For a whole weekend, the NYC members met at UNICEF USA offices for programming, professional development and team-building.

Check out some highlights from the weekend:

A National Youth Council member in front of UNICEF House © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA

First stop: UNICEF HQ! National Youth Council members who are also UNICEF Youth Advocates met with UNICEF Global staff to align on impact and plans for the remainder of their tenure.

National Youth Council members in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA

The meet-up of the National Youth Council was an amazing opportunity to become closer as a council and bond with my fellow council members. It was also very valuable to be able to meet with UNICEF USA and UNICEF global staff members to network with and learn from their incredible experiences! – NYC member, Anna Stacy

The National Youth Council pose for a photo alongside UNICEF HQ and UNICEF USA staff at UNICEF House © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA

Of course, there had to be a mini content gathering session to gather photos and TikToks while at the office! 

The National Youth Council in front of the UN seal in the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA

Next, it was time for a tour of the UN! Here the Youth Council poses for a photo inside the General Assembly. Fun Fact: the partially unfinished ceiling is a symbol for the UN’s mission to work towards world peace – an effort never fully completed. 

National Youth Council member Carmel inspects the contents of a UNICEF Back To School Kit at the United Nations Headquarters © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA

Throughout the tour around the UN, Youth Council members also spotted a UNICEF Back To School Kit! Did you know that in 2020 UNICEF delivered over 130,000 School-in-a-Box kits to children worldwide? Each kit provided all the education materials a teacher needs to help up to 40 students start learning again!

National Youth Council members listen to a street musician at Bryant Park © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA

After that, it was time to explore the city! And what better way than through a Scavenger Hunt! First item: “If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere.” – Since NYC is full of street performers making their mark through performance art, the Youth Council members were tasked with capturing a photo of them taking in a live performance on the streets of the city!

National Youth Council members pose in front of a snack cart in Midtown Manhattan © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA

The next Scavenger Hunt item was just as easy to find in NYC – Youth Council members were tasked with finding a cart that sells the city’s iconic twisted and gluten-filled snacks! Pretzels!

National Youth Council members Tirsit, Ayaan, Ishan, Salma, Diya, Esha and Anne pose in front of the Manhattan skyline while on a ferry ride © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA

Then it was time to take the ferry back downtown to UNICEF USA to host a presentation on Meaningful Youth Participation for UNICEF USA’s President and the Managing Director of Diversity, Racial Equity and Belonging.

National Youth Council members Esha, Diya, Anna and Salma pose in front of the Manhattan Bridge while on a ferry ride © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA

What a fantastic weekend and how wonderful to see everyone in-person again! Thank you, 2021-21 UNICEF USA National Youth Council, for a phenomenal year! We applaud you for your diligence, perseverance, ideas, and creativity and for making your voices heard!

Top image: UNICEF USA National Youth Council members pose by the flags in front of the United Nations at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA