Promoting the role of young parliamentarians in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals

The 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, hosted for the first time by the Vietnamese National Assembly, from September 14-17 in Hanoi , was a great success.

With the theme: “The role of youth in promoting the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals through digital transformation and innovation”, the Conference called on young Parliamentarians to promote their sense of responsibility in promoting the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally through practical actions.

[caption id="attachment_440679" align="alignnone" width="2560"] The 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, hosted for the first time by the Vietnamese National Assembly , took place from September 14-17 in Hanoi. Photo: Internet. [/caption]

The 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians emphasized the particularly important role of Parliament in implementing the SDGs, especially in perfecting the legal framework to facilitate the implementation of the SDGs. At the same time, it highlighted the “pioneering role” of young parliamentarians in bringing the voice of young people into the parliament as well as applying innovation and creativity to the implementation of the SDGs; affirming that the participation of young people will contribute to accelerating and finding new directions for the realization of the SDGs.

For the first time after 8 sessions, the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians adopted the Conference Declaration on “The role of youth in promoting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through digital transformation and innovation”. The Declaration was issued in the current context, where countries are facing many challenges in achieving the SDGs, with only 12% of the goals being well implemented, while 50% of the goals are behind schedule.

According to the Young Parliamentarians, the world is witnessing rapid developments in technology, digital transformation and innovation. As technology users and technology enablers, young people are in a key position to put digital transformation and innovation at the heart of activities to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs and make them more accessible to everyone and leave no one behind. In this regard, young Parliamentarians can play an important role in developing a generation of tech-savvy and problem-solving youth to promote peace and sustainable development.

Mr. Dan Carden, Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Young Parliamentarians Forum, UK MP, emphasized: Science and technology are not only key to sustainable development but also promote peace and security. We, as young parliamentarians, can play an important role in developing a generation of young people who are tech-savvy and capable of solving problems to promote peace and sustainable development. Young parliamentarians have a responsibility to ensure that technological innovations are governed by ethical principles, which recognize cultural diversity as a strength for sustainable development. When harnessing the power of technology and innovation in a changing world, we must strive to maximize the benefits they bring while minimizing unintended risks. This means taking an ethical and prudent approach to science and technology to ensure that science and technology are used for the purpose of improving human life.

Affirming the pioneering role of the young generation, including young parliamentarians, in accelerating the implementation of the SDGs in the coming years, Mr. Duarte Pacheco, President of the IPU, called: "We need to be determined to fulfill our commitments. Young parliamentarians need to become leaders, not just politicians. The young generation needs to create change, promote science and innovation, devote more resources to technology, improve digital literacy, and respond appropriately to protect the environment and adapt to climate change. The IPU, its leadership members, and the IPU secretariat always support and create favorable conditions for young parliamentarians to take action."

According to statistics, Vietnam is one of the countries in the world with a high proportion of young people under 45 years old participating in Parliamentary activities, accounting for nearly 25% of the total number of National Assembly delegates. The Vietnamese National Assembly's successful organization of the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians Conference is an opportunity for Vietnam to receive and listen to the lessons of Parliamentarians, especially young Parliamentarians globally, in policy making and planning.

[caption id="attachment_440661" align="aligncenter" width="620"] President Vo Van Thuong sends a message to the Global Young Congressmen. Photo: Internet. [/caption]

Delegate Hoang Minh Hieu, National Assembly delegation of Nghe An province, said: "There are many experiences of other countries that have suggested that Vietnamese delegates can learn from. These include their regulations, software, and applications in increasing the participation of people, especially the young generation, in contributing opinions to policy making. Or there are members of Parliament who established a Future Committee to consider issues related to new technologies, such as AI, blockchain, etc. These are very good policy suggestions that Vietnam can learn from."

In the current domestic and international context, young National Assembly deputies of Vietnam are aware of their responsibilities and are committed to actively and effectively participating in the process of building and perfecting institutions and legal frameworks; and effectively participating in monitoring policy implementation. Along with that, they constantly strive to become global digital citizens and spread Vietnamese values ​​and cultural identity to the international arena.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Vietnam Young Parliamentarians Group, Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians' Conference, emphasized: "Through this conference, we want to call for and promote the spirit, responsibility and participation of Vietnamese youth in three contents that the country is also in great need of at the present time, which are: innovation, digital transformation and promoting cultural diversity for the goal of sustainable development. Only when young people are aware of their responsibilities in these contents, will they create a new impetus and resource for the country's development process, towards the goal of a strong and prosperous Vietnam as set out in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress."

The 9th Global Young Parliamentarians' Conference, taking place right before the United Nations Summit on the SDGs (September 18-19 in New York, USA), clearly demonstrated the actions of parliaments around the world in promoting the role of parliamentarians, including young parliamentarians, in implementing the SDGs. From here, young Vietnamese National Assembly deputies are also aware of their roles and responsibilities in perfecting and implementing policies to join the Vietnamese National Assembly in fulfilling the agreed commitments on implementing sustainable development goals, especially implementing the SDGs through digital transformation and innovation./.

Thu Hang