Yogyakarta, April 23rd 2024─Alumni of the Department of International Relations (IR), Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL) Universitas Gadjah Mada, Angelo Wijaya, became one of two UGM alumni who represented Indonesia at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum on April 16-18 at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States. Along with Angelo, Fajar Sidik Abdullah Kelana, an alumnus of the Faculty of Engineering, was appointed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) along with two other Indonesian youth, as part of the official delegation of Indonesian youth supported by the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations in New York.
Angelo said he engaged and contributed to discussions on important global issues such as youth poverty and social inequality, climate finance, sustainable agriculture and food systems, and artificial intelligence. This year’s forum, Angelo said, focused on strengthening the 2030 agenda and addressing poverty in times of crisis. The statement fully supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 (No Poverty), 2 (No Hunger), 3 (Healthy and Prosperous Lives), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 13 (Addressing Climate Change).
“In this forum, we conveyed how Indonesia can utilize technology and innovative policies to overcome the challenges facing the world today,” Angelo said in a statement to reporters on Tuesday (23/4).
According to him, the presence of young delegates at the forum not only demonstrates the important role of youth in global governance but also shows the potential for innovative approaches to long-standing challenges. Recommendations from youth representatives such as Angelo and Fajar are expected to influence ongoing and future initiatives aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The forum also supports SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).