Talking Race in the Digital Sphere– Is “New Activism” Here to Stay?
Tired of waiting for the older generation to solve global issues, youth activism is gaining momentum at an unprecedented pace. Recent advances in technology have made it much easier for voices of youth to be heard across the globe. In this “Youth in Digital Activism” series, UNAI features young activists taking the world’s most pressing issues into their own hands.
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“Wherever we see racism, we must condemn it without reservation, without hesitation, without qualification.” António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, made this statement in 2021 on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could have been a wake-up call for the world to work together, regardless of race, tribe or ethnic group, to tackle this global phenomenon. Unfortunately, as the Secretary General put it, “racism lives on – in all regions and all societies.”
Putting Women Back in the Lens – Building Back Better with Inclusivity
Tired of waiting for the older generation to solve global issues, youth activism is gaining momentum at an unprecedented pace. Recent advances in technology have made it much easier for voices of youth to be heard across the globe. In this “Youth in Digital Activism” series, UNAI features young activists taking the world’s most pressing issues into their own hands.
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Making Voices Heard - Indigenous Fight Against Climate Change
Tired of waiting for the older generation to solve global issues, youth activism is gaining momentum at an unprecedented pace. Recent advances in technology have made it much easier for voices of youth to be heard across the globe. In this “Youth in Digital Activism” series, UNAI features young activists taking the world’s most pressing issues into their own hands.
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Resettlement Campuses are the Future of Higher Education
Higher education can transform the landscape of refugee resettlement. Refugees face many barriers as they navigate complex health and social services, often without adequate finances and social support, and all while coping with resettlement stress and trauma. For example in the United States, refugees also lack the credit background and social security numbers necessary to secure safe and affordable housing upon arrival. Dr. Diya Abdo, Founder of Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR), discusses in this article how institutions of higher education can support the successful integration of refugees.
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Universities have the necessary physical facilities and human resources to provide much needed temporary housing and community support for refugees.?
Improving Access to Local Data to Advance the SDGs in Brazil
Within the framework of UNAI’s principle of promoting sustainability through higher education, universities and colleges worldwide are making significant contributions to the advancement of the?, especially in this?Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Moreover, such institutions have articulated their?expertise to partner with other stakeholders and create?innovative ideas.
Rising to the Challenge: Engaging Students in a New Sustainable Way
Within the framework of the sustainability strategy of , a UNAI member institution in the United Kingdom, Rise Academy, as part of , is an initiative aiming to provide answers to these questions: How do we engage students in sustainability? And how can online learning, creativity, innovation, and community building sit within this? Rise gives students a wide range of opportunities to explore various extra-curricular events, activities, projects, and internships.??
University Researchers Improve Energy Efficiency through Innovative Software
Within the?,?Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy?makes within two of its targets concrete references to a concept widely used over the past few years and yet, not universally understood. “Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency” and “enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology” are within the targets of Goal 7.
Fostering Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities from Academia
3 December is the annual observance of the?International Day of Persons with Disabilities, proclaimed in 1992 by United Nations General Assembly. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development and increase awareness of their situation. This year, the theme for this day is “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.”
Countering Misinformation in Times of COVID-19: University Creates Socio-Economic Observatory
Due to the ongoing?COVID-19 pandemic?in several parts of the world, measures have been adopted to counter it and prevent the spread of the virus. However, such efforts have had repercussions in many different areas, activities, and segments of society, with a wide range of consequences. In this context, the?, a UNAI member institution in Brazil, had the initiative of showcasing the effects of this pandemic, particularly regarding economic and social issues.
Youth Action for Peace: Rebecca Turay
Rebecca Turay (United States) recently graduated from Curtis High School in Staten Island, New York and is currently attending Brooklyn College. She is of Sierra Leonean descent. Ms. Turay represents the City University of New York C.S.I. Liberty Partnerships Program and Children’s Aid. In her statement below, Ms. Turay presents her experience of fighting racism through education as a tutor and a student.
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If we only consider peace to come after conflict ends, we limit our chances of building a better and peaceful future. I welcome all of us to brainstorm ways for us to bring peace for ourselves, peace to each other, and peace for the world.
Youth Action for Peace: Naomi Sugita Reis
Naomi Sugita Reis (Brazil) is a student of Human Rights and International Cooperation at the University of Bologna, Italy. She volunteers to promote social justice, international migration and multiculturalism in Latin America and Europe and has represented the Brazilian youth in events organized by the United Nations. She serves as the Youth Moderator for the 2021 International Day of Peace Youth Observance. Read her statement on peace below:
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Hello, everyone! My name is Naomi Sugita Reis, and I am honoured to be the Youth Moderator of the 2021 International Day of Peace Youth Observance.
The 2021 theme for the International Day of Peace is “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world”. With the hope to overcome the immensurable trauma caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we get together today, to share ideas and solutions about transforming our world for the better, and to be inspired by many acts of kindness and stories of resilience.
Providing Skills To Improve Livelihoods and Resilience in Grenada
The?, a UNAI member institution in Grenada, an island country in the Caribbean Sea, is one of the vital implementation partners of the US$14 million?. This initiative, funded by the Government of Grenada, the Caribbean Development Bank, and the??-a specialized agency of the United Nations-, is centered on assisting beneficiaries to improve their livelihoods.
Youth Action for Peace: Abraham Lugo
Abraham Lugo (Venezuela) is an LGBTQ+ immigrant and an advocate for peacebuilding, social justice and immigrant rights. He is an undergraduate student and the Student Body Vice President at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, United States. In his statement below, Mr. Lugo introduces a virtual campaign “United After” that targets youth and shows how COVID-19 affects different communities and individuals.
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Hello everyone, my name is Abraham Lugo, I am an LGBTQ+ immigrant from Caracas, Venezuela, and a grassroots advocate for both social justice and peace building work.
In the wake of COVID-19, all of our lives on this earth?were uprooted into uncertainty, resulting in a vast showcasing of social, economic, and racial disparities across the world.
What Does ‘UN’ Mean To You?: Voices of University Students
The United Nations?reaches its 76th anniversary with a wide range of global challenges that require both consensus and coordinated multilateral responses. The report recently launched by the Secretary-General titled Our Common Agenda, clearly outlines that “just as the founders of the United Nations came together determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, we must now come together to save succeeding generations from war, climate change, pandemics, hunger, poverty, injustice and a host of risks that we may not yet foresee entirely.”
Researching the Environment: Argentinian University Monitors Impact of Fires on Wetlands
The Paraná River, in South America, with an extension of around 5,000km and running through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, is second in length within the subregion, and it has a significant economic relevance, in terms of livelihoods for fishermen, trade of goods and generation of hydroelectric power. The delta of the Paraná River is a set of wetlands that supply water, food, storage of greenhouse gases, transportation, and leisure, among other benefits.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and during much of 2020, this territory had to withstand fires that affected more than 17% of its surface, causing severe socio-environmental impacts. Due to alterations fire generates in these ecosystems, it is challenging to reverse such damages in the short, medium, and long term. One of the components that undergo substantial modifications is the soil since its natural functions are affected, and the environment is inevitably affected.