The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) organized a ECOSOC Youth Forum side event on “The Impact of the Global Increase in Military Expenditure on the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals” on April 15, 2025. Young people from around the world came together to discuss the increase in military spending and to reflect on its implications for their lives, communities, and the future they envision.
The panel of speakers consisted of:
Youth4Disarmament is a youth outreach initiative established in 2019 by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs to connect geographically diverse young people with experts to learn about current international security challenges, the work of the United Nations and how to actively participate.
Weapons destroy lives and our environment. To protect our communities, we must confront the humanitarian and environmental impacts of these weapons and understand what disarmament looks like in local settings.
Scientific innovation can give rise to new weapons. We must anticipate the risks and proactively think about security in this new technological landscape.
Survivors and witnesses of conflict courageously share their stories so that future generations do not repeat the past. We must explore the inter-generational aspects of disarmament and value the lessons we learn from those who came before us.
