(United Nations Information Service) —Three selected
winners of the Space4Youth competition, launched earlier this year by the United Nations Office for
Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in collaboration with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC),
will participate in the 27th Workshop on Space Technology for Socio-Economic Benefits, organised by
the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and UNOOSA, from 18-20 October, and will attend the
70th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) from 21-25 October, in Washington D.C.
The three winners, Arthur Nielsen Demain from the Philippines, Milica Milosev from Serbia and
Georgios Profitiliotis from Greece, will serve as rapporteurs at IAF sessions and will participate in a
special event on Space4Youth during the IAC. At the event, they will pitch their winning ideas on how
to leverage space for advancing sustainable development to a panel of global space leaders who will
act as mentors and support them in taking their projects to the next level. This panel will include
professionals from the German Aerospace Agency, the European Space Agency and French astronaut
Jean-Francois Clervoy.
After the IAC, the winners will visit space-related sites in Washington D.C and meet with U.S. State
Department Officials. The participation of the three winners at the IAF and IAC, and the subsequent
visit, were made possible through the generous support of the U.S. Mission to International
Organizations in Vienna and the U.S. Department of State.
The Space4Youth competition, launched in April 2019, asked youth all over the world to provide
examples of how space can support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their community
and ideas on how to further leverage its potential. Young people form over 40 countries participated in
the competition. The three winning entries have already been presented at a side event on
Space4Youth during the main session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
(COPUOS) in June 2019.
The competition supports the UN Secretary-General Youth 2030 Strategy, specifically its first priority:
“Engagement, participation and advocacy to amplify youth voices for the promotion of a peaceful, just
and sustainable world.”
Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA, said: “As the UN’s gateway to space, UNOOSA enables
young people’s contributions as agents of change in international cooperation in outer space. We are
proud to witness the results of the first edition of this competition, which allowed these young and
talented people to bring their ideas and contribution to two of the most high-level events in the space
sector worldwide.”
“The United States believes that the peaceful exploration and use of outer space benefits all countries,”
said Ambassador Jackie Wolcott, U.S. Ambassador at the U.S. Mission to International Organizations
in Vienna. “We are happy to partner with UNOOSA on yet another excellent initiative that facilitates
youth engagement on the peaceful uses of outer space and showcases U.S. leadership in discovery
and space exploration.”
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For more information, please contact:
Ottavia Pesce
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Source: (United Nations Information Service)
