From July 8 to 17, 2024, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development was held at the UN headquarters in New York, USA. The forum, themed "Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions," attracted extensive participation from government representatives, NGOs, UN agencies, and scholars from around the world. Under this framework, the Beijing Changier Education Foundation, which holds special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, successfully hosted two online side events on July 9 and 11, respectively focusing on the themes "Health·Environment·Equality" and "Protection·Equality·Development," contributing insights and efforts to global sustainable development.

Side Event on the Theme "Health·Environment·Equality"

Zhang Yunjun, President of the Beijing Changier Education Foundation, highlighted the significant role of philanthropy in global sustainable development and the challenges it faces. She noted that while there is no shortage of enthusiastic charitable organizations and caring individuals worldwide, the absence of a unified global public entity and international conventions to guide and regulate philanthropic activities severely hampers the internationalization of charitable endeavors. "Discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS is the greatest inequality globally, and also the biggest obstacle to eradicating the epidemic," Zhang emphasized. This inequality, she explained, extends beyond health issues, deeply impacting the environment and social structures as well. She called upon the United Nations and the international community to attach great importance to the global governance of philanthropy, advocating for the establishment of a global charitable organization and the introduction of relevant international conventions to facilitate the effective allocation and rational use of global philanthropic resources.

Furthermore, Zhang disclosed her plans for the "United Nations Maternal Love University," aiming to harness maternal love from around the world to nurture kind and conscientious future mothers, thereby furthering educational equity and social progress. She firmly believed that the power of maternal love can become a crucial force in saving our imperiled world.

Founder, Chairman and CEO of Xueda Education Group and member of the Beijing Changier Education Foundation, Jin Xin shared insights and explorations into how Xueda Education is aiding in ensuring educational equity for children with autism. Jin pointed out that the integration of medical and educational services plays a crucial role in promoting educational equity for children with autism. Optimizing the "hospital + family + school" comprehensive intervention model is an important safeguard for enhancing the capabilities and technical levels of special medical and educational services for children. Supporting children with special needs to enjoy educational equity requires the joint efforts of the entire society. It is essential to adhere to a model where the government leads, society participates, and the community supports, improving the efficiency of educational resource allocation. Jin stated that Xueda Education hopes to develop paths for integrated education with more excellent partners, and then provide comprehensive solutions to regular schools, special education schools, and vocational schools.

Mathew Xinyan Li, a junior high school student from Toronto, Canada, shared his concerns about indigenous self-determination and called for global cooperation in learning and practicing a lifestyle that coexists harmoniously with nature. Li pointed out that the United Nations' definition of "poverty" is often limited to the material aspect, whereas indigenous peoples consider poverty to be a lack of overall well-being, including a comprehensive consideration of psychological, physical, emotional, and mental health. He emphasized that the consumerism trend of excessively pursuing material satisfaction has intensified the structural problems of poverty. He called for the inclusion of more indicators to measure wealth and reduce individuals' excessive dependence on money. Li proposed an innovative solution—the "Withdrawal and Refund" initiative. He advocated that for the victims of poverty and climate change, the international community should take measures to divest from businesses and projects that damage the environment and society, and allocate some funds to compensate the victims, supporting them in rebuilding their lives and restoring the environment. This initiative aims to ensure that the most vulnerable groups receive fair treatment and adequate support in the sustainable development process.

Tungamirai Eric Mupona, a Zimbabwean Ph.D student at Zhejiang University International Affairs and Global Governance and a volunteer at Changier International, stated that the participation and contributions of youth groups, particularly those from developing regions like Africa, will have a direct impact on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. When discussing the challenges faced by youth, Tungamirai particularly pointed out that as direct victims of climate change and builders of the future world, young people have actively taken action and established numerous climate action organizations. However, inequalities in education, employment, and access to resources continue to significantly limit the contributions of youth in sustainable development. Therefore, addressing these issues of inequality is key to unleashing the potential of youth and driving sustainable development. Tungamirai also shared his experiences in promoting youth exchanges during his studies in Hangzhou, and introduced the "Abroad Path Leaders" public welfare service platform he founded. This platform promotes mutual learning and understanding among global youth in the field of sustainable development through organizing cross-border and cross-cultural youth exchange activities. Tungamirai called for both the public and private sectors to increase their support for youth-led projects, helping young people achieve their dreams.

Casey Kittredge, a dedicated young advocate for sustainability who is 17 years old, studies at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, USA. Casey, with her unique perspective and vivid experiences, explained to the participants the severe challenges facing the oceans, as well as the role and responsibilities of the younger generation in addressing these issues. She mentioned that she has had a deep affection for the ocean since she was young, spending every summer on a small island off the coast of Massachusetts, witnessing firsthand the significant changes in the ocean due to climate change. The rising water temperatures, the migration of species, and the dramatic increase in the number of jellyfish... all these deeply worried her and further strengthened her resolve to contribute to marine conservation.

Junior student Thomas Runmao Zhou from Blair Academy discussed one of the most severe environmental issues facing the world today: the plastic crisis. He pointed out that plastic pollution not only threatens marine ecosystems but also enters the human body through the food chain, posing a potential threat to human health. The non-biodegradability of plastics and the greenhouse gases emitted during their production have caused significant damage to the Earth's ecosystem and exacerbated the issue of climate change. Zhou shared his independent research project at the school, aimed at using the unique abilities of Zophobas Morio to degrade specific types of plastic waste. He explained that these Zophobas Morios contain enzymes capable of breaking down common types of plastics, offering a new solution to the problem of plastic pollution. Zhou called on governments, businesses, and individuals worldwide to work together to reduce the use of plastics, promote eco-friendly alternatives, and increase research and development investments in technologies for managing plastic pollution.

Environmental science enthusiast and Chinese-American youth Ruiwen Wang outlined common climate change issues in daily life such as food waste and the use of air conditioning. He called on everyone to start with themselves, reduce food waste, adjust the air conditioning temperature appropriately, and to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through practical actions. Wang also emphasized the role of funds in addressing climate change. By properly allocating funds to invest in renewable energy, enhance energy efficiency, support forest conservation and reforestation projects, as well as strengthen public education and awareness, we can effectively promote sustainable development and mitigate the impact of climate change.

Side Event on the Theme "Protection·Equality·Development"

On July 11, at the side event themed "Protection, Equality, Development," Puerto Rican feminist activist Yasmina Benshimane, recognized by UN Women as a Peace-builder in the Arab States and the founder of Climate Sirens and Politics4Her, emphasized the importance of comprehensive education in enhancing personal empowerment and resilience. She noted that education is not only about the transmission of knowledge but also a crucial means of equipping young people to face life's challenges, make wise decisions, and contribute to society. She called for education to be inclusive and comprehensive, covering key areas such as sexual health, reproductive health and rights, mental health, and climate education, to ensure that young people can achieve comprehensive and balanced development. Yasmina proposed a series of recommendations to address challenges regarding gender equality and sustainable development, including establishing inclusive schools, promoting comprehensive sex education, providing sexual and reproductive health and rights services, preventing gender-based violence, addressing menstrual embarrassment, offering psychological services, and fostering community engagement.

Harvard University master graduate, lawyer, UN SDG Young Leader, founder of the Black Girl's Dream Initiative, and Nigerian poet Karimot Odebode has emphasized the crucial role of youth in advancing the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. She shared her own initiative, the "Black Girl's Dream Initiative," explaining how, through activities like debate training and public speaking, the organization enhances the technical and soft skills of Nigerian adolescents, especially girls, and promotes gender equality and educational reform. She stated that these efforts have not only changed the personal destinies of the participants but have also injected new vitality into the education sector in Nigeria and globally.

Joseph Olivier Mendo'o, Head of the African Youth Delegation in China, PhD in Law from Peking University, and Chief Volunteer of Changier International, pointed out that African youth have demonstrated extraordinary innovative spirit in various fields including healthcare, education, agriculture, and environment. They founded technology startups, utilizing emerging technologies to solve local challenges and bringing valuable solutions to the world. Mendo'o also emphasized the importance of youth participation in decision-making, believing that incorporating young people into decision-making layers and providing them with a platform to express themselves is key to ensuring policies are more closely aligned with the needs of the youth and more in tune with contemporary trends. By participating in decision-making, young people can gain a deeper understanding of social issues and promote positive social change. Mendo'o called on all sectors globally to continue increasing support for the development of African youth by investing in education, encouraging innovation, supporting participatory leadership, and creating broader development opportunities for African youth.

In response to the severe challenges of the global refugee crisis, Levin Li, a high school senior at Blair Academy, New Jersey, USA, has offered unique insights and practical suggestions, grounded in his profound understanding and steadfast belief in youth activism. Li pointed out that traditional "global refugee crisis solutions" often fall into pitfalls, ignoring the uniqueness and complexity of refugee crises in different countries and regions. He called on the international community to abandon the illusion of a "one-size-fits-all" solution and instead adopt context-specific, regional approaches, devising short-term, medium-term, and long-term response measures for each specific crisis.

Bailey Vanar, a student at St. Margaret's Episcopal School in California, focused on the issues of child labor and overconsumption. She pointed out that reducing overconsumption requires efforts to raise public awareness, corporate responsibility, and policy regulation. Bailey Vanar believed that social media, as an important channel for information dissemination, should be used to spread the concept of sustainable consumption and encourage people to adopt a minimalist lifestyle. At the same time, she called on companies to take social responsibility, adopt sustainable production methods and transparent supply chains, and reduce reliance on child labor. When discussing the issue of child labor, Bailey Vanar believed that stricter laws, more effective enforcement, and economic support mechanisms are key to eliminating the phenomenon of child labor. She called on governments, non-governmental organizations, and businesses to work together to provide children with educational opportunities, helping them break free from the vicious cycle of poverty.

British Chinese youth Yuanda Xu spoke on the relationship between finance and sustainable development. Xu believed that the traditional financial system and models no longer meet the needs of sustainable development; innovation and restructuring are essential. Private capital, public finance, financial inclusiveness, and the incorporation of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards are all key factors in driving sustainable development. He called on people from all walks of life around the world to work together, by mobilizing private capital, enhancing public finance, promoting financial inclusivity, and integrating ESG standards to unleash the transformative potential of finance and contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Lola Ge, from Shanghai, China, is studying at a high school in Pennsylvania. She has elaborated on the significance of linguistic diversity for the transmission of human culture with her unique perspective and profound insights. Ge believed that the extinction of a language is not just the disappearance of vocabulary and grammar, but also the disappearance of the underlying culture and traditions. Assimilation policies, social pressures, demographic changes, and the pursuit of a single culture and language are the main reasons leading to language endangerment. In response to the issue of language endangerment, Ge called on the United Nations and other international organizations to advocate for language policy reforms, promote multilingualism, and incorporate endangered languages into official language policies and cultural heritage initiatives. At the same time, she recommended that governments of various countries utilize digital technology to record and preserve endangered languages, develop mobile language learning applications, and promote intergenerational language transmission. At the local level, she encouraged families and communities to develop plans that promote language heritage, teaching language and cultural knowledge to the younger generation through storytelling, language immersion camps, and other methods.

Through the two side events, the Beijing Changier Education Foundation not only offered an international platform for exchanging ideas and sharing experiences but also showcased the active role and boundless potential of the younger generation in advancing global sustainable development. The speeches of the youth representatives were full of passion and creativity. The solutions and suggestions they proposed provided new perspectives and ideas for addressing global challenges, stimulating a shared concern and action for sustainable development worldwide.

Emma Chen-Banas, the UN representative and Chief Executive Officer of the Beijing Changier Education Foundation and honorary chairwoman of the American Chinese United Association in Massachusetts, alongside She Jingqian, a volunteer of Changier International, made significant contributions to the organization and successful holding of the events. Students from the Beiwai College of Beijing Foreign Studies University, including Lou Yining, Zhang Ziyu, Zhang Xiaolu, Li Shiyu, Zhai Shiyu, Yang Chuyi, Wang Sirui, and Shen Jing provided simultaneous interpreting services for the events.