Clara, Jens, what are your top 3 priorities for the UNGA?
Our main aim during the General Assembly is to advocate for youth. Therefore we set our political priorities, arranged with the other Youth Delegates; these priorities are rising awareness of the threat of youth unemployment, reaching a real Youth Participation and a cross section Youth Policy at all levels, formal and informal education and last but not least ensure a resolute follow up of the MDG. During the General Assembly we prioritize several joint activities with the international Group of Youth Delegates, namely the Side Event on the topic of youth unemployment and the foreseen meetings with the UN’s General Secretary and the President of the General Assembly to explain our common priorities and discuss about how we can ensure more Youth Delegates from all over the world.
 
How were you selected?
The German Youth Delegate Programme has two background organizations, namely the DNK (German National Committee for International Youth Work) which is the German National Youth Council and the DGVN (German Society for the United Nations).The selection process for becoming a Youth Delegate in Germany has four steps: the first one is an application in which you have to describe your motivation; the second one is a questionnaire concerning UN and youth topics that has to be answered in a kind of essay; the third is a telephone interview before the two delegates are selected after a final two-days-long assessment center by the two background organizations, the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) including the advice of the actual Youth Delegates as they ‘know best’ which qualifications are necessary.
 
How did you prepare? Our aims and the main aspects of our task and mandate are empowerment of young people, advocacy for youth, and capacity building. We understand ourselves as multipliers for political participation. Prior to New York we pass a tour through the whole country in order to find out what problems young people in Germany face, what their opinion and demand is on a variety of subjects. In many different cities we visit young people, organize
workshops and discuss matters such as education, participation, employment and health – areas that particularly touch young people in Germany and around the whole world. In addition, we cooperate closly with our background organizations, former youth delegates, the Federal Foreign Ministry and the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.
 
What is your role in the delegation of Germany?
We accompany as youth advisor and youth experts in our delegation to the UNGA. We also draft and deliver a speach to the third committee in which we point out our political priorities and the points of view of the youth living in Germany as we understand ourselves also like spokespersons of them. We’re strongly integrated into the group of international Youth Delegates because we are convinced through cooperation we can gain more efficiency in our efforts in promoting and furthering youth participation as well as in giving meaningful input from youth’ point of view.

Thank you!