“Our actions today determine our tomorrow” – the presentation of Ukraininan Youth Delegates at the 77th UN General Assembly

This week, Ukrainian youth delegates to the UN within their delegate mandates have arrived in New York, where the 77th UN General Assembly takes place. On September 30, Alina Kurska and Denys Hanzha took part in the Third Committee and made their speeches.

Alina Kurska and Denys Hanzha are Ukrainian youth delegates to the UN, which were elected for the program in 2021. However, at first, due to pandemic restrictions, and then Russia’s full-scale war, they were not able to implement the planned activities within the mandate. Therefore, to fulfill all their goals, the validity of the current youth delegates was extended for one year.

Despite all the difficulties that Ukraine faces today, our delegates participated in the 77th UN General Assembly and made speeches to the Third Committee on September 30. This is an appeal to young people from all over the world about everyone’s responsibility for our common future, about the value of actions here and now for the sake of tomorrow. We share inspiring quotes from the speeches of Ukrainian delegates.

In her speech, Alina Kurska told about the activity of Ukrainian youth during the war. Being responsible, loving, and eager to help Ukraine, young people from all over the country work to approach our victory.

“Ukrainian youth activists create volunteer initiatives, and organizations, conduct charitable actions and actively cooperate with national and international public and state organizations, purpose of which is to support Ukrainians, provide humanitarian assistance and implement projects for the restoration of civilian infrastructure, destroyed since the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Russia,” Alina Kurska said.

The youth delegate emphasized that our power is in unity and interaction. Stories about Ukrainian men and women today are stories about bravery, volunteering, and assistance to each other. But these are also stories about terrible pain, death, and loss. All this in the future will be the history of Ukraine, a country of free and responsible people. And Alina Kurska addressed the following words to young people from all over the world:

“As a youth delegate, I would like to first turn to young people from all over the world – it is time to take responsibility for our future, we must decide what it will be. Our responsible or irresponsible actions today determine our tomorrow.”

Denys Hanzha continued Ukraine’s presentation speech. The youth delegate, like his colleague, expressed admiration for the actions of Ukrainian youth, noting that no time limits would be enough to tell about their responsibility, courage and work for the sake of Ukraine. Denys Hanzha also addressed to Russian youth:

  “We will not forgive you. We will not forgive your inaction and support of the shelling of peaceful cities of Ukraine, including my hometown of Lozova … We will not forgive you Bucha, Izum, Olenivka, or abuse of Azovstal Fighters. But we will understand and support you if you stop mobilization today and don’t allow hundreds of thousands of your brothers, parents and children to come and kill us in our territory.”

We thank Ukrainian youth delegates Alina Kurska and Denys Hanzha for their inspirational and meaningful speech. Video of their presentation is available for viewing on the Foundation’s YouTube channel. Youth delegates to the UN will have a few more weeks in New York, where other activities are waiting for them. We will report all news and events with the participation of our delegates on our social networks. Lots of interesting things are to come!

The program “Ukrainian Youth Delegate to the UN” is held in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, as well as with the public organization “Razom for Ukraine”. The experience of implementing the program in Ukraine is recognized as one of the best at the international level and included in the UN Directory on the program “Youth Delegate to the UN”.