AGENTS OF CHANGE
An Online International Youth Summit ..AGENTS OF CHANGE ..was held on 23rd April 2021 .
All TY students attended this event.
This event was designed to create a climate of positivity around taking action and inspiring young people to see themselves as Agents of Change.
3 young people hosted this event and introduce us to our guests:
- Valery Molay – NYCI Climate Justice Officer and former Irish UN Youth Representative
- Shorshor Bergussen – Fashion Designer and Social Entrepreneur based in Ghana
- Michael Doorly – our very own ‘expeienced’ active citizen
- Go Dance for Change – an Irish/Brazilian dance group - dancing their way to change
During the webinar we watched our ideas come to life in real time with our live, digital graphic artist, Blanche Ellis.
A Students Reflection
“The Concern International Online Youth Summit was an incredible experience. There were such a huge variety of speakers from all over the world, from all kinds of backgrounds, but all with the same aim; making the world a better place. We were first introduced to our three hosts: Zara, Eve, And Patrycja.
They are all just 16 years old. Their communicative abilities and active engagement with the audience and guest speakers throughout the day ensured the smooth running of the summit.
Our first speaker was Valery Molay, a social activist who spoke on matters such as racial and gender discrimination. Her story on how she became invested in fighting for change seemed to strike a chord in everyone who heard it. Her passion for her work was incredible, and she delivered a stirring message to her audience; don’t let anything dull your curiosity.
Valery is a former UN Youth Delegate and was chairperson of the irish Network Against Racism. She currently works with The National Youth Council as a Climate Justice Officer.
Her ability to engage with, motivate and share knowledge created an inspiring atmosphere for change.
Shorshor Burgesson, a fashion designer and social entrepreneur, was our second speaker. She spoke to us from Ghana. She was incredibly inspirational. Her exuberant demeanor seemed to light up the room, delivering a strong message which sticks with you. “Do not tell people about your dreams, tell them about your actions.”
She is a graduate of the African Leadership Academy, and her aim is to reduce youth unemployment drastically by encouraging youth entrepreneurship, and equipping young people with the skills they need to gain employment. She is a firm believer in the power that formal education provides, and this came across strongly in her talk with us.
Our third speakers were Allesandra Azevedo and Karen Aguiar from a Brazilian dance group called ‘Go Dance for Change.’ This part of the meeting stands out because we were all encouraged to get up and dance with them. You couldn’t not be high-energy after this.
Their work is driven by the transformative power of dance to unite people, promote health and bring about meaningful social change.
Go Dance has helped establish connections between dance groups, women's groups, as well as migrant and local communities.
The last speaker we had the pleasure of hearing from was Michael Doorly. He spoke on climate change and shared amusing anecdotes, a memorable one being from his meeting with the Dalai Lama. A piece of advice to take from Michael’s portion is “Commit to the people, planet, and peace.”
We also had the opportunity to see artist Blache Ellis’ work being created in real time. She produced numerous artworks, taking inspiration from the comments being sent in through the use of the chatbox function on Zoom. They promoted social justice, climate change awareness, and equality.
It was an extraordinary experience which truly did justice in showing us all her talent.
The day was a valuable learning experience for everyone involved. There is an overall feeling of gratitude for us being able to experience this event. “
Christabel Bickley Transition Year