Side Event at COP-UNTOC (UN Convention on Transnational organized Crime)
Written by: WFWP Austria
During the week of October 17-21 2022, WFWP together with partner organizations (IAYSP) International Association for Youth and Students for Peace and UNODC-YEA (Youth Empowerment Accelerator Framework) and UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, supported by the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations in Vienna, managing a side event under the topic: “Preventing Crime through Encouraging a Healthy and Sustainable Lifestyle for Young People.” The event started with a warm welcome by Dr. Maria Riehl, Director of WFWP UN Office Vienna, who greeted everyone and expressed her appreciation for their participation.
Next, HE Mr. Solano Ortiz, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the UN, gave an introductory speech about the policies to enhance the well-being of children and young people in his country. He highlighted the role of the family and the importance of society to support the family so it can function well.
DI Michaela Glatzl, who is from the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture and the Managing Director of the Association of Austrian Women Farmers, spoke about her project green care and social innovation for a rural area that is worth living in, which is to encourage a great variety of projects in a rural area, where the surrounding of the farm is used for childcare, day-care for elderly, or a place to regenerate for persons with burnouts.
Reality shows that for all ages, more intensified contact with nature will give a healing effect. Another aspect is helping children to understand where our food comes from and to be more connected to natural resources: Workshops in schools and kindergartens are held. Another important goal is to encourage young women to find their future in the countryside, creating livelihoods and jobs for others to counter migration to cities. In addition, Mrs. Glatzl and her colleagues developed a program of psychological aid and counseling for people in difficult situations.
The third speaker was Ms. Kirsty Rancier, youth focal point for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), who spoke about Youth Empowerment Accelerator (YEA). A new initiative was developed by UNODC to encourage young people to voice their ideas and support them in getting involved in decision-making processes. Ms. Rancier is looking for opportunities to network with other youth organizations and initiatives!
Mrs. Jeong Hye Hassinen, Vice President of IAYSP - Europe and the Middle East delivered a passionate speech promoting the core values of IAYSP – Responsibility, Integrity, Service, and Empathy (RISE) – in creating a healthy lifestyle not only for young people and sustainable societies. She showed how the RISE values are applied in the “Peace Designer Training” and how both the participants and society in general benefit from the resulting projects. Mrs. Carolyn Handschin-Moser, Director of the WFWPI Offices for UN Relations, concluded the event with a heartfelt thanks to every one of the speakers.
