Daniel del Valle Blanco Photo: Shen Da
Go Global
By Wang Qingwei
“Hangzhou is a city full of light... and it's not that easy to find a place (like Hangzhou) where the youth feel really confident ...like in their own houses.” After visiting the Global Youth Talent Community (GYTC) in Hangzhou and talking with over 20 invited youths, Daniel del Valle Blanco, President of the UN Habitat Youth Advisory Board and Ambassador and Permanent Observer of the International Youth Organization (OIJ) to the United Nations, paid Hangzhou and its youth a handsome compliment.
On June 14, the Hangzhou People’s Association for Friends and Foreign Countries, along with the GYTC, held the Global Youth Meetup @Hangzhou, where Blanco and Zhang Guihong, Director of the Center for United Nations and International Organizations Studies at the Institute of International Studies of Fudan University, were invited to give speeches.
“Youth engagement is not only desirable but indispensable for building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities.” In his speech, Blanco emphasized the crucial role of youths in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their importance in decision-making processes.
Despite their potential, the youth of Hangzhou also encounter barriers when practicing leadership. For instance, Zhou Qi, a girl born and raised in Hangzhou with a big dream of becoming a global leader and contributing to the vulnerable, was asked by her parents to return home after graduating from UCL. "How can I balance working for my hometown and chasing my big dream?" she asked Blanco.
“I think in order for a young person to become a great leader, you need to just dream big,” After pondering for a while, Blanco answered, “If you want to achieve something, you need to sacrifice and work hard. Find your purpose in life and go straight for it.”
OIJ will cooperate with Hangzhou to empower more young leaders through workshops, youth forums, and digital platforms, as Blanco highlighted, shaping a more sustainable Hangzhou and future.