The Annual Summit on Youth in the United Nations

"The 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of the UN: Developing Youth Initiatives to Promote Sustainable Economies, Cultural Understanding, and Global Human Rights”

(New York City; September 21st - 26th, 2015 – Held Parallel to the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly)

Summit Overview

The summer of 2015 will mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the last World War and the related results of the establishment of the United Nations, which represents the major transitions that have taken place globally in the development of global human rights towards a more peaceful, prosperous, equal and protected society.

The developments and the events in the last decade, which include the digital revolution, major financial crisis, the Arab spring, the appearance of youth protest movements and the major developments of social communication have laid new standards, practices and opportunities for the global community to adapt and in order to further promote, sustainable economies, cultural understanding and global human rights towards a more united and peaceful world.

The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy acknowledges these new standards, practices and opportunities and therefore has created the Annual Summit on Youth in the United Nations in order to present and to promote the new roles of youth in the United Nations to support the global community as well as the roles of the UN to further promote youth related issues and concerns.

Summit Locations

The Annual Summit on Youth in the United Nations will take place in New York City in Foreign Embassies & Consulates, the United Nations and at a number of important political, historic, and cultural locations across the city.

Summit Speakers

Speakers during the summit will include experts of the United Nations, leading politicians and diplomats, senior academics, and other dignitaries. These speakers will include individuals from the ICD Advisory Board. To learn more about the ICD Advisory Board, please click here.

Speakers for the Symposium include:
H.E. Amb. Katalin Bogyay
Ambassador of Hungary to the UN
President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
Former Prime Minister of Spain
The Hon. Bertie Ahern
Former Prime Minister of Ireland

Summit Participants

Participation in the Summit is open to young professionals and students, governmental & diplomatic officials, academics, artists, journalists, civil society practitioners, private sector representatives as well as other interested individuals from across the world.

If you would like to reserve a position and participate in the conference, please click on the link below and fill out the online application form:

Summit Agenda

The Annual Summit on Youth in the United Nations will bring together an interdisciplinary group of experts, activists and youth in order to develop initiatives driven by the youth to promote sustainable economies, intercultural understanding and global human rights. The summit will include a variety of lectures, interactive discussions, presentations, workshops and social activities that will support the summit agenda.

Certificate of Attendance

All conference participants will be awarded an official certificate of attendance upon completion of the program, which will provide details of the speakers who took part and the topics discussed. Each certificate will be signed by members of the Conference Committee.

Participant Papers »

The Conference Committee encourages academic research and analysis of issues related to the goals of the Conference. The Conference Committee would therefore like to welcome the participants of the conference to submit a paper they would like to be considered for presentation at the conference as well as being included in the proposal document that will be issued following the conference and will be sent to all governments and leaders of the international community worldwide.

Sustainable Network »

During the program participants will have a number of opportunities to network with one another, with the speakers, and with ICD Board Members and partners. Conference participants will become part of the ICD Alumni, a growing international network of people of diverse interests and backgrounds from around the world who share a commitment to intercultural exchange. Members of the ICD Alumni Group will benefit from the following opportunities: Alumni online forum, Advisory Board Networking, ICD support for individual Leadership Initiatives, free access to all ICD research, videos and photos as well as other event documentation. Participants will be able to remain in touch with each other through the ICD Networks. (more)