Above, URI Youth Representative Sayid Abdullaev's picture of (from left to right): ABC News anchor Amy Robach, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and activist Malala Yousafzai
Two URI Youth Representatives to the United Nations (UN) joined Malala Yousafzai, the 17 year-old Pakistani women’s and education rights activist, at UN headquarters in New York August 18th. Sayid Abdullaev of Kyrgyzstan and Zunaira Mubasher from Pakistan attended the event, meant to mark 500 days until the deadline of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
In 2000, UN world leaders agreed upon eight MDGs in a 15-year “roadmap” to fight poverty, hunger and disease, protect the environment, increase women’s empowerment, and expand education and basic health.
At the recent event, Mr. Ban said, “Against the predictions of cynics, the MDGs have helped unite, inspire and transform.” Since the MDGs were created, global poverty has been cut in half, more of the world’s girls attend school, and fewer people are dying from malaria, tuberculosis and other deadly diseases, according to Mr. Ban.
Malala Yousafzai shared her foundation’s progress since her first meeting at the UN last year. Her Malala Fund supports vulnerable communities in need of quality education and currently assists school programs in Pakistan, Nigeria, Jordan and Kenya. At the event, Ms. Yousafzai said, "When we talk about girls’ rights, education is the most important thing that can lead to the equality of women, and the respect they deserve."
URI Youth Representative Sayid Abdullaev was able to meet with Ms. Yousafzai face-to-face. He said, “It was an absolute honor represent URI and to be one of the 500 youth activists at the UN.” The University of Pennsylvania student has been a peace builder since he was nine years old, according to URI at the UN representative Monica Willard.
Ms. Willard said, “Sayid is an amazing young man. A program he started in high school for disabled youth is still going and is now a government camp for disabled youth.”
Zunaira Mubasher’s family came to the US as refugees from Pakistan after the Taliban attacked her mosque; she is currently attending Columbia University in New York. Both Abdullaev and Mubasher were chosen to attend the special event with Yousafzai and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon by URI representatives at the Department of Public Information (DPI).
Abdullaev also attended the UN’s International Youth Day on August 12th—with the theme “Mental Health Matters”—where he was able to meet UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Navi Pillay. According to the UN, 20 percent of the world’s young people experience a mental health condition each year. The event allowed attendees to discuss common problems these youth face such as bullying, discrimination and stigmas. Panel speakers included: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Mr Ahmad Alhendawi; DESA ASG Mr. Gass; and Ambassador of Republic of Palau to the UN, H.E. Dr. Otto; as well as mental health youth advocates Alicia Raimundo and Jordan Burnham.
