Webinar for Young Professionals "Role of Youth in Family and Society"
Written by: Mion Tsuchiaka
On November 26, the Women's Federation for World Peace International's Young Professionals Team organized an educational webinar with young speakers from four countries who shared their success stories and the decision-making processes that they used to deal successfully with major crises in various areas of life responsibilities. Two hundred and twenty participants took part in the Zoom and YouTube broadcast in total.
Ms. Sunhwa Sara Marchan, a medical practitioner and a young professional from WFWP Spain, moderated the webinar. In her opening remarks, she stated that "WFWPI would like to focus on the role of youth in the family and society in developing and contributing to the culture of the community and society."
Ms. Sumima Lam, a certified nurse who works in a neonatal intensive care unit in Hong Kong, was the first speaker. She is interested in pediatric oncology, health education for kids, and lactation nursing. Her love of serving others and her church family, where she grew up, inspired her to pursue a career in nursing. She has discovered that being a nurse is the ideal job for fostering interpersonal relationships. She enjoys her work as a nurse because it gives her purpose and excitement, and as a young woman, she also feels a need to blend in. She emphasized the significance of teaching and caring for the young people of the next generation. "Youth is the backbone of every nation, and we can shape society's destiny," she insisted. Likewise, she noted that youth engagement is essential for any nation's development. No matter what industry one wishes to advance in—be it the technology sector or the sporting sector—youth is required. She concluded with a call that people assist one another with an open mind.
Ms. Mardilyn Garcia, a social worker in the Philippines was the second speaker. The 12th UNESCO Youth Forum and UNESCO Clubs Philippines are two of the several youth forums and initiatives she has represented and organized. She is a graduate and recipient of an award from the Cagayan Ayala Young Leaders Congress. She has received the Youth Heroes Award from the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace Philippines and is a supporter of the Handog Pag-ibig Charity Project. She made a motivational speech about the value of volunteering and how it has enabled her to realize her lifelong goal of helping children and young people. In her motivating speech, she emphasized the importance of volunteering and how it has helped her achieve her longtime ambition of helping children and teenagers.
The next speaker Ms. Cintia Cabral is a linguist and interpreter. She is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Since 2019, she has served as Secretary of the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP) in France. She recently earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish in languages, literature, and foreign civilizations. At the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle, she is presently working toward a master's degree in Language, literature, and Societies of the Anglophone World. She has served as the Palace's hostess for more than two years. She has also collaborated with WFWP Portugal and WFWP France on numerous occasions serving as a Portuguese interpreter. Ms. Cabral discussed her work as a linguist and how languages broaden her horizons and enabled her to interact with and understand people from many cultural backgrounds. She declared, "The limits of my language are the limits of my reality."
Ms. Sharon Kabubi, Co-Director of the WFWP Young Women's Speech Contest (YWSC) - UK, was the final speaker. She began working as a Fellow at Dream VC in 2022 and is a business consultant. She is also the host of the Bantu Collective podcast and a School Governor at a secondary school for girls in London, United Kingdom. Ms. Kabubi thinks that the younger generation has to be empowered to serve and advance in society. In 2017, she received the WFWP Ambassador for Peace award. She has been a part of and still is active in a number of social and community-driven initiatives, programs, and organizations, contributing her expertise and leadership in a number of ways. She holds a biomedical science bachelor's degree. Ms. Kabubi explained her enthusiasm for the WFWP UK initiative known as the Young Women's Speech Contest. In order to effectively contribute to the creation of a global family that values and upholds a high level of stewardship for the environment and all of its inhabitants, she wants people to have the chance to learn about and receive the education they need.
Ms. Kefilwe Lebepe, the team leader of the WFWPI Young Professionals team wrapped up the webinar with a Q&A session and closing remarks. The WFWPI Young Professionals' Team is an innovative international think tank that engages in cultural diplomacy, which is the sharing of knowledge, ideas, works of art, languages, and other cultural facets to foster greater understanding.
