2015 is a crucial year in the fight against extreme poverty. This is the year in which world leaders will decide on a new set of anti-poverty goals.  The ONE Youth Ambassadors are young activists who will be campaigning all year to ensure these new goals are ambitious, financed and tracked.

On the day of their kick-off the youth ambassadors met with European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica as well as Members of the European Parliament Linda McAvan, Elly Schlein and Arne Lietz. These decision makers will be crucial on the new development goals but also other important international moments such as the G7, The Financing for Development Conference and the Climate Conference. The youth ambassadors shared their hopes and dreams for a future without extreme poverty. They received advice on how to campaign this year and inspire an audience broader than ever.

Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica said:

‘I am delighted to launch the ONE Young Ambassador’s programme. The involvement of young people in the European Year for Development, and particularly in achieving the implementation of an ambitious post-2015 agenda, will be essential.’

Young people are one of the key audiences for the 2015 European Year for Development, and according to last week’s Eurobarometer survey, 88% of young Europeans think it’s important to help people in developing countries.

ONE Youth Ambassador Chloé Mikolajczak, (°1993, Belgium):

‘In 2015, politicians will decide what our future world will look like in 2030. Extreme poverty has been halved over the last 20 years, and if politicians do the right thing this year, we could virtually eliminate it by 2030. That is why we want to raise our voices and make sure that everyone knows what is at stake.

Elly Schlein, Member of the European Parliament, said:

“I was pleased to host the launch of the ONE youth ambassador programme. 2015 will be a crucial year for development, especially because a new agenda and a new set of sustainable goals will be defined: last year the European Parliament adopted a strong position on the post-2015 agenda, focusing in particular on human rights, fight against inequalities and the universality of the new framework. It’s time to put our efforts together, institutions, politicians and civil society, to raise awareness about the upcoming challenges: the work, the enthusiasm and the engagement of the ONE Ambassadors is therefore of outmost importance”.

 

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Contact, information & interviews:

 

Heleen Van Pelt | Media Manager ONE | + 32 479 027 894| [email protected]