Germany Youth Ambassador, Luisa Neubauer.
A year ago, I decided to apply for the ONE Youth Ambassador (YA) programme in Germany. I had never heard of anything like it before, so I did not know what to expect. I’m happy to say that ONE surprised me in the best way possible.
I was born and raised in Germany, where the average living standard is greater than the average global living standard. It is clear to me that the world has reached a level of inequity that is not justifiable – this must change! But changing the world is not a one-woman job. Many might think that there is not actually much I can accomplish as a 20-year-old girl, but change is happening right now as I raise my voice – the more voices that join in with me, the better.
Political leaders are not only responsible for the fate of their own nation. As citizens of democratic nations, we need to take action and show our policymakers that national politics play a role in determining if and when extreme poverty will be eliminated. We are all part of the global community, the voters and our decision-makers, have to face our responsibilities that lie outside our nation’s borders.
This is exactly what I do as a ONE Youth Ambassador. Together with hundreds of other Youth Ambassadors in Germany and across Europe we are out and about, pushing for immediate action on development issues. We talk with our local and national politicians – such as our Minister of Development Gerd Müller – journalists, and everyday citizens that are interested in finding out why poverty is sexist and what action we can take to change this.
The Sustainable Development Goals make up the greatest to-do list we’ve ever seen – and the good news is we can actually make them happen. We are part of the generation that can end extreme poverty and hunger. ONE Youth Ambassadors are ready to raise our voices and to make a difference. It is time to act.
