Leiden student Aoife Fleming elected as UN Youth Delegate
On Monday evening 21 October 2019, 21 year old Aoife Fleming was elected as a United Nations Youth Delegate on Sustainable Development.
'I did it!', a delighted Aoife exclaims. 'For the next two years I can call myself Youth Delegate Sustainable Development.' Aoife campaigned enthusiastically last week. And with success!
Her election was announced on Monday evening at Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam. 'Like my fellow candidates, I had to deliver a pitch in the evening during the Night of the UN, and answer questions from an expert jury. The result was announced at the end of the evening.'
In her role as Youth Delegate she will enter into discussions with youngsters in the Netherlands on the topic of sustainability. At the end of November she will travel to Chile to attend the COP25 conference where she will address the UN on behalf of the Dutch youth. 'I am really looking forward to working on this topical issue, and ensuring that we take actual decisions on issues such an energy transition.'
Sustainability & Law
In the past Aoife organised the lecture series Duurzaamheid & Recht at Leiden Law School. She believes that students should start thinking now about sustainability issues in relation to law. 'But it is not only important that young people at our faculty are prepared for a sustainable future, this should be happening throughout the whole of the Netherlands. Shouldn’t we start thinking about the climate even sooner?'