FILE: UN headquarters, New York City - Exact Date Unknown (UNifeed - No access Chinese mainland/Not for sale)
1. Exterior of United Nations Headquarters

UN headquarters, New York City - July 17, 2019 (UNifeed - No access Chinese mainland/Not for sale)
2. Various of United Nation's Security Council, delegates at meeting
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jayathma Wickramanayake, Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Youth, United Nations:
"Without action to address inequality, intolerance and the climate emergency that faces us all, this generation of young people could face devastating implications. It must be clear therefore that we need to engage young people not only as beneficiaries, but as equal partners in all our efforts, especially in our efforts to prevent conflict and build peace."
4. Delegates at meeting
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jayathma Wickramanayake, Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Youth, United Nations:
"Despite, myths, misconceptions, fake news, stereotypes, and claims that presume and portray them as troublemakers, young people are resisting, protesting, organizing and implementing youth lead peace-building initiatives in their communities and countries, to bring back democratic values, good governance and transparency in institutions in places they live. They are not waiting to be invited to join decision making tables, they are bringing alternative, innovative solutions to solve those global problems."
6. Delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jayathma Wickramanayake, Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Youth, United Nations:
"Achieving lasting peace is not an elitist cause that governments, politicians, UN and other institutions can or should do alone. Sustainable peace cannot be achieved at the cost of social inclusion. Our efforts to build and sustain peace need to be democratized to include the communities most affected. Young people are our best chance in succeeding at that."
8. Security Council

Young people must not only be engaged as beneficiaries, but also as equal partners in efforts to prevent conflict and build peace, said a special envoy with the United Nations (UN) on Wednesday.

Jayathma Wickramanayake, the secretary general's special envoy on youth, said so while addressing the Security Council during a meeting on youth, peace and security.

"Without action to address inequality, intolerance and the climate emergency that faces us all, this generation of young people could face devastating implications. It must be clear therefore that we need to engage young people not only as beneficiaries, but as equal partners in all our efforts, especially in our efforts to prevent conflict and build peace," said Wickramanayake.

Wickramanayake said there are 1.8 billion young people in the world, making them the largest generation of young people ever. She added that although young people care about peace, they still suffer from stereotypes that affect realizing their full potential for peace.

"Despite, myths, misconceptions, fake news, stereotypes, and claims that presume and portray them as troublemakers, young people are resisting, protesting, organizing and implementing youth lead peace-building initiatives in their communities and countries, to bring back democratic values, good governance and transparency in institutions in places they live. They are not waiting to be invited to join decision making tables, they are bringing alternative, innovative solutions to solve those global problems," said Wickramanayake.

Wickramanayake said that young peace-builders and young human rights defenders being around the world are being subjected to threats, intimidation, violence, arbitrary arrest and retaliation by State and Non-State Actors.

Hence she called on governments to uphold and protect the fundamental rights of young people, including their freedom of expression both online and off-line.

Wickramanayake added that the successful implementation of UN Security Council resolutions 2250 and 2419, which are both related to youth, peace and security, requires further support, which includes through political will and ownership from Member States, funding for programming, institutional support for capacity-building and prioritizing.

"Achieving lasting peace is not an elitist cause that governments, politicians, UN and other institutions can or should do alone. Sustainable peace cannot be achieved at the cost of social inclusion. Our efforts to build and sustain peace need to be democratized to include the communities most affected. Young people are our best chance in succeeding at that," said Wickramanayake.