In WALD E-Parliamentary Sessions Youth and Leaders Gathered on the Axis of the Global Agenda 

WALD International E-Parliamentary Youth Session, where views are shared to build  a sustainable life, brought the leaders of today and the leaders of the future together on a common ground with the aim of developing different perspectives…

As the World Academy for Local Government and Democracy (WALD), we carried out the third WALD International E-Parliamentary Youth Sessions, which was organized with the aim of adapting developing technologies to democratic fields and increasing the participation of young people in this field and allowing young people to come together with leaders, was held in Konya on May 27, 2022 within the framework of the 'Global Forum for Sustainable Development, Urban Agriculture and Biodiversity'. 

UN Turkey, Konya Metropolitan Municipality, local government representatives, faculty members and students of Konya Selçuk University and many international guests attended the WALD E-Parliament Youth Session which was moderated by Mehmet DUMAN WALD Chairman of the Executive Board and to which young people from Türkiye, Germany, Belgium, North Macedonia, Romania, Sweden, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan aiming to be the leaders of the future came together in a hybrid environment.

WALD International E-Parliamentary Youth Session, where of the Sustainable Development Goals “SDG 12: Responsible Production and Consumption” and “SDG 13: Climate Action” were discussed,  started with the opening speech of WALD Chairman of the Executive Board Mehmet DUMAN. DUMAN underscored in his speech that “As WALD, our goal is to continue our work by expanding it with the participation of more young people in order to localize sustainable living spaces, make young people internalize them and build a sustainable culture. The phenomenon of creating a sustainable city can be achieved by increasing energy, transportation, living standards, and protecting natural resources and the environment. We especially care about the adoption and implementation of sustainable living practices by young people, both individually and socially.”

In the session, young people aiming to be the leaders of the future came together with Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and United Cities and Local Governments World Organization (UCLG) Co-President Uğur İbrahim ALTAY, United Nations Türkiye Resident Coordinator Alvaro RODRIGUEZ and Maldives Former Youth and Sports Minister Mohamed Hussain SHAREEF. Leaders answered questions from young people about making local, national and global production more efficient and resistant to climate change, protecting biodiversity and raising awareness of the society with responsible consumption.

In the session where evaluations were made regarding “SDG 12: Responsible Production and Consumption” and “SDG 13: Climate Action”, it was pointed out that consumption habits are shaped according to cultural values. Young people who are the leaders of the future emphasized that it is extremely important to strengthen the scientific and technological capacity of developing countries to move towards more sustainable consumption and production patterns, as well as to support effective planning and management capacities for climate change in the least developed countries and developing countries with a focus on women, youth, local communities and disadvantaged groups.