My 2021-2022 term as one of Ireland’s two UN Youth Delegates (UNYD) was online due to Covid-19 from September-February, meaning that we didn’t have the opportunity to attend the UN General Assembly in-person.
While this was a disappointment, I understood that there were greater issues at play, and that we could still make an impact. In fact, I have many great memories from the beginning of my term. For example, in the October, I was able to take the floor on behalf of Ireland and directly negotiate the Youth Policies and Programmes” resolution in the Third Committee of the General Assembly. This is a bi-annual opportunity that not all UNYDs are afforded, so I knew I needed to give it my all.
Over a number of weeks, I participated in multiple late-night online sessions with diplomats and representatives worldwide. While negotiating this resolution, I came up against various member states who wanted to remove or reduce language relating to human rights. Alongside the UNYD programme, I was also completing my MSc in International Public Policy & Diplomacy in UCC, so I quickly became acutely aware that human rights were/are in no way universal or widely accepted. While this was upsetting to see and hear, and often incomprehensible, it was the best insight that I could have received into what diplomacy really means. While ultimately I would have rathered fight for new or bolstered human rights, particularly for women, girls, and vulnerable populations, having the opportunity to reaffirm where Ireland stood and continues to stand in terms of international human rights standards, is one that I will never forget.
I remain so thankful to have been surrounded by the support of the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the UN, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and of course, the National Youth Council of Ireland. This experience taught me the true value of having a strong support system, especially during challenging times.
After finishing my UNYD mandate in September 2022, I began working with the Youth 2030 Global Youth Work team in the National Youth Council of Ireland. Today, I coordinate the UNYD programme and am now working with my fourth cohort.
One thing that I remain very aware of, is how few young people are afforded an opportunity like the UNYD programme, so bringing the messages of the UN home is a real focus. Personally, it reignited my passion for justice, peace and human rights. Despite all of the awful headlines that we see and hear in the news, there are good people working in the international space, trying to make a better world for us all. Yes, it can be a slow process with many flaws, but it’s incredible that with so much division and conflict in our world, that we have the UN as a beacon of hope for what could be.
Also following my UNYD experience and with my want to give-back, in 2024 I created Future Youth Proof to provide life and career coaching, as well as professional mentoring, for young people and young professionals aged 21-30. I am so lucky to work with such talented, passionate, and hardworking young people, and I get such a sense of purpose from this work.
If I were to give some advice to young people today, who may be considering applying for the UNYD programme in the future, or who are thinking about an international career, I would say that when you’re starting out, try different things to find out what most interests you and what is worth you investing your time in. There are many opportunities for participation and engagement in advocacy, decision-making, and representation, but also lots of young people who want these opportunities. Speak to your youth workers, teachers, and mentors, to discover where to find these opportunities, and then never stop seeking out more. If you receive a rejection along the way, know that it isn’t a reflection on you, and neither is it always redirection. Take some time to improve your skills before re-applying, get feedback on your application, and apply for other opportunities in the meantime. The sky can be your limit, if you allow yourself to dream it.
– Diandra Ní Bhuachalla, 2021-2022 UN Youth Delegate
