2025 ECOSOC Partnership Forum at the UN HQ

On February 5, the International Association of Youth and Students for Peace (IAYSP) was honored to be one of six nongovernmental organizations given the opportunity to speak at the 2025 ECOSOC Partnership Forum held at the UN Headquarters in New York. The event focused on advancing global partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals and was attended by over 400 representatives from Member States, international organizations, and civil society.

An IAYSP representative from the USA, Ms. Nagma Shrestha, highlighted efforts to empower youth to take action in local communities through initiatives such as the Peace Designer program. This curriculum encourages youth involvement and ownership via designing and implementing self-sponsored, community-service projects. Ms. Shrestha also urged governments and international bodies to invest in youth-led projects that would amplify young voices in helping to shape global policies. One of the key concepts of IAYSP, Hyojeong, is a Korean term meaning “filial heart.” The term was coined by Dr. Hak Ja Han, IAYSP’s founder, and it challenges young leaders to take responsibility for creating a peaceful, sustainable world at the local level through active community involvement.

“The honor of IAYSP represented at this UN ECOSOC forum was a significant milestone for us,” said Dr. Koji Matsuda, the IAYSP International President. “We are encouraged and challenged to be a more effective bridge between youth, policymakers, and global institutions such as the UN.”