Voice of the Youth at Seton Hall: UNA-USA 14th Youth Observer to the United Nations Speaks at Chapter Event

On November 10, the United Nations Association of Seton Hall (UNA-SHU) hosted the United Nations Association of the United States of America. (UNA-USA). The program was led by the 14th youth observer to the United Nations, Jarrett James Lash.

As a community planner and housing strategist, Lash brings a range of skills in public service, land use and sustainability to his role as a youth observer, where he is involved in youth engagement. Lash's dedication is fueled by his strong interest in creating sustainable communities and his desire to serve and guide young people. His extensive experience with UNA-USA, along with his background in policy and township planning, and being the son of a UN peacekeeper, have all helped him develop a leadership role on a global scale. In his position as a youth observer, Lash amplifies youth voices in the international policy discussions on global issues

Students at the event had a unique opportunity to meet and brainstorm with the youth observer on topics ranging from local to global cooperation.
UNA-SHU's New Jersey chapter exemplifies the School of Diplomacy’s exclusive partnership with the UNA-USA, which provides special access to the United Nations community. UNA-SHU promotes awareness and appreciation of the UN through events at Seton Hall, such as weekly general body meetings, events at the UN and student-led discussions. Any Seton Hall student who is a member of UNA-USA and is in good academic standing is eligible to join UNA-SHU. The chapter builds youth engagement and advocacy initiatives led by UNA-USA.

Hosted in the Chancellor’s Suite of the University Center, the UNA-SHU event brought together students, faculty and distinguished guests. President of the UNA-SHU club, Adreanna B. Dones, opened the session to introduce Youth Observer Lash. Her remarks emphasized the value of youth cooperation and global engagement. She expressed her appreciation to the UNA-USA community for their partnership and guidance. Following Dones’s opening speech, Youth Observer Lash stepped up to the podium for his keynote address, "I appreciate the opportunity to be with you all today. As UNA-USA youth observer, this is all part of the Listening Tour, listening to the youth, directly from the field, to discover the issues important to you."

Lash continued the session with his presentation on the ‘’Issue Mapping Wall,’’ an interactive method for discussing the challenges students believe are most pressing for young Americans.

Lash believes that global goals start with action in towns, cities and countries. He encouraged students to have constructive discussions about categorizing issues into global, national, state and local levels. Participants placed their responses on sticky notes under the matching category on the board. The idea behind his approach is that not all problems are solved in the same place.
According to Lash, by sorting issues, we begin to see who holds responsibility and where our advocacy should be directed.

Students expressed concerns about the rising costs of living and artificial intelligence. A key theme throughout the discussion was international cooperation, especially from institutions willing to address these concerns. UNA-SHU Social Media Director Zuleyha Cite, a graduate intern at the United Nations Council of Presidents of the General Assembly (UNCPGA), highlighted a recent UNCPGA report on the Governance of the Transition to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and the urgent considerations for the UNGA, along with a resolution (A/79/L.118) adopted by the UNGA after the Council’s address.

During the post-event interview, Youth Observer Lash reflecting on his visit to Seton Hall, noting that: “The students were thoughtful, direct and honest about the world they are stepping into.” He said that UNA-SHU chapter creates a space for conversations about their concerns. “Their curiosity, hospitality and civic spirit made the discussion meaningful for everyone in the room. Seton Hall students should be proud of the way they are thinking about the future. They are asking smart questions, grounding their concerns in real data and showing a maturity that gives me hope. ‘’

Youth Observer Lash earned his B.A. from New York University in Global Liberal Studies. His senior thesis concentrated on the political economy of housing affordability in the United States. His strong background in sustainable development, especially on the UN SDG 11, sustainable cities and communities, became the main focus of his research.

The UNA-SHU speaker series, featuring UNA-USA Youth Observer Lash, highlighted Seton Hall’s core value of promoting youth engagement and partnerships. Global change starts with local involvement and discussions. The Seton Hall community encourages students to participate in this change through UNA-USA and the opportunities offered by the UNA-SHU community. 

Categories: Nation and World