SPUP STUDENT ORGS HAUL AWARDS IN UNESCO YOUTH ASSEMBLY
December 2, 2024
SR. MERCEDITAS ADDRESSES UNESCO INTERNATIONAL YOUTH ASSEMBLY
November 29, 2024
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“We are enjoined to lead sustainable lifestyles and engage in community service and advocacies. Let us be peacemakers and agents of change and social transformation in our home, school, workplace, and the community,” Sr. Merceditas stated as she delivered the keynote address during the International Assembly of Youth for UNESCO (Y4U) 2024.
The three-day convention—which began on November 29, 2024, and is slated to end on December 1, 2024—is being held at City State Asturias Hotel, Puerto Princesa, Palawan. With the theme “Empowering Communities èƵ UNESCO Initiatives: Advancing Science and Technology, Culture, Creativity and Lifelong Learning”, it is attended by over 900 delegates from more than 350 UNESCO accredited clubs, which features youth èƵout the Philippines, along with delegates from Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, and France.
Prior to the keynote address, Prof. Alice Andanar-Pedracio, the Vice President External of the National Coordinating Body of Clubs for UNESCO in the Philippines (NCBUCP), introduced Sr. Merceditas’ credentials, notable achievements, and affiliations—highlighting her contributions to educational transformation and internationalization, as well as her work in advocating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sr. Merceditas’ address delved into the topic of empowering communities for UN SDGs and UNESCO initiatives, putting an emphasis on the need to implement SDGs in the grassroots, which remains to be an enormous challenge seen as progress remains slow and uneven among countries.
With this, Sr. Merceditas mentioned how in Cagayan, where successive typhoons caused massive destructions, UNESCO clubs were quick to provide relief—underscoring the role of the youth and, ultimately, of UNESCO clubs to be agents of positive change in the community. To encapsulate her key points, she used the acronym SERVICE, which stands for Service Learning, Education, Reforms, Values, Immersion, Collaboration, and Empathy.
Approaching the end of her address, Sr. Merceditas cited the Season of Creation, stating that “Freedom and responsibility enable us to make the world a better place. Only when we work together with Creation can the first fruits of hope emerge.”
Ultimately, Sr. Merceditas’ keynote address resonated with all those in attendance, highlighting the need for concerted effort to prioritize equitable access to quality education, establish lasting peace, prevent violent conflicts, and holistically empower community members—not only serving as words of inspiration, but also serving as a call to meaningful action.
By Kaye Reago
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