Mission Possible, WFUNA’s flagship Global Citizenship Education program, celebrates another successful International Agents of Change Conference.
NEW YORK, NY – On August 22-24, the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) organized a Mission Possible International Agents of Change Conference inviting students from India, Singapore and New York City who have made the pledge to become global citizens, or Agents of Change.
Fifteen students from the Mission Possible: India and Singapore program and from youth organizations based in New York City gathered at the United Nations Headquarters. Participants from Bangalore, India represented two projects in progress, as part of the 2018-2019 Mission Possible program cycle. Students from 
Nexus International School represented a final project from Singapore’s first program cycle, 2017-2018. Members from IntegrateNYC, a youth-led organization with a mission to ensure equitable school system in NYC, and Cyphers for Justice, a group of young social researchers utilizing hip hop and spoken word to address social issues, joined the international students at the conference to contribute to the exchange of ideas and experiences.
The conference invited students to participate in briefings and interactive sessions with stakeholders, learn more deeply about the United Nations, share their insights, and celebrate their success. Sustainable cities, responsible production and consumption, educational equity, accountability, and youth involvement and interaction within the UN were central topics explored in briefings, workshops, and site visits throughout the conference.
On the first day, guest speakers engaged with students and introduced them to the work of WFUNA, UNESCO, UN HABITAT, the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, and the New York City Mayor’s Office for International Affairs. Multiple connections were made to the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the different channels and opportunities for young people to meaningfully engage with the United Nations. The second day, participants explored the UN Headquarters during a guided tour, followed by a briefing at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nations. Later that day, students visited Intersection and Sidewalk Labs, companies focused on smart cities. On the last day, participants were part of a mock-resolution simulation facilitated by Office of the UN Focal Point on Youth (Department of Economic and Social Affairs), and an interactive session on youth-led accountability in monitoring the SDGs, led by a representative from Restless Development. The afternoon was dedicated to participants showcasing their own work and contribution to addressing the Sustainable Development Goals and other topics important to them and their communities. The event concluded with a ceremony in which students received certificates highlighting their participation in the conference and, for the students who finished the program, their successful completion of all requirements of the Mission Possible Program.
Mission Possible was launched in India in 2015 and in Singapore in 2017 with the support of the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF). Learn about Mission Possible here. Photos of the conference are located here.