the efforts of the international community, support the plan aimed at achieving achievements in global climate action, and contribute to ensuring the realization of goals and results from COP 28. This will benefit future generations and encourage them to address the challenges they face on all fronts."
The current edition of the Youth Conference focuses on youth contributions across three main verticals: policy documents, capacity building, and skill-building workshops. COY18 is expected to attract upwards of 1,000 participants who will engage in a series of interactive events, workshops, discussions, and roundtable sessions.
COY18 is representative of the UAE’s commitment to supporting youth voices and ideas in various fields, preparing them for active participation in the COP28 Climate Change Conference to be held in Dubai at the end of November, along with various international events focusing on climate change issues. This opportunity will enable dedicated youth to aid in government climate policies at the local, regional, and international levels.
The youth arm of the COY18 and hosting entities are jointly committed to preparing global youth to address global climate discussions during the conference, contributing significantly to its main verticals and the official conference output document. The Global Youth Statement (GYS) aims to organise a successful international youth climate event.
COY18 is sponsored by 15 international, regional, and local entities, including: Expo City Dubai and COP28 in the Platinum category. Sponsors in the Gold category include: the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, Alef Education and New York University Abu Dhabi. In the Silver category, sponsors include: the Arab Youth Center, The Climate Tribe, British Council, Ne’ma – The National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, Careem, American University of Sharjah, Infocus Media, Roads and Transport Authority – Dubai, Emirates Airlines, OOH Advertising LLC and Flyt by Arabian Nights for Travel and Tourism LLC.