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World Science Day for Peace and Development is 10 November! The day underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives and highlights the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. It also underscores the role scientists play in broadening our understanding of the remarkable, fragile planet we call home and in making our societies more sustainable.

Did you know that 60% of the world’s population, or 4.5 billion people, live without a toilet or have one that doesn’t adequately dispose of waste? Or that 892 million people still practice open defecation? Exposure to human feces on this scale has a devastating impact upon public health, living and working conditions, nutrition, education and economic productivity across the world.

This essay is by De Montfort University (DMU) PhD student Nabeelah Ahmed Omarjee. Nabeelah ran a workshop at this year’s UN Civil Society conference in Salt Lake City, United States, as part of a DMU delegation.

World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16 October, promoting worldwide action to promote food security and nutritious diets for all.

Over 820 million people in the world suffer chronic undernourishment, 60 per cent of them women, and each day 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes, a child every second. But amidst this hunger, there is also an epidemic of obesity due to a lack of access to nutritious, healthy food.

Whether you are starting the first day of the academic year or returning from winter holidays, UNAI would like to welcome you back to school! During your time away from June to August, the UN has published tens of reports on issues ranging from climate change, to the global fight against AIDS, food and agriculture, youth participation in peace processes, and rural youth development. To bring you up to date on these pivotal reports, take a look at the following summaries of important findings and test your knowledge with our UNAI quiz below!

The annual General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly has been called the World Cup of diplomacy, where world leaders gather at UN Headquarters in New York to discuss global issues. Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations.

International Youth Day is commemorated every year on 12 August, bringing youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society!

Fernando Restoy Rodriguez describes his experience as an intern for United Nations Academic Impact in the Department of Global Communications.

15 July is World Youth Skills Day, a day to encourage youth to celebrate the value of acquiring skills like building, making, and creating as a way to achieve personal success and fulfillment!

Young people are almost three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and continuously exposed to lower quality jobs, greater labour market inequalities, and longer and more insecure school-to-work transitions. In addition, women are more likely to be underemployed and under-paid, and to undertake part-time jobs or work under temporary contracts.

20 June is World Refugee Day, a day to recognize the strength, courage, and resilience of refugees. Every minute 20 people are forced to leave everything behind to escape persecution, conflict, violence and human rights abuses. Forcibly displaced persons include refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, stateless persons and returnees who are former refugees.

Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity the world faces today. Be it for jobs, security, climate change, food production or increasing incomes, access to energy for all is essential. Working towards this goal is especially important as it interlinks with other Sustainable Development Goals.

8 June is World Oceans Day and an opportunity to remind everyone of the major role oceans play in everyday life.

They are the lungs of our planet, providing 70% of the oxygen we breathe, they hold 97% of the planet’s water and contribute to poverty eradication by creating sustainable livelihoods, providing decent work and global food security, oceans are the primary regulator of global climate, and they host huge reservoirs of biodiversity.

"Each day at the UN I learned something new and was surrounded by compassionate people who strive to make the world a better place," Matthew Pampin describes his experience as an intern for United Nations Academic Impact in the Department of Global Communications.

UN peacekeeping is a flexible, evolving instrument that brings together political, security and technical tools at its disposal to assist countries in making the difficult transition from conflict to peace. Peacekeeping is truly a global partnership and Member States reflect strong global confidence in the value of the UN’s flagship enterprise. Peacekeeping has also proven to be a solid investment in global peace, security, and prosperity.

While the world has achieved progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment, including equal access to primary education between girls and boys, women and girls continue to suffer discrimination and violence in every part of the world.

Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in and there is enough fresh water on the planet to achieve this. However, due to bad economics or poor infrastructure millions of people, including children, die every year from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene.

Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to creating sustainable development. In addition to improving quality of life, access to inclusive education can help equip locals with the tools required to develop innovative solutions to the world’s greatest problems.

Mother Earth is a common expression for the planet earth in a number of countries and regions, which reflects the interdependence that exists among human beings, other living species and the planet we all inhabit. The Earth and its ecosystems are our home. In order to achieve a just balance among the economic, social, and environmental needs of present and future generations, it is necessary to promote harmony with nature and the Earth.

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages is essential to sustainable development. Significant strides have been made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the common killers associated with child and maternal mortality, but working towards achieving the target of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030 would require improvements in skilled delivery care.

Young people around the world are contributing to their communities, proposing innovative solutions, driving social progress and taking action to make a difference. They are also agents of change, mobilizing to advance the Sustainable Development Goals to improve the lives of people and the health of the planet, and are a driving force in development, peace and security.