PM Mia Mottley calls on youths to hold leaders accountable in pursuit of SDGs
Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley has urged youths around the world to hold leaders accountable as they work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley spoke earlier today in New York where she, as well as Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, are attending the United Nations General Assembly.
PM Mottley highlighted youths as the ones who must lead the way towards a sustainable future as today’s children will be ones still here decades from now, facing the impacts of the climate crisis.
She was speaking at the time as the SDG Advocate Co-Chair when she further empowered youths to hold leaders accountable in pursuit of this.
“Are we so arrogant as to believe that there will be no failed societies and no extinct species when the history shows us otherwise? Let us speak to the citizens of the world, the boys and girls who we want in this battle. This battle to remind their leaders, to remind their parents, to remind their headteachers, to remind each other – that they are necessary to join the army to fight against poverty.”
The SDGs is the global plan for ending poverty, tackling the climate crisis, and boosting the economy with the overall aim of a better future for all on a safe and healthy planet.
The Prime Minister emphasised that while there are many factors which come into play as leaders work to accomplish this, youths can still play an important role.
“We want you, my friends, the children of this world, to hold us, the Governments, accountable and to recognise that we do have choice and leaders can make decisions. And leaders are not constrained in the decisions that we make. We ask you, the children of this world, to hold our feet to the fire and make this world a better place.”
She notes that quality education is vital in ensuring youths are able to think for themselves to be leaders in fighting the climate crisis.
Guyana’s top performer at the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations 2022 Bhedesh Persaud is also among representatives in New York at the United Nations Transforming Education Summit.
The Transforming Education Summit is held in response to the global crisis in education which studies show is having a devastating impact on the futures of children and youth globally.
It is a chance to mobilise action, ambition, solidarity and solutions to recover pandemic-related learning losses and sow the seeds to transform education in a rapidly changing world.
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