Global climate change is becoming increasingly severe, making sustainable development a common goal for the international community, with youth playing an increasingly crucial role. From October 28 to 30, Taiwan Tech, in collaboration with the Social Impact Investment Fund (SIIF) and the New Taipei City Chinese Youth Growth Foundation, held the Global Youth Leadership Program “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Forum” in Okinawa, Japan. The event brought together nearly 100 youth ambassadors from 30 countries, including university and high school students, for in-depth discussions on the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the forum’s conclusion, participants jointly issued the “Okinawa Declaration”, providing concrete recommendations for sustainable development to the international community.

Nearly 100 youth ambassadors from 30 countries gathered to simulate a United Nations summit, collaboratively exploring global sustainable development goals.

During the three-day forum, each group proposed innovative solutions addressing issues such as global climate change, environmental protection, and social development, based on their assigned SDGs. These recommendations were compiled into the “Okinawa Declaration” and submitted for presentation at this year’s United Nations Climate Summit (COP29) in Azerbaijan. The declaration emphasizes the global urgency of addressing the climate crisis and aims to amplify youth voices, hoping to inspire substantive policy changes in the international community.

Group photo at the closing of the Global Youth Leadership Program “UN Sustainable Development Goals Forum” in Okinawa, held from October 28 to 30.

Taiwan Tech’s USR program, “I-Villages: Mobility for Change” played a pivotal role in the forum, not only gathering global youth ambassadors but also providing online courses and on-site training. These preparations helped more than 32 youth representatives from the U.S., India, Italy, Vietnam, Russia, the Czech Republic, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, and other countries understand the core concepts of the SDGs, demonstrating the commitment of Taiwan Tech’s youth to global issues and highlighting Taiwan’s youth contributions and perspectives to the international community.

Professor Cathy Weng, head of the Taiwan Tech USR program, emphasized that the forum offered young people valuable opportunities for learning and growth, enabling them to practice leadership, strengthen cross-national collaboration skills, and develop global competence. The “Love Languages” collaborative art activity demonstrates the cross-border cooperation spirit of SDG Goal 17, promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding, thus enhancing participants’ global competitiveness.

Professor Cathy Weng, head of the Taiwan Tech USR program, fostered emotional connections among participants through the “Love Languages” collaborative art activity.

The “Love Languages” collaborative art activity promoted cross-cultural exchange and understanding.

Yu-Chieh Huang, a first-year master’s student at Taiwan Tech’s Graduate Institute of Digital Learning and Education, who served as the forum moderator, shared that the SDGs forum was a unique experience, bringing together youth elites from diverse countries and backgrounds. She expressed her appreciation for this international exchange opportunity, which required her to switch between English, Japanese, and Chinese - a challenge that enhanced her communication and adaptability in a multilingual environment.

Chuan-Yi Lin, a fifth-year student from Taiwan Tech’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, was the forum’s chief planner. He handled initial planning, coordination, and closely collaborated with hosting and supporting organizations to ensure the seamless execution of every detail. This experience deepened his understanding of the importance of teamwork, communication, and cross-cultural exchange. “I look forward to applying these experiences on larger international stages to contribute more toward global sustainable development”, he said.

Through the “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Forum”, Taiwan Tech students put their learning into action, successfully building bridges for cross-cultural exchange and proposing innovative solutions for global issues. They also aim to make the “Okinawa Declaration” a meaningful symbol of youth-driven sustainable development. In the future, Taiwan Tech will continue promoting youth participation in the international community, fostering exchange and collaboration among young people from different nations, and showcasing their impact and co-creation abilities on global issues.

The forum invited distinguished guests including Jack Huang (first from left), senior consultant for the United Nations Office of ICT in Asia-Pacific Headquarters, Ming-Tsong Wei (second from left), Chairman of the New Taipei City Chinese Youth Growth Foundation, and Mr. Johnathan Chong (third from left), Co-founder of the Social Impact Investment Fund (SIIF). On the right, from right to left, are Professor Cathy Weng, Chief Instructor of Youth Ambassador Training at Taiwan Tech, Mr. Masamitsu Naito, the forum consultant from Japan, and Mr. Daniel Shih, the forum chairman.

Taiwan Tech student Chuan-Yi Lin (left) served as the chief planner of the forum, and Ming-Tsong Wei (right), chairman of the New Taipei City Chinese Youth Growth Foundation, delivered the closing speech.