ONE Champions Mercy and Juliet share insights from their participation in the Hamburg Sustainability Conference in Germany
This October, ONE Champions Juliet Nwobodo (Nigeria) and Mercy Mutana (Kenya) joined ONE Youth Ambassadors at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference in Germany. They engaged participants on the need for global finance reforms and empowerment of youth voices on SDGs. Here is a snapshot of their experience.
- What was the Hamburg Sustainability Conference all about?
Juliet: The Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) is basically a gathering of world leaders, experts, civil society organizations, and young leaders like myself ,to talk about progress and actions on climate, agriculture, education, electricity, and health all to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Mercy: It’s a summit that sparked after September’s UN Summit of the Future (SoTF) to discuss actionable recommendations and practical solutions on SDGs. Germany and Namibia were co-chairs of the Summit of the Future so this conference was timely hosted by Germany.
- What actions were you able to undertake while attending the Conference?
Juliet:I had the opportunity to join fellow ONE Global Activists and BMZ youth in coordinating the session on “Empowering the Voices of Youth in Sustainable Development.” I also leveraged my social media platforms to create engaging content on topics such as what IDA is, discussions on climate change, and the overall concept of sustainable development.
I also took part in the session on “Putting Africa on the Path to Prosperity” in collaboration with IDA. As a youth champion from Africa, specifically Nigeria, it was important for me to be present while world leaders discussed development finance in relation to Africa. I had the opportunity to ask questions and receive direct answers. I remember Stephan Exo Kriescher (Executive Director, ONE Europe) asking the World Bank President pointed questions about IDA. It was inspiring to see how sessions like these can hold leaders accountable to their commitments to development.
I was able to connect with several participants and introduce them to the ONE campaign.Some were excited to meet a ONE Champion,while others were learning about ONE for the first time.
Mercy: As an invited youth speaker, I was privileged to represent youth voices, from Africa and beyond, in the “Empowering the Voices of Youth in Sustainable Development” panel session. I had the opportunity to share my views and shared the stage with the UNDP administrator Mr Achim Steiner and the UNICEF Executive Director Caterine Russell. A great highlight was together with Juliet meeting the World Bank President, Mr. Ajay Banga, and the President and CEO of Africa Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), International Trade Centre (ITC) CEO as well as different UN agency leaders. I also met the first female and current Prime Minister of the DRC among other great African leaders and public servants.
- What was the biggest highlight for you as a global activist in Hamburg?
Juliet: The ONE Campaign was able to secure a meeting for us to meet with two incredible leaders: the Executive Director of UNICEF Catherine Mary Russel, and Barbel Kofler, the Parliamentary Secretary to the BMZ (the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development). It honestly felt like a dream come true for me. I’ve always admired women like them who have successfully led impactful, global causes. I got the chance to ask them directly about female education, climate justice, healthcare, and how to advocate actively. They shared proven models that have helped them succeed in their globally recognized organizations. It was humbling to see how eager they both were to respond to my questions. It really showed how much women are interested in helping other women succeed and inspiring the next generation.
Mercy and Juliet engaging with the World Bank President, Ajay Banga
Oh, and I can’t forget, Mercy and I also had a quick conversation with the President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga. When we introduced ourselves as ONE Champions, he recognized us immediately. His words: “I know the ONE Campaign and their champions. You guys are doing exceptionally well in pushing for policies, and I want you to keep advocating for youth inclusion.” It was such a fulfilling moment, not just to be recognized, but to be recognized for what we do and what we stand for. The ONE Campaign has built a truly global advocacy movement, and I’m so glad to be part of it.
Mercy: Just like my counterpart, indeed it was phenomenal to meet female leaders who are at the decision making tables and leading impactful institutions. It was also great to have ONE recognised during small talk and even the encouraging parting shot by the World Bank President.
Moreso, the BMZ hosted a dinner that I luckily got to attend and enjoyed meeting finance and development professionals as well as hanging out with African changemakers from different entities.
- What were your key takeaways from the conference that others should know?
Juliet: That every country and continent relies on each other. Progress in just one region isn’t real progress unless we’re all moving forward together. That’s why collaboration is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
During the opening session, I distinctly remember Ajay Banga highlighting that “1.2 billion young people in the global south will be job-ready in the next 10 years. There is an urgent need to create jobs, but you cannot create jobs without growth, and you cannot have growth without the basics, investing in education and health” Looking around and seeing fellow youth activists in the room, I felt assured of the growing focus on youth inclusion. The urgency is palpable, not just for youth participation, but for our active contribution.
Mercy: I agree and reiterate with the sentiments that what happens in the North affects the South and vice versa e.g climate change, economy and immigration. I loved the candid and practical discussions on the global debt issue and the need to restructure the global finance architecture.
Finally, wealth circulates mainly within the private sector thus it is critical for its consideration and integration with SDGs to ensure inclusive development and a sustainable world.
