Dilan Ezgi Koç, UN Youth Champion for Disarmament, delivers remarks at the  ECOSOC Youth Forum

On 8 April 2021, UN Youth Champion for Disarmament Dilan Ezgi Koç delivered remarks at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum.

The ECOSOC Youth Forum forms a unique platform for young people, Member States and partners to discuss the issues most important to young people today and for youth to share their vision and actions on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. 

Dilan joined 22 other youth leaders to spotlight their work in advancing a resilient recovery in the Decade of Action and championing the implementation of the SDGs in their local communities.

Dilan expressed her thoughts on the role of arts and the arts society in contributing to the achievement of the SDGs. “Fact and policy alone often fail to make the necessary change and urgent action happen. We need a catalyst connecting hard facts and solutions with human awareness and action. And I know a fact that art can do that,” she expressed. You can watch Dilan’s full remarks on the United Nations YouTube Channel. 

Dilan, from Turkey, is one of 10 United Nations Youth Champions for Disarmament by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) to work for the global disarmament goals and the norms vital to international peace and security, and sustainable development. To find out more about the UN Youth Champions for Disarmament and to hear about their experiences, be sure to check out their Spotlight Stories.

Dilan is pursuing a master’s degree in Global Affairs at Yale University, in the United States, and is a cellist. Her current research focuses on nuclear nonproliferation and counterproliferation policy. Dilan performed in fundraising concerts to help with refugee re-settlement and to advocate for human rights and gender equality in Turkey. Dilan encourages the whole arts society to work together in building a safer and more peaceful world for all via the achievement of the SDGs. 

For more information, and to meet the other Youth Speakers, visit the websites of the ECOSOC Youth Forum and Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth.

Photo Credit: Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth.