There are few things in this life that I would refer to as "human accelerators." A human accelerator is an event or experience that elicits a limitless energy to make change or forward some purpose. These experiences are hard to come by and that is why you must take advantage of every opportunity that comes before you. This message in short: "carpe diem." Last week I was fortunate enough to stumble upon one of these accelerators at the 2015 Summer Youth Assembly at the United Nations.
A good friend of mine had suggested that I go and, I must admit, at first I was skeptical of the conference. I had always been interested in world affairs but the prospect of listening to people talk about global issues endlessly for three days seemed somewhat unpleasant. This was an opportunity, though, and one can never let any opportunity reach its twilight without seizure. Thus, I breached the activation energy and registered myself as a delegate.
The conference was instantaneously remarkable. The first day opened in the renowned General Assembly Hall of the UN which welcomed nearly one-thousand young individuals between the ages of 16 and 28. Over the next three days we learned about, discussed, and debated topics ranging from gender equality to global security to disaster relief. Debate was centered on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which the countries of the United Nations are due to agree upon in the coming months. The SDGs are mankind's latest development plan to forward our species into prosperity within the next decade and a half. As we debated these issues it became clear why there is value in a conference such as this one. Firstly, this conference gives the youth of today (the largest generation of youth in Earth's history) a voice in the future of man's society, one that we will soon inherit. I believe, however, that the true value of this conference is the exposure it provides to other young individuals who are actively making changes in the world through their own initiatives and NGOs. Personally, I am filled with a new energy and vigor to initiate palpable change in my community and the world. I draw such motivation from the inspirational messages of the youth activists I listened to and met last week.
Ultimately, it is through an unyielding determination to seize every available opportunity that I was able to insert myself into the human accelerator that was the Summer Youth Assembly. It is an intriguing aspect of human nature that certain experiences invoke limitless motivation that otherwise lies dormant. Many of you have not had the opportunity to enter a human accelerator and thus your potential may still lie dormant. I implore the unaccelerated reader to find some opportunity to unleash his/her potential, much like a compressed spring when the opposing force is removed. The world is full of dormant activists awaiting a spark. I have received my match and I offer one to you.