The Macau Youth Federation (澳門青年聯合會 – MYF) acquired consultative status at the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on July 22, the non-governmental organisation announced in a press conference yesterday at the Macau Daily News Building.
According to a statement handed out during the press conference, the federation is the first local youth organisation that has been granted ECOSOC consultative status.
When asked by reporters about other local NGOs that have also acquired consultative status at ECOSOC, MYF Vice President Liu Cai Seng said that the Macau Women’s General Association (AGMM – generally known as Fu Luen) obtained its consultative status earlier.
Liu, MYF Chairman Angelo Choi Man Cheng, MYF Vice-Chairman Kou Calvino and MYF Executive Director Chou Mei Ian attended the press conference.
Liu said during the press conference that his federation had been receiving support and guidance regarding the application to ECOSOC from the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) since 2019. Liu said that having consultative status at ECOSOC allows MYF to enhance international cooperation and increase opportunities for young local residents to participate in Macau’s external affairs in the future.
Choi said that the federation will focus on three aspects of development in the future. First, to improve and train local students’ skills in foreign languages and in building international relationships; secondly, to participate in meetings hosted by or related to the UN; thirdly, to raise concerns or ideas addressed by young local residents to the world.
Kou underlined that from now on the federation can send representatives to meetings and activities hosted by ECOSOC, as well as suggest opinions in writing to the council. Kou added that MYF can use the three major UN secretariats for hosting meetings and exhibitions.
According to a statement on the UN’s website, the UN Secretariat, which is based in New York City, has offices in Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi.
According to the MYF website, the federation was established on September 15, 2006. It aims to reach out to young people and youth organisations by strengthening communication and exchanges between local and non-local young people, apart from fostering and promoting Macau’s social development and contributing to the practice of “One Country, Two Systems”.
According to the UN, its charter established ECOSOC in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations. It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, trying to forge consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals.
MYF Vice-President Liu Cai Seng speaks to reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s press conference in the Macau Daily News Building about the Macau Youth Federation having been granted consultative status at the UN’s ECOSOC.
MYF Vice-Chairman Kou Calvino (from left to right) , MYF Vice-President Liu Cai Seng, MYF Chairman Angelo Choi Man Cheng, and MYF Executive Director Chou Mei Ian pose before the start of a press conference about the Macau Youth Federation (MYF) having achieved consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), at the Macau Daily News Building yesterday morning. Photos: Ula Cheang
