National Youth Summit – Summit for the Future Cambodia

[Check Against Delivery] 

Now, I'd like to do, in my brief remarks, four things. I'd like to go on a little context, talk about why this matters, talk about the next steps, and of course, it's a short, good thanks.

So first, and this might be a little bit counterintuitive, I would say that there has never been, by the time, for someone to be alive to them today.

Globally speaking, we are safer, healthier, live longer lives, a more economic prosperity, have more quality, et cetera, et cetera.

Looking at the world today, of course, that might seem as it's counterintuitive, because while the facts underlying, we are not doing too much better, there's still a very long way to go in many, many areas, in many countries, and none of the countries in the world currently has achieved, and only one is on track to meet the SDG goals by 2030.

It matters because at the end of the day, there is only two processes, such as the future summit, global meetings and conventions, and summits that we have seen around the world in the 1992, for example, the World of Environment summit in Rio de Janeiro, to the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, and all of everything in between, it is through these instruments that the global community uses, it's only global instrument, the United Nations, to come together. And it seems like these processes are very cumbersome, a lot of words being written and pronounced, and progress sometimes seems very slow. But this is how we do make progress, but then while immediately after the summit, all the works have yet to be done, every single summit in the history of the United Nations has that two progress in all the areas that we're looking at. Again, we are not where we need to be, but this is the way to move forward. 

That's a lot of context. I really appreciate all of you being here today, in a way what you've gone today, looking at this text, and coming from different parts of Cambodia, with different concerns, and different judges, and different life experience, you have to come together, and still your consensus view, into not looking in a way what you've done, is the mini United Nations, and our think of complicated becomes, when it multiplied by 190 plus countries, all of those voices have to be heard. And it matters because, changing the end of the day, always starts with one person, and then another person, and then another person, and groups coming together, and moving forward. 

I am particularly proud of the way we've done consultation here in Cambodia, what we have done here, is in similar ways done in all over the countries along the world, but, we've done a slightly different year, in a way that we call it, from a quarter-month perspective.

A few months ago, I had the idea, I said to my team, it's not beginning up, let's bring a few youth representatives together, and that provides some analysis, we can use for the UN and the government. I did not expect that this initial idea, would lead to a process over two and a half months, and that we would be here today, collecting all the time, all these different voices, and handing it over just now to HE. Deputy Prime Minister

So what we are going to do with these outcome documents and all the inputs we have been collected, so that it's my third point, We've got two things, one, we finally just hand over to HE Deputy Prime Minister, and we'll also be sharing what you have come up with today, also to the Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs who will be leading the delegation to New York next month. We will also share it with the office of the Secretary-General's Youth Advisor, who was newly appointed at the end of last year, so he will get these inputs as well, so that they have the preparation for some of it.

And last but not least, the United Nations has suggested to all its members' states, as they are putting together the delegations, to include a youth representative. As a bonus, for those of the delegations, especially the youth ones, that might be travelling to New York, I will be in New York at the same time, on annual leave, but I'll make myself available. 

And to conclude, that's one of the least few words of thanks, of course, HE Deputy Prime Minister, your presence today shows how important is this to the government of Cambodia, and to listen to the youth, also really thank you to you personally, for being here with us today afternoon, and of course your whole team at the ministry that's held on to this event together, over the last few weeks. Thank you.

I especially thank you also to my delegates from UN Country Team, who have been supporting this, all of them from the various agencies, for most importantly, of course, UNFPA, some of us here with us, Thank you very much.

A big thank you to UNYAP, all of members of UNYAP, always surprise me with their energy, their wisdom, and their professionalism of taking these issues forward, and their passions. Thank you very much.

But most importantly, all of you here today, all of the youth who we have consulted since the beginning of June and not here today. It's a privilege, an honor to listen to you, and to take your voice forward, and we do our very best to take it to New York. Thank you so much for your time, and for the dedication for this particular initiative, and it's truly, truly crucial.