The
12th Jeju International Youth Forum
UNITAR CIFAL Jeju co-organized the 12th Jeju International Youth Forum, which was co-hosted by Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, with Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office in Jeju, Republic of Korea from 12 November to 14 November 2021.
The 12th International Youth Forum took place as a hybrid format under the theme of ‘Youth Participation in Building a Resilient Recovery’. There were 237 participants (178 students and 59 teachers) from 42 cities of 12 countries across the world including Jeju’s sister and friendship cities, member cities of international organizations, and East Asian cultural cities. The number of cities increased by 50% and participants by 23% compared to 2020.
The three-day event was conducted with a focus on strengthening the leadership skills of the talented young people, exchanging different perspectives on critical global issues and enhancing the cultural understanding of each other. The event also provided the opportunity for local students of Jeju province to play a leading role of a diplomat representing their city, encouraging youth engagement for a better sustainable future.
Since the Forum was organized as a hybrid format, attended by 51 participants at the venue in Jeju and 186 participants of 41 different cities overseas who joined in virtually, despite the limited time allowed for discussion due to a considerable variation of the time difference, 178 students produced and presented their findings on youth involvement and actions aligned with the values of sustainability, inclusivity, and equality. Their outcomes are highly recognized as a proactive engagement that fosters the youth’s global leadership.
This year, participants engaged in pre-activities that help them better understand the concepts of 2021 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), which led to enhancing the effectiveness of the panel discussion followed during the official event. The pre-sessions were also composed of the learning activities such as virtual SDGs Escape Rooms that teach SDGs concepts and encourage cooperation among peers and teachers. On the final day, the event screened videos created by participating students that showcased their city and culture related to local cuisines, visual and performing arts, and literary arts.
Since the forum was held as a hybrid format for the first time in 2020, UNITAR CIFAL Jeju has continued to adapt to the global pandemic situation and has grown the event’s capacity with an increasing number of participants across the world. In this sense, the event could be highly appraised in fostering youth leadership development and confidence among the youth from different backgrounds to make our community more sustainable, inclusive and secure.
Highlight Video: 2021 12th Jeju International Youth Forum |