Adela Petrovic

 “If we are to reach real peace in this world… we shall have to begin with children.”

— Mahatma Gandhi

At the beginning of August this year, the International Commission for Human Rights nominated 45 young people from all over the world to act as Youth Ambassadors for their country. I am very honored and delighted to be one of them, holding this prestigious title as a Youth Ambassador of Serbia.

My goal and responsibility, as a Youth Ambassador, is to help and support the youth from my hometown and country in their empowerment through concrete activities. As a believer in youth participation, one of the goals I am focusing on is promoting and participating in the rejuvenation of my hometown Novi Sad.  In fact, I want to help it in become the European Youth Capital – which would be a great opportunity for the Serbian youth to take actively take part in the development of their city. My efforts are focused on engaging the young people in creating an environment in which they can continuously, actively and creatively participate as citizens and agents of political, economic and social development in their society.

As Youth Ambassador, I serve as a pivotal point-person for two years dealing with youth-focused issues on a national and international level. In this way, young people like myself, are engaged as leaders who can directly influence the youth empowerment process. I want my efforts and activities to be visible and to have a wider impact on national and even international level in order to serve as a model and good practice for other young people on how to promote and empower the youth in their society. Basically, I feel that anything that affects young peoples lives should involve young people and it is my mandate to contribute to this goal.

In December the World Youth Summit for Peace will take place in Islamabad, Pakistan organized by the IHRC where myself and other Youth Ambassadors will discuss issues and crises going on around the world, as well as topics such as Human Rights Protection, Efforts for Peace, Empowerment for Women, Welfare of Children, Youth Development, and Respect for Dignity, Education, Health Services and Justice for all. The aim of the summit is to come up with concrete solutions and policies that would help to solve all these problems that youth today is faced with, and to give proposals on how all human rights violation across the globe can be stopped.

As a Youth Ambassador I feel the responsibility to act and help the youth in my county and outside its borders, as I believe that young people are an exceptional treasure and powerful agents of change can trigger and initiate the development of the whole society, as they possess a new, fresh and revolutionary energy.

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The International Committee for Human Right operates and functions under the auspices of the United Nations and is in the process of obtaining the “Consultative Status” for IHRC-RFT from the United Nations. IHRC has its official and diplomatic representation in 75 countries with more than 8500 members around the world and, according to the “UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS” passed by United Nations, IHRC cooperates and provides services to the UN, European Union and other international organizations, as well as to other NGOs and nation counties.  IHRC’s main goal is to promote and protect human rights not to become an instrument for political, economic and military interests, aiming to create and develop the culture of peace and religious and political harmony and tolerance around the world.

Adela Petrovic

The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of the author, and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of ALDA and the European Union.