On 28 February 2019 Dr Vasu Gounden met with Ms Aissata Camara, Deputy Commissioner for Operations and Strategic Partnerships and Ms Christie Saint-Vil, Strategic Relationships Manager in the New York City (NYC) Mayor’s Office for International Affairs. Dr. Gounden engaged with them in a strategic discussion on ACCORD’s conflict management experiences across Africa and its Global Peace initiative.
The discussions focussed on opportunities for partnership between Global Peace and initiatives of NYC Mayor’s office such as the Junior Ambassadors Programme. The NYC Junior Ambassadors is an initiative that empowers 7th graders, representing the five boroughs of New York, to become actively engaged with the United Nations (UN) and its mission to address the most pressing challenges in the world.
With Global Peace focused on sustainable peace and development, and planning to convene a series of Inter-Generational Dialogues (IGD) across the world, where young people will dialogue with their leaders for what a better world should look like. The meeting discussed the potential for a strategic collaboration. The Junior Ambassadors see themselves as global citizens and their participation in Global Peace can influence the role of how leaders in multi-lateral organisations deal with the challenges of the world.