TOKYO, Japan, Could 08 (IPS) – We’re on the tipping level in human historical past, dealing with main existential crises. The battle between Russia and Ukraine has heightened the chance of a nuclear weapon getting used because the Chilly Warfare. Moreover, the local weather disaster is accelerating. In these crises, probably the most affected are these in susceptible conditions.
Towards the Summit, along with some youth-led civil society organizations in Japan, we determined to prepare the “Future Motion Pageant” to create momentum to strengthen solidarity towards a peaceable and sustainable future.
The Future Motion Pageant Organizing Committee comprising of representatives from six organizations, together with GeNuine, Greenpeace Japan, Japan Youth Council, Kakuwaka Hiroshima, Youth for TPNW, and Soka Gakkai Worldwide (SGI) youth, was established in the summertime of 2023.Amongst all the worldwide challenges, we determined to give attention to addressing two main existential threats immediately – nuclear weapons and the local weather disaster.
Whereas youth engagement in these points is extra essential than ever, there may be additionally a must domesticate consciousness amongst youth in being brokers of change. The occasion just isn’t a summit, however a “pageant” that’s led by, with and for the youth and highlights the side of joyfulness in youth coming collectively for a greater future.
To realize a novel occasion, the committee engaged with as many actors as potential in the direction of the pageant. All through the method, the pageant was joined by a number of stakeholders, together with NGOs, non-public sectors, artists, and UN representatives, in some ways.
Engagement with firms performed a major position in making the pageant potential and elevating consciousness within the non-public sector. For instance, Japan Local weather Leaders Partnership (JCLP), which includes of greater than 240 firms focusing on zero-emission, agreed with the aim of our occasion and supported us because the institution of the organizing committee. Ultimately, the sponsorship and participation by greater than 160 firms not solely supported the occasion financially however opened new prospects within the sense of firms’ involvement in abolishing nuclear weapons.
The pageant included leisure components carried out by skilled singers, comedians, YouTubers, and marching bands. The participation and energetic promotion of the occasion by these within the leisure sector mobilized many individuals, together with those that weren’t very a lot within the thematic points, making the occasion uniquely partaking.
Lastly, the engagement with the UN expanded the attain and prospects of the pageant. For instance, one of many main advocates and companions of the occasion was the United Nations Data Centre (UNIC) in Tokyo. For the reason that starting of its preparation, UNIC supported us in gaining credibility with various stakeholders, particularly firms and artists. As well as, the primary Assistant Secretary-Normal for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier despatched us a video message which referred to as upon youth individuals to work collectively for a world with out nuclear weapons and a world that’s sustainable for all. On the finish of the occasion, the Rector of the United Nations College Professor Tshilidzi Marwala gave his remarks, emphasizing the importance of the position performed by youth in tackling these world points. The partnership with the UN turned the core driving drive for the occasion’s success.
The sturdy partnerships and youth engagement resulted within the success of the pageant held on the Japan Nationwide Stadium in Tokyo on March twenty fourth. It gathered greater than 60,000 individuals on the venue and was considered by over 500,000 folks on-line by livestream.
One of many key functions of the occasion was to ship youth voices to the UN. Towards the pageant, the organizing committee carried out a youth consciousness survey on nuclear weapons, the local weather disaster, and the UN. About 120,000 responses from people ranging between their 10s to 40s had been collected from November 2023 to February 2024. The outcomes confirmed that younger folks have a excessive stage of consciousness on local weather points and that they assume that nuclear weapons should not needed. The youth need to contribute to addressing these points. On the identical time, greater than half of the respondents discover it tough to have hope for the longer term. About eighty p.c of all of the respondents felt that youth voices should not mirrored sufficient in nationwide and authorities insurance policies. Younger persons are dissatisfied with the established order and search a systemic change.
Based mostly on the end result, the organizing committee created a joint assertion meant for the UN Summit of the Future to make sure youth voices are heard and mirrored within the dialogue course of. The assertion was handed over to Prof. Marwala on the occasion.
In addressing daunting world points, we might really feel a way of hopelessness generally. Nevertheless, by this pageant, we discovered that when various stakeholders of various background unite to create change, their solidarity serves as a beacon of hope for the youth. It’s our accountability to create a world the place younger folks really feel hopeful. Ranging from youth in Japan, we are going to transfer ahead, taking concrete steps to increase our native and world solidarity along with the UN and a number of stakeholders.
Future Motion Pageant Filmed and edited by Katsuhiro Asagiri, Yukie Asagiri and Kevin Lin of INPS Japan Media.
Hiroko Ogushi is a Committee Member, Future Motion Pageant Organizing Committee Co-representative, Soka Gakkai Worldwide (SGI) youth
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