MYAD at the 2025 HLPF
Written by Lawrence Plastina on July 30, 2025
As part of my work as a Negotiations Officer for MYAD, I had the opportunity to attend this year’s High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), held at the UN Headquarters in New York, along with my fellow Negotiations Officer, Luca DeRome. Let me tell you about our time there!
Some background: the HLPF is a platform for UN member states to discuss their progress with the Sustainable Development Goals, held each year in July. During the HLPF, representatives of member states also meet with members of civil society, academia, and other stakeholders to get a better understanding of SDG progress and any challenges they might be facing. While MYAD is based in Canada, we’re an independent organization, which means that we don’t formally represent Canada’s interests at the UN. MYAD was there to meet with other members of civil society, especially Canadians or other youth, and see if we could find opportunities to collaborate on our policy or advocacy.
Our first week was very busy! We had a lot of meetings with other youth delegates who were attending the HLPF, including representatives from the DMUN foundation and youth members of the Canadian Delegation. We discussed the interesting policy and advocacy work they were doing on various topics, including climate, public health, and youth empowerment.
Another major part of the HLPF is its side events. Side events can be hosted by member states, UN organizations, or civil society. They’re typically panels hosted to inform HLPF attendants about particular issues related to the SDGs. One of the side events we attended was about how the HLPF can inform preparations for the historic Second World Social Summit that will be held in Doha later this year. It was very informative!
The following week, I attended a reception for Canadian civil society hosted by the Permanent Mission of Canada. Bob Rae, the Canadian Ambassador to the UN, and Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families, both made incredible, poignant speeches. It was a great opportunity to meet other Canadians who were making progress with issues MYAD cares deeply about.
Overall, I had very high hopes for the HLPF, but it somehow was better than I expected. We met incredible people and were able to better inform ourselves on the progress that Canada and the rest of the world are making towards the SDGs. Also, there are so many opportunities for youth to get involved in this process that aren’t obvious on the surface!
If you want to get involved with what we do here at MYAD, applications for delegates open in late August. Also, follow us on Instagram (@mcgillyad) to stay up to date with us!
