The 4th UNCTAD Youth Forum will provide young people from all over the world a platform to discuss topics such as transforming industries, technological developments, and reimagining education. It will also help them develop soft skills so they can work together effectively in a digital future and contribute to the realization of the SDGs in their local communities and beyond.
Programme
9:00 – 9:15 Warming-up
9:15 – 10:00 Youth Presenting
10:00 – 11:00 How to Start a Startup with an AI Founder
Beyond the immense potential of using Generative AI as part of a startup value proposition, this session is designed to help you learn and answer questions faster as a founder. This session dives into how AI revolutionizes each step of the Startup journey itself by playing many critical roles as co-founder, coder, designer, marketer, data analysist and tester. We will explore the basics of
prompt engineering and the tools available for each stage, from ideation development to fundraising, that can drastically accelerate growth and startup success even for non-technical first-time founders.
11:00 – 12:00 Investment, Trade and Enterprise in the Circular Economy
Hear from investors and startup and business entrepreneurs what does it mean for businesses to adapt to a circular economy mindset and what are the challenges they face, what are best practices and industry examples that can serve as a model and what role can governments play and how can multinational enterprises support their suppliers in the transition to circularity and create a circular ecosystem.
13:00 – 13:45 Youth debate: Re-Thinking the Future of Consumption
The urgent need to move away from our current consumption patterns demands a fundamental shift in mindset. The session will explore innovative ideas and solutions to tackle issues such as climate change, resource depletion, and social inequality caused by the current consumption model and delve into the role of individuals, businesses, and governments in shaping new consumption trends. Collectively, they have the power to move forward alternative sustainable models and strategies to promote conscious consumer trends and behavior and drive positive change within our societies.
13:45 – 14:30 Youth o’Clock
14:30 – 15:30 Deep Dive – Start-ups for Social Impact
Today, young entrepreneurs are at the forefront of driving change through innovative businesses that address social and environmental challenges. From digitalizing healthcare and education to advancing financial inclusivity and environmental sustainability, these young visionaries are harnessing the power of technology to create positive and scalable solutions.
The session will cover some of the innovative approaches and solutions being developed by these startups to tackle these social issues effectively, the creation of supportive and collaborative business ecosystems that empower youth-led startups and the fostering of mentorship, access to resources, and strategic partnerships that help them scale.
15:30 – 16:15 Youth Initiatives – We are UNCTAD Youth
Youth will bring forward initiatives they are involved in that relate to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
16:15 – 18:00 Youth Declaration Preparation
Through breakout groups, youth will be working on the preparation of a youth declaration that will be handed over to UNCTAD on 20 October 2023.
18:30 – 20:30 Reception Women in Business Awards
Speaker(s)
