"Education is essential."United Nations (ANTARA News/Xinhua-OANA) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday here called on youth to partner with the UN to solve pressing world issues.
"Young leaders have the energy and ideas we need to change our world. We need to marshal your expertise and your compassion to address the terrible problems in our world," said Ban in a speech to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum on shaping tomorrow`s innovators.
"To unleash the power of young people, you need to help drive our work. The United Nations is ready to partner with you," he said.
The forum`s theme focuses on leveraging science, technology, innovation and culture to improve societies. Participants are " tomorrow`s innovators," including youth representatives from member states, students and young entrepreneurs with science and technology backgrounds and youth-led non-governmental organizations.
The secretary-general spoke of the importance of education and technology to driving development and improving the quality of life for all young people.
"We must work to close the digital divide. And we have to pay special attention to women and girls," said the secretary-general. "They have every bit of as much as potential as men and boys when it comes to science and technology."
"Education is essential," he added.
Speaking to the one-day Youth Forum, Ban also emphasized the importance of upholding the ideals of the United Nations, regardless of a specific future career path.
"You may not be able to change the entire world but you can change something to make it a better place for all of us," he said. "Everyone has a share of this."
(U.C003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
