Samuel Ajala, a graduate student at the University of Arkansas, participated in the United Nations High-Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth. 

The high-level event, held at the United Nations Headquarters and convened by the president of the General Assembly, brought together UN member states, young people, civil society, UN entities and other stakeholders all over the world. 

World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1995 as the first action plan on policies and programs for youth. The three-decade anniversary shared good practices and innovations for advancing the implementation of the WPAY and actionable solutions. 

From left: David Akindoyin, a doctoral student in political science at Florida State University, and Samuel Ajala, a graduate student in communication at the U of A.

From left: David Akindoyin, a doctoral student in political science at Florida State University; Jemimah Odutola, a graduate student at Georgia State University; Ruth Afaiko, an African legal research assistant for UN; and Samuel Ajala, a graduate student in communication at the U of A.

Ajala, a graduate student at the Department of Communication, also doubles as the co-founder of Development Advocacy Network International (DANI Africa), a youth-led organization he started in 2021, working across Nigeria and Africa to promote sustainable governance, climate resilience and inclusive community development.

He said attending the high-level plenary meeting was a dream come true for him to represent his organization and Nigerian youths at large. 

Commenting on the outcome of the plenary session, Ajala said his organization's efforts echo the spirit of WPAY's priority area on participation, ensuring youth voices are not symbolic but transformative.

"We also align our work with WPAY, ensuring that youth voices drive continental aspirations for prosperity, unity and sustainability. But youth cannot act alone. We need intergenerational partnerships, inclusive financing and stronger data systems to measure impact.

"Leaving no youth behind means seeing every young African not as a statistic but as a solution. Together, let us accelerate the WPAY vision into lived realities for all," he added. 

Ajala's work in the development space shows how young people participate in community development by engaging young people. Over the years, his team has built civic capacity, advanced climate education and empowered rural and underserved youth. He is the current president of the International Students Organization at the U of A.