Aberdeen Youth Movement member, Mariah Ichakpa was honoured to be selected to attend the 2025 United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum in New York last month.
Mariah was 1 out of 20,000 people who applied to be selected to attend the forum that offered young people a visible platform to meaningfully engage with Member States, have their voices heard and be included in the global dialogue on key issues affecting the world’s population.
Held at the United Nations headquarters, the forum’s theme of ‘youth at the forefront: leveraging science and social inclusion for sustainable development’, allowed Mariah to make a speech to the forum attendees from across the world and her inspired message was ‘If you want to see a nation’s future, look into the eyes of its youth - we are the mirror and the map’.
Mariah said: “Representing Aberdeen and Scotland was an unforgettable experience. Sharing Scotland’s story and how we became the first part of the UK to incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law was a huge achievement in helping spread awareness.
“One of the biggest takeaways for me was that impact doesn’t always have to come from the top down. Youth-led initiatives when supported and given a platform can drive real and measurable change.
“Leaving New York, I felt inspired. But more than that I felt responsible. We have a lot of work to do. And I’m ready to keep showing up and working alongside other passionate youths in Aberdeen Youth Movement (AYM), Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) and across the world to make a difference.”
Councillor Martin Greig, Convenor of Aberdeen City Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “I was delighted to hear about Mariah’s incredible experience in New York. She spoke eloquently at the UN Youth Forum to represent young people in our city and on behalf of the rest of Scotland.
“It is a major achievement to promote youth justice from the local perspective on a global stage. I am grateful to Mariah and to all the team who have given support for this important human rights action.”
Aberdeen Youth Movement is the official voice of young people in Aberdeen, working closely with multiple organisations to improve the representation of young people in the city. The group consists of young people aged between 16 and 25 from different areas and interest groups.