Funmi Ogundare
The United Nations Office in Nigeria, in partnership with Premiere Academy, Abuja, recently, held the first-of-its-kind youth conference as part of efforts to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Organisation.
It had the objective of spotlighting the importance of youth involvement in global diplomacy and development.
The one-day event, tagged ‘Premier Academy International Model United Nations (PAIMUN)’ simulated a UN General Assembly session, giving 109 students the opportunity to role-play as ambassadors of UN member states.
Themed ‘UN@80: Building the Future Together’, the simulation was facilitated by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Abuja.
The session featured formal speeches from UN Secretary-General António Guterres; PAIMUN General Assembly President, Daniella Ituen; and Secretary-General, Timileyin Adewuyi.
The event culminated in the presentation and adoption of the PAIMUN 2025 resolution, outlining youth-led policy recommendations.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Fall, commended the students’ performance and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to engaging young Nigerians in diplomacy.
“It is time to move the UN beyond formal spaces. Young people must understand that the future is theirs and they must help shape it,” he said.
He added that the initiative serves as a model for expanding youth diplomacy programmes across Nigeria, with hopes of extending the PAIMUN conference to all 36 states and local government areas.
In their addresses, the student leaders emphasised on pressing global challenges, ranging from conflict and climate shocks to inequality, and urged world leaders to adopt inclusive, tech-driven and sustainable solutions.
They outlined guiding pillars including global solidarity, youth investment and transformational governance.
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