The Role of Youth Digital Citizens in Supporting Sustainable Development

Distinguished guests, young fellows, ladies and gentlemen, a very good morning to all of you.

I am very honoured to be invited as a speaker for the third session of the Macau Model United Nations Conference. On behalf of the United Nations University Institute in Macau, first I would like to congratulate all organizers on the success of opening this important conference. 

It is your continuous and dedicated efforts that can foster a unique culture of Model United Nations in Macau. More than that, your valuable support of youth stimulates actions in promoting sustainable development at different levels.  

I am very surprised to know that last year more than 30 secondary schools and over 1,700 participants in and outside of Macau took part in the 2nd Macau Model United Nations Promotional Series activities.  

Congratulations again on the accumulated and tremendous achievements you have made so far. This year, I believe the number will be higher. And I am very honoured to witness and to be a part of that. 

The UNU Macau that I am serving is committed to leveraging digital technologies to build a sustainable future. To achieve this goal, young people will play a big part, because young people at your similar age, are not only direct beneficiaries of digital technology, but also creative agents to drive social progress by utilizing digital tools. 

Dear young fellows, 12 August, a few days away from now, is the International Youth Day. The whole UN system celebrates this day annually with young people around the world. This year, the UN calls for attention to youth digital innovation for sustainable development. 

Aligning with this celebration, today I want to share some of my personal views on the roles of youth digital citizens in driving innovations for sustainable development.

In 2023, 79 per cent of people aged between 15 and 24 use the internet globally. This proportion is higher than other age groups. In Macau, almost everyone uses the internet. Young people use the internet, smartphones, and other devices for daily learning, entertainment, and socializing activities. Digital technology has become an integral part of your lives. 

Meanwhile, young people leverage digital technologies to create new ideas and new things that benefit more people, and even provide solutions to global pressing challenges. 

It is easy to name many such applications. Mark Zuckerberg wanted to enhance connectivity among Harvard students, so when he was 19 years old, he created the Facebook, Meta for today. Since then, the social media revolution started. 

Didi Chuxing, a mobile application that connects passengers with taxi drivers, was founded by Will Wei Cheng at the age of 28. Today, DiDi has grown quickly in the global market, committed to solving transportation challenges through AI technology. All achievements are driven by his ambition of using mobile internet to build a better journey.

Today, more and more young people follow footsteps of their predecessors by harnessing digital technology to bring their creative ideas to life, contributing to sustainable development.

Let me give you some examples. 

Every two years, the UN will recognize 17 young change-makers for their leading efforts to tackle global challenges. In 2022, one of SDG young leaders used her social media to empower unsupported and underrepresented students to recognize their academic potential. 

In Kenya and Ghana, young people are leading projects to tackle employment challenges. They provide employment information and entrepreneurship resources online, and equip others with vocational skills which are necessary for career development. 

Last month, UNU Macau organized a training on the theme of “Agent-based modelling for better health policies”. 41 students from Northwestern Polytechnical University used the NetLogo platform to build analyzing models, and provide solutions to pandemic precaution, water pollution, and noise pollution. 

Looking around you, during the 38th National Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition, your peers representing Macau demonstrated their innovative spirit in many new inventions, such as an autonomous ecosystem surveillance vehicle, smart glasses for dementia patients, and new material for fast-charging batteries.

I believe, in the near future, these inventions highly driven by concern for human well-being, will truly offer help to those in need. 

All the examples I give you are just a drop in the ocean. I want to encourage you to continue taking your initiatives, putting your creative ideas on the ground, and making them impactful, in and beyond your living communities.

In addition, I also want to highlight that you can play multiple roles in fostering an inclusive, equitable and sustainable world for all. 

Today, cutting-edge technologies, AI, big data, and virtual reality are transforming our society profoundly. Along with benefits, challenges are emerging, such as misinformation and disinformation, deepfake, privacy concerns, cybersecurity threats, and so on.  

As a digital citizen, you can be a good educator, active participant, and reliable collaborator, to ensure everyone can fully benefit from technologies.  

You can educate others creatively, by sharing your knowledge and skills by disseminating content across different social media platforms. Compared to other age groups, you can acquire new knowledge and skills more quickly. Educating those who are ill-prepared for surviving in the digital world is an important approach for you, to bridge the digital gaps, and build an inclusive world for all. 

Your knowledge and capabilities will empower you to make well-considered decisions and participate more in discussions about social development. 

Collaboration is the key to drive innovation. There is a dynamic collaborative environment in Macau where you can work with your peers, civil society organizations, and international organizations, like UNU Macau, to promote sustainable development. 

Dear young fellows, as agents of change, you are standing at the forefront of realizing 17 SDGs by 2030. I hope this conference will inspire you to voice your concerns, share your wisdom, and expand your networks. UNU Macau will continue supporting you in this regard. 

I believe you will have very fruitful outcomes from the conference, and I wish you enjoy discussions in the coming days.

Thank you.