Today, 18th February 2021 we are celebrating the first year anniversary of the 2nd World Youth Assembly for Road Safety! This time last year, more than 160 youth leaders from 75 countries came together and started our collective journey of #ClaimingOurSpace for safe mobility! It was a momentous occasion and we are so thankful we got to meet before the world dramatically changed!
The World Youth Assembly for Road Safety
The 2nd WYA was a pre-event to the event under the framework of the 3rd Ministerial Conference for road Safety. It was held in Stockholm, Sweden on February 18, 2020.
During the Assembly, the delegates and their organizations were empowered to achieve SDG Targets 3.6 – halving the number of road-related deaths and injuries by the year 2030 and 11.2 – provide access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons.
The main goal of the Assembly was to provide young people with the opportunity, resources, networks, and platform necessary to help prevent the premature death of their peers on the world’s roads.
The Assembly was initiated by YOURS – Youth for Road Safety and co-sponsored by the World Health Organizations (WHO) with partners, Michelin Corporate Foundation and Total Foundation. Partners of the Assembly were Fundación MAPFRE and VOLVO Group.
The Youth Assembly was organized for youth, by youth. The Global Youth Taskforce, a selected group of 11 young leaders from around the World, led the organization and creation of the event.
Out of the 2nd WYA, two major outputs were produced, the Global Youth Statement for Road Safety and the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety.
One year later
To celebrate this milestone, we caught up with the 2nd WYA delegates and now members of the Global Youth Coalition about what they’ve been doing since the Assembly.
2nd WYA delegates and Coalition members Alison Collard De Beaufort, Mariam Kukava, Nishant Bhatnagar, Dr. Nkateko Mnisi, and Tendekayi Marapara talked about their favorite moments during the WYA with experiences from meeting their fellow delegates to the artwork throughout the event.
Dr. Nkateko expressed that, for her, the best moment during the Assembly was when all the delegates read the Global Youth Statement together and chanted in support of it. She described the moment as “electrifying”.
Nishant recalled how the presentation of the Global Youth Statement during the 3rd Ministerial Conference for Road Safety made it into the highlights of his experience.
“My favorite moment during the Assembly was during the second day of the conference when we delivered the youth statement inside the hall full of ministers and delegations from all over the world,” – Nishant Bhatnagar
Since the Assembly, our delegates have been hard at work making sure to keep fighting for road safety, sustainable mobility, and meaningful youth involvement in their communities. Their work is guided by the Global Youth Statement for Road Safety and is supported by the Global Youth Coalition.