„MEET & GREET“ 4
„Women & Youth Working Together For A More Resilient & Sustainable Future“
A Network of Global Peace - Builders Supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) For 2030 to Ensure No-One is Left Behind!
April 16, 2024, Online Platform
YouTube Link for the playlist on MEET & GREET:
Mrs. Carolyn MOSER– HANDSCHIN, Director of the WFWPI Office for United Nations Relations globally and President of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women at the United Nations in Geneva, gave the opening remarks with a PPT presentation of some significant projects and their upcoming events.
Ms. Sulva JOSHI, has done LL.M in International LA – University
of Vienna in (2023-present) B.A.LL. B in Legislative and Business Law- Kathmandu School of Law. She is a legal Aid Officer/People Forum for Human Rights, providing legal aid relating to foreign employment. Multiple roles in strengthening policies or policy reformation including publication activities. Ms. Joshi served as the moderator throughout two thirds of the program. Mrs. Renate AMESBAUER, President of WFWP Austria,supported..
Ms. Rachel Beth TAMAYO, Chapter President for North Jersey in 2024, UN
Representative for WFWPI – New York, USA. Her international engagements encompass active participation in WFWPI UN initiatives such as UN Day Dream, HLPF and UN Side Events showing her steadfast dedication to global communication and advocacy. She crafts UN News reports via Social Media channels for WFWPI in New York, Geneva and Vienna while providing support to the Director of WFWPI. Rachel started on her leadership journey at a tender age of 15 with the Extraordinary Young Leader Campus President Award for Supreme Student Government where she led a cohort of 300 students. She spoke about Positive Psychology meeting the UN SDG for Mental Health and the UN SDG to build a better world authors. This is based on SDG # 3
Ms. Sarah PIRKER, a Master’s degree holder in Social and Cultural Anthropology as well
as International Development Studies in the University of Vienna. Sarah’s career has been marked by significant contributions to public health and renewable energy sectors, having worked as a public consultant in Austria and furthering renewable energy initiatives in Uganda. Currently, she serves as a project officer at the UNODC’s civil society unit, where she coordinates the drug demand portfolio. Her role includes supporting the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs, the main NGO umbrella organization in the field, as well as furthering civil society engagement on drug and crime related matters. In this position she, together with her team, supports and encourages NGOs to make use of the possibilities of participation and engagement with permanent Missions at UN Vienna! Her multifaceted expertise and her ongoing commitment to societal betterment underscore her as a key figure in her field.
Ms. Claire Marie HERNANDO is a 12th Grade STEM student from Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines. The field of servant leadership has been her niche. She is two time President of the school’s student government handling several leadership positions on non-government organizations while championing her advocacies related to youth and women empowerment, poverty reduction, quality education, environmental protection and conservation and science communication. At present, she’s been working on a low-cost desalination project that aims to resolve the water scarcity issues faced by several communities today.
Ms. Nikki JERUSALEM GJELOSHGJOKAJ, (Albania) She served as a Sec. General of IAYSP Philippines from 2019-2023. She highlighted the importance of collaborative
leadership in driving sustainable development. She discussed several impactful programs aimed at empowering youth and fostering sustainability emphasizing partnerships with organizations across different sectors. Leaders connect focuses on educating young people about the UN SDGs. The Peace Designer’s Training equips youth with skills for peacebuilding and advocacy, Youth Heroes Award recognizes outstanding contributions to community development. The Billon Trees Planting and Growing Project, in partnerships with the gov’t and private orgs. support SDG #13 on Climate Action. Synergy provides a platform for youth to showcase their ideas for social change. Regional Youth Forums were conducted to raise awareness about issues like terrorism and deceptive recruitment.
Ms. Rebecca JUSTEN, (UK) has done Master in Education and MSC Int’l. Welfare.
Founder, Trustee and Chair of Me, Myself and I (SCIO) Organization Ambassador of Women Empowerment for Change. Currently, she’s running a Project “Resilience & Mindfulness” for Women victims of Domestic Abuse. She organizes cultural activities (music, dances, food fellowship) as well as including outdoor activities to take the women out of their homes.
She also provides educational and seminars to strengthen women in their role in their families, providing them with new experiences and tools for child-raising, communication in the family, a.o.
Ms. Arshia DUTTA, a sophomore student at Queens Technical High School New York,
USA, who is originally from New Delhi, India enjoys a variety of activities like programming, drawing, dance to essay writing. As a Bharatanatyam graduate, she has actively been working on improving her skills in various fields. Recently, she’s been working on creating an app called “Fashion-scious” that is based on SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and Production. She believed this app can be impactful if provided with a helping hand to make the prototype a reality. She also intends on working towards creating positive changes in society and contributing towards the creation of a better future for everyone, possibly by coming up with more similar solutions to problems that go unnoticed.
Mr. Paul MBURU, (Kenya) Founder Int’l Director, Sober Life Mentorship Society. He is also the WFAD Liaison Representative of the East and Central Africa Network for Crime and Substance use Prevention. Since 2011, Paul has carried out interactive awareness and mentorship outreaches locally and internationally, travelling to over 20 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South America. He has presented the voice of African youths in International Conferences including the 2016 UNGASS Conference in Vienna,. As the Liaison Representative of WFAD in the region, he has actively been planning and coordinating several projects including the Sober Lives, Healthy Communities Project in the DRC, Connecting the Parallels between Prevention.
His focus is to strengthen young people to lead a life free from drugs, pursuing their education and becoming responsible adults, who will be able to take care of their family! Not turning away in the search for greener pastures in another country, deceive their wife and children, leaving them behind in poverty!
Dr. Maria RIEHL, our Director at WFWPI UN VIENNA Office, President of WFWP Austria,
1992-2002. Dr. Riehl was also for over 20 years active – together with her husband in the organization “FORUM EAST” providing Humanitarian Aid and Education in countries behind the Iron curtain. She gave the concluding remarks and thanked all the presenters and those who stayed up to the end. She wished everybody to be successful, and to work together and to do good networking and so we could reach the UN SDGs for 2030.
The Zoom lasted up to two hours and a half of nonstop sharing of experiences, many projects, contribution of best practices and sustainability as well as initiatives and vision in pursuit of a better future for all. After the concluding remarks we listened to a beautiful song of
Ms. Nora Waldmann, (based in New Jersey, USA) who contributed her “SMILE” video clip music accompanied with piano.
With gratitude in our heart we waved goodbye and wished everyone all the very best. A good night to those who are in Philippines, Europe and Africa! Until next “Meet & Greet” which will be around Spring end to early Summertime. Thank you all <3
Merle SOQUILA-BLASCHKE
Comments