JCI Joins the Global Network for Youth during UNGA81
UN Youth Office / Joel S Photo LLC: Instant images
On 22 September 2026, Junior Chamber International (JCI) joined leading youth-serving organizations at United Nations Headquarters in New York for the official launch of the Global Network for Youth (GNY), held on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81).
Launched by the United Nations Youth Office and the Mohammed Bin Salman Foundation “Misk,” the Network is anchored in the United Nations Youth Compass. It will bring together youth-serving organizations to strengthen coordination, facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience, and create more structured pathways for young people to participate in global policy, leadership and decision-making.
JCI is one of 12 globally recognized organizations confirmed as inaugural members of the Network, alongside AFS Intercultural Programs, AIESEC, the Club of Rome, GivingTuesday, Goodwall, Learning Planet Institute, One Young World and World Scouting, among others.
During its first year, the Network aims to build an ecosystem of global organizations and reach more than 20 million young people worldwide through its members. By connecting organizations across regions and sectors, it seeks to expand young people’s access to opportunities, knowledge, skills, networks and global platforms while strengthening pathways for meaningful youth participation and leadership.
Representing JCI at the launch were Kenia Velasquez, President of JCI Brooklyn, and Zaviska K. Lamsberg, 2026 JCI Vice President from JCI Suriname. Through roundtable discussions and networking sessions, they shared JCI’s experience in developing young leaders through community action, entrepreneurship, civic engagement and cross-sector collaboration.
The discussions underscored that meaningful youth participation must go beyond inviting young people into the room. Young people need sustained opportunities to influence decisions, lead initiatives and help shape the systems affecting their lives.
UN Youth Office / Joel S Photo LLC: Instant images
“JCI believes that young people should not only have a seat at the table, but also have the opportunity to shape the conversation and lead meaningful action,” said 2026 JCI Vice President Zaviska K. Lamsberg. “This event demonstrated the value of bringing organizations together to turn shared ideas into collective impact.”
JCI also brought an important local-to-global perspective to the discussion. Through its network of Local and National Organizations, young people gain practical leadership experience and transform ideas into community-based solutions while remaining connected to international priorities, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
UN Youth Office / Joel S Photo LLC: Instant images
“Young people shouldn’t just be invited to witness the future—they must be equipped to build it,” said JCI Brooklyn President Kenia Velasquez. “By aligning JCI’s international platform with the UN Youth Office and the Misk Foundation, we are turning individual efforts into a unified global movement that bridges local community action with global decision-making.”
JCI’s participation in the Global Network for Youth reflects its commitment to ensuring that young people are represented wherever decisions about their future are made. By bridging silos, sharing expertise and activating opportunities at scale, the Network can translate collaboration into greater reach, stronger outcomes and more opportunities for young people to shape the decisions affecting their lives.
Learn more about the United Nations Youth Compass.
