Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) celebrates and encourages young people around the world to make a positive global impact by giving their time and efforts to improve their communities. To help YES alumni prepare for GYSD, YES programs hosted a webinar on March 29 at 9AM EDT that explored strategies to organize and carry out a GYSD project, specifically one that aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). 

The webinar reviewed the SDGs and provided strategies on how to expand the impact and sustainability of GYSD projects by thinking within the SDG context. Special guest speakers, Emilie McGlone and Mohammed Kiawu, shared their work and projects to highlight the direct impact of youth-driven service in achieving the SDGs. Webinar participants gained the skills to link service projects to the UN SDGs and strengthened the impact and sustainability of their GYSD projects. 

To read more about GYSD please visit the Youth Service Association website, and consider registering your GYSD project.

GYSD is the largest service event in the world!

Mohammed B. Kiawu is a YES alumnus (YES 2010-2011, Liberia, hosted by YFU in Ann Arbor, MI) who is passionate about the SDGs and community service. Mohammed has attended numerous conferences, workshops, and trainings that have helped shape him to be the community mobilizer that he is today. The most recent training that Mohammed attended was the YES SDG 2030 Summit for West Africa in Accra, Ghana. After the summit Mohammed returned to Liberia and co-hosted a capacity building workshop on the SDGs for YES alumni across Liberia. Mohammed is currently volunteering with a local organization called Sustainable Development Solutions Network-Youth, a youth initiative that mobilizes global expertise around the SDGs. Mohammed is also working on a Civic Education Program for rural women and girls called “Promoting Gender Equality,” which aims to train fifty females with the leadership skills and knowledge to participate in the governance of their communities.

Emilie McGlone has been working with Peace Boat since 2004 and currently is the United Nations liaison and Director of the New York-based office of Peace Boat US, a non-profit organization working to promote peace, sustainable development and respect for the environment through educational programs organized onboard the Peace Boat, a chartered passenger ship that travels the world on peace voyages. Peace Boat holds Special Consultative Status with the Social and Economic Council of the United Nations and works in partnership with UN representatives, Nobel Peace Laureates and community leaders from around the world to create opportunities for international cooperation focused on environmental sustainability, cultural awareness and peace education. Emilie works to foster youth education and develops specific programs to learn about important global issues onboard the Peace Boat.