Global Competence Education Development Forum 2024

Mr. Jia Wenjian, President of Beijing Foreign Studies University, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Beijing Foreign Studies University,

Mr. Wang Dinghua, Secretary of the CPC Committee of Beijing Foreign Studies University,

Mr. Huang Baoyin, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the University of International Business and Economics,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I thank the Association of Chinese Graduate Education for the invitation to speak at the Global Competence Education Development Forum. 

I want to thank the professors and teachers here today for their work in nurturing students to be better equipped with the global competence needed for later success in the workforce and their readiness to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With only six years remaining to achieve the SDGs, we are standing at a critical juncture where the promise of a sustainable future still hangs in the balance. 

At the heart of this journey lies the world’s young people, a vibrant and diverse cohort that holds the key to realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Today, we are seeing the largest generation of youth in human history, with over 1.2 billion individuals aged between 15 and 24. Recognizing this, the 2030 Agenda, our global blueprint for a better future, emphasizes the critical role of youth in achieving a sustainable and inclusive world: over 90 SDG indicators are directly related to youth, highlighting the importance of their engagement in building a brighter tomorrow.

Young people represent the driving force for development and innovation, shaping our planet's present and future. They are champions of social justice, gender equality, and environmental sustainability, showcasing their creative mindset and potential for transformation. These young leaders actively advocate for inclusive policy-making, effectively amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. Their meaningful engagement is pivotal in accelerating progress on the SDGs.

This generation has grown up in an era of rapid technological advancements, new economic opportunities, and unprecedented access to information. 

Today's youth are more connected than ever, yet find themselves increasingly exposed to the consequences of conflict, climate change, and economic uncertainty. A significant number of young individuals continue to struggle with unemployment and informal sector employment, and grapple with systemic inequalities in access to education and healthcare, thereby blocking their socioeconomic development and inclusion. These challenges also disproportionately impact youth in vulnerable groups, such as young women and girls, and persons with disabilities, who face additional obstacles.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

However, for youth to take on this role, they must have the relevant knowledge and expertise to identify opportunities and develop solutions to move us towards a more sustainable future. It is critical that such an environment is also conducive to supporting their rights and development.

Here, global competence, as a multidimensional framework, offers students this chance to develop an open mind, understand cultural norms, and leverage such knowledge to interact and collaborate in a diverse set of environments. 

Such attitudes and capabilities, such as self-awareness, openness, and respect, are essential for addressing global challenges, including within international organizations such as the United Nations.

The UN, with its global convening power and mandate, has a crucial role to play in backing up the rights and aspirations of young people. The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, launched the Youth2030 Strategy in 2018, with the vision to ensure that every young person is empowered to achieve their full potential, amplify their voices and insights towards meaningful participation in decision-making processes while driving positive change in youth-related and other domains.

With the support of 55 UN entities and more than 130 UN Country Teams, the Youth2030 Strategy represents a concerted effort to strengthen the UN’s capacity to implement youth empowerment in a coordinated, coherent and holistic manner. 

Under this framework, five priority areas were put forward, including engagement, participation and advocacy, informed and healthy foundations, economic empowerment through decent work, youth and human rights, and peace and resilience building.

Here, I wish to emphasize the importance of engagement, participation and advocacy. 

The UN seeks to mainstream the meaningful engagement of young people across all our entities and work, increasing their participation in intergovernmental forums and partnering with youth advocates on global platforms and major UN Summits.

In China, the UN Country Team, together with our partners, works to prioritize youth participation and empowerment, particularly youth from vulnerable groups, and to fully incorporate and maximize their positive contributions towards sustainable development through various activities, projects and programmes. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

We have a long road ahead to achieve the SDGs. As explained in the policy brief issued by the UN Secretary-General (António Guterres) last year, “When it comes to participation in public policy-making and decision-making…youth remain almost invisible.”

Youth are not asking for tokenistic participation; they want to be more active in shaping their future rather than merely being informed of decisions after they have been made.

We should listen to these frustrations and respond to their aspirations. 

This September, the UN will host the Summit of the Future in New York, bringing world leaders together to reach a consensus on an action-oriented outcome to revitalize the multilateral system to respond to our current challenges, with one of the priorities being youth and future generations. 

President Xi Jinping once said, “A nation will be full of hope and have a great tomorrow when its younger generations have ideals, ability and a strong sense of responsibility”.

Here, the UN in China and the All-China Youth Federation intend to co-host a pre-Summit event this August, aimed at accelerating youth development and encouraging youth participation in China and around the world.

In facing today’s challenges and opportunities, let us commit to leveraging the potential of our young leaders, empowering them with the competencies needed to thrive, including global competency, and creating platforms to facilitate youth engagement, all while shaping a prosperous, equal and resilient future that allows the realization of their full potential.

Thank you.