NEW YORK, UN Headquarters, 1 December 2023
Hello everyone!
My name is Felipe Paullier, and I am honoured to be addressing you all from UN Headquarters in New York as the first-ever Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs.
Today officially marks my first day as head of the new United Nations Youth Office.
As I step into this role, it is impossible not to feel an overwhelming sense of enthusiasm about the opportunities that lie ahead, while also acknowledging the immense responsibility it entails.
My journey as a young advocate and professional is marked by diverse experiences and dedication to elevating youth voices, which has brought me to this moment.
As a young politician in Uruguay, I worked together with my team to tackle youth-related issues at the national and regional level. This experience deepened my understanding of the daily challenges facing young people, but also reaffirmed to me the transformative potential that exists when youth are actively engaged in decision-making.
From conflicts and rising geopolitical tensions, to climate change and the mental health crisis, young people have shown time and time again that they have the expertise, resilience and innovative ideas to tackle the complex challenges that characterize our world today.
Youth input and leadership are no longer just desirable — they are essential if we are to stand any chance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The creation of a dedicated office for youth affairs within the UN Secretariat represents a shift in the UN’s commitment to advancing its work with and for youth.
With the establishment of the UN Youth Office, we mark the start of a new era in the UN. Together, we have an opportunity to ensure that the United Nations serves as a champion and advocate for young people everywhere.
Member States will have a critical role to play by making meaningful youth engagement the norm, rather than the exception. We need stronger commitments to facilitate youth participation at the local, national, regional and global levels.
The forthcoming Summit of the Future next year will be one major platform where I hope to see such commitments become reality.
At the center of our work will be Youth2030 — the UN’s systemwide youth strategy, guiding efforts to strengthen collaboration, coordination and accountability on youth affairs across the UN system at all levels.
Thankfully, in this respect, we will not be starting from scratch. The Youth Office builds on more than a decade of important work by the former Envoys on Youth, who made massive strides in advancing the ways the UN works with and for young people around the world.
I would like to especially thank Jayathma and Ahmad for their instrumental role in mainstreaming young people’s voices in the work of the UN and beyond.
Building on their legacy, I am currently assembling a diverse team for the new Youth Office — one that is reflective of age, geographic diversity and gender balance.
As I assume my mandate, let me assure you that I am entering this role in a listening mode.
Youth are not a single group. It is critical that your perspectives, in all of their diversity, are considered.
In this respect, I am personally committed to providing safe spaces to inclusively engage with all young people. As I settle into this new role, I am eager to begin meeting with young people from all corners of the world, both virtually and on-the-ground in your communities.
Learning from your experiences over the coming months will be critical in helping me to shape an action plan for the new Youth Office that ensures no young person is left behind.
Together we are going to bring youth engagement to new heights at the UN and beyond,
The future we all want depends on it. Let’s get to work.