The Mission of Good Services helped young people from both communities in Cyprus come together around common concerns about the environment, said the UN Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding, Rosemary DiCarlo, who briefed the Security Council on “the role of youth in addressing security challenges in the Mediterranean.”
DiCarlo, referring to the leadership role of the youth, their influence, advocacy, and demand for greater political will and action on climate change, cited Cyprus as an example.
“In Cyprus, for instance, the Mission of Good Services assisted young people from both communities to unite around shared concerns regarding environmental sustainability and to prepare joint positions for COP28 last December,” she said.
She also addressed the impact of armed conflicts on young people in the Mediterranean region. As she stated, one in four young people worldwide is affected by violence or armed conflicts.
“Women are more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, while young people are more likely to be recruited by armed groups when they have no other livelihood opportunities,” she said, speaking to the Security Council.
DiCarlo said that these grim events and figures, including the ongoing destruction in part of the Mediterranean following the October 7th attack in Israel by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza, have devastated the lives of many young people.
According to UN data, seventy percent of the population in Gaza is under 30 years old, and almost all have been exposed to unprecedented levels of trauma, violence, diseases, and food insecurity.
