Hundreds of young men and women from all over the world, including India, took part in the sixth youth assembly at the United Nations that stresses the importance of engaging youth to help achieve its Millennium Development Goals.
Senior UN officials explained to the assembled youth what they could do to make the world a better place to live in. The participants, aged 15-24, also took part in interactive workshops on a variety of issues from AIDs and education to climate change, disarmament and non-proliferation.
For the youth delegates, especially those from developing countries, it was a ticket to the world that they have only dreamt of.
"You know, I have seen airplanes fly over my head, but I never thought in my wildest dreams that one day I too would be able to fly and also see this great city called New York and this world body which we have read about in books," Ranjit Jana, one of the delegates from India who represented the non-profit Children's International, said.
Jana, a high school senior in Baikanthapur village in the Sundebans, said he was overwhelmed by seeing so many people from so many countries, and listening to the "great inspirational words about changing the world" from both officials and fellow delegates.
"I had little idea about this world, I guess, before coming here. So many people, so many countries and yet all talk about doing something positive," Jana, who does not speak English, said in his native Bengali.
The three-day conference last week opened with a song and a prepared statement by Secretary General Ban ki-moon that was read out by Dr Elaine Valdov, executive director, International Institute for Culture of Peace and co-chair of the conference.
Ban urged the gathering to see their time at the conference as a call to action.
'The world needs each and every one of you to do your part in transforming our world and building a more sustainable and equitable future for all,' he said. 'Young people often lead by example practicing green lifestyles, promoting innovative uses of new technologies such as social networks. They -- you -- deserve our full commitment, full access to education, adequate healthcare, employment opportunities, financial services and full participation in public life.'
The secretary general said the world faces multiple, interconnected crises with severe impacts that fall disproportionately on the young. 'I am encouraged by the contributions of young people to the debate on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Their views and proposals can build the momentum necessary to 'seal the deal' in Copenhagen this year,' Ban said. 'Indeed young people have proven themselves to be dynamic actors in our work for sustainable development,' he added.
"Yes, I am convinced today that we the youth can do it (achieve the MDGs) because we are the leaders of the future," said Avinash, an Indian from Hyderabad who had been nominated for a youth achievement award. "Although I am a student of IT technology, I am a hacker and had worked with the Andhra Pradesh on hacking issues," Avinash, who has written a book on the subject, said.
The youth seemed to be particularly enthused by the words of Ramu Damodaran, deputy director, outreach division at the department of public information at the UN. Damodaran, formerly an executive assistant to the Prime Minister of India, said the world needs the youth, and that the UN will learn a great deal from young people.
'The UN is no longer a spectator sport where people come and watch and listen to debates. We have become a learning institution that wants to benefit from the practice that you have made possible from the scholarship that you have, from the lessons that you have learnt, which in turn you will teach us. And for that I am enormously grateful,' he said.
'We at the UN have finally, and I repeat finally, been able to get our act together and devise a program which commands not only popular participation but popular enthusiasm. In other words it is a program each of you owns and feels responsible for and that each of you feels that you can make a difference in contributing to,' he said.
Damodaran said when the UN talks of MDGs, the acronym takes on an alternate expansion.
'Use MDGs for Make Difference Gradually, because in my mind one of the most daunting and misleading things about the MDGs is that we have set target dates for ourselves for each of the goals, whether it would be 2015 or 2020. And that often dilutes us because we are looking up at goals from the wrong end of the telescope, because we are looking at a date rather than the achievement of the goals themselves,' Damodaran said.
'The moment you realize that somehow, somewhere, someone is going to work to help realize that goals, and replicate that at home through these social networks that the SG mentioned around the world you will have made a difference.'
'The UN assures people of its future. Once you people convince people that there is a life beyond deprivation and poverty, a life that is truly meaningful and which can be called a future, then you have served the rationale of this organization. Light up your face with brightness,' Damodaran said, alluding to the song that opened the gathering.
Many delegates from India told this correspondent during breaks that they shared the sentiments of Damodaran and other speakers. "Although they so far have not spelt out how exactly we can help implement the MDGs, I was pretty much impressed with the proceedings this morning," Jana said.
Others like Avinash said they felt that this was "great thing" happening. "It looks like it is true, we can do a lot a lot. We people who have come here today have a lot of potential in terms to helping implement MDGs," he said. Similar sentiments were expressed by Kolkata-based Prasanna Ash, coordinator for Sahay, a non-profit supported by Children's' International.
"We at Baikanthapur try to gather fellow teenagers under the ages of Sahay, which is part of Children's International and discuss about how best we can help the community in terms of health, nutrition and education," Jana said. "For example, we utilize some of the funds for helping students in their studies. Now as I look at people from different countries and their stories, how they have been trying to change lives, and listen to speeches to big officials here at the United Nations, I feel 'yes we too can do something better in out village," Jana said.
"The speaker was right. May be the future leaders are sitting in this room. If we people unite all over the world, may be we can do a lot of good things together."