Play Your Part in the Plan: Getting Involved as a Young Professional
“Everybody’s got a role to play,” said Richard Curtis on the opening day of the 2016 Social Good Summit, held at the 92Y in Manhattan. Everybody has a role, and the role of college students and young professionals is fundamental in achieving the #2030NOW mission.
#2030NOW, the theme of the 2016 Social Good Summit, asks people to think about the world they want to live in by 2030. Diving deep into the 2030 agenda, the summit featured grassroots advocates, UN officials, world leaders and the UN Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals with the intent to fuel action and promote global peace and security by achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
This seems like a daunting task. Changing the world in less than 15 years? But it is possible.
What is it that college students and young professionals can do to help reach the #2030NOW initiative, and achieve the mission of the SDGs? What can we do to better the world we will live in by 2030?
Get familiar with the SDGs
There are 17 sustainable development goals. Whether your passion is to rid the world of poverty, promote quality education, climate action or gender equality, get to know each SDG and pursue the one’s that you feel most passionate about. Understanding the objective of the SDGs is the first step to creating a better world by 2030.
Join your campus or local UNA-USA chapter
Chapter work is one extremely powerful way to spread UN initiatives by working at the grassroots level. It is the foundation of the UNA-USA initiative to work with your local governments to initiate change. If you don’t have a campus or local chapter, being a UNA-USA member provides advocacy opportunities, events and summits held at the UN, and fellowships geared towards young professionals on their expedition to promote global change.
Keep up with UN Initiatives and News through Social Media
We have the internet at our fingertips. It is easy to stay involved and up to speed on what’s happening on a local, national and international level. Read the UN website, follow the United Nations Foundation (UNF) on twitter, like the UNA-USA Facebook page. By staying involved, your path to taking action will continue.
Raise Your Voice
We are lucky to live in a time where we all have a platform with social media. Don’t take this privilege for granted. Use your individual voice to raise awareness to issues you care about. The power of the pen is mighty. Use your platform to to put pressure on the goals you want to see gain traction. Tweet members of congress. Do what you can to spark a dialogue. Your voice is the first step to influence change.
