by JCI Italy
JCI Italy celebrated 100 years of impact on May 16 at the Cascina Triulza EXPO. The Junior Chamber International (JCI) movement was established in 1915 in St. Louis (USA). Today it is present in over 120 countries and 5,000 local communities and representshundreds of thousands of young men and women between 18 and 40, senators (honorary members over 40) and alumni. In the first ever pavilion of civil society at the EXPO, JCI President Ismail Haznedar and the President of the Regional Council of Lombardy Raffaele Cattaneo presided over the celebration, which featured the MY World Peoples’ Voices podium, inviting citizens to express their opinion regarding the post 2015 agenda.
National and international keynote speakers
Together with Ismail Haznedar, 2015 International President (the first Turkish citizen who has lead JCI), there were several other guests: Kentaro Harada (Japan), 2011 International President and current chairman of the JCI Foundation; Chiara Milani, 2013 International President and current Honorary Chairperson of the Italian celebrations of the JCI century (first Italian ever and first European woman to have led JCI); Charlotte Moller Bysted (Denmark), current International Vice President. In addition to them and to JCI Italy President Emmadesiree Ciaburri Galasso, there was also a UN Millennium Campaign Representative, Xavier Longan, who explained facts and figures regarding MY World survey, the largest consultation conducted at the UN.
In the evening, on the stage of Triulza there were JCI Italy TOYP, a Speaking competition ceremony, historical and motivational videos, best practices were shared related to the UN Millennium Development Goals and the promotion both of the Charter of Milan and the post 2015 survey.
The Millennium Campaign Podium
Thanks to the partnership existing since 1954 between JCI and the United Nations and following the letter of intent for the involvement of JCI in the post-2015 consultations, signed in 2013 at UN in New York by the Italian JCI President Chiara Milani, on Friday, May 15, at Busto Arsizio EXPO hub and on Saturday, May 16, at EXPO Civil Society Pavillion visitors were invited to choose which priorities they will vote for post 2015 agenda, by expressing their opinion directly from My World Campaign Podium.
The Campaign is traveling the world to gather people’s opinions on issues that are most important to them and their families. Now it arrived at EXPO through JCI Italy, considering that, as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said, “Young people are gifted with open minds and a keen awareness of emerging trends, and are bringing their energy, ideas and courage to some of the most complex and important challenges facing the human family.” The Expo is still currently open and we invite all in Italy to visit!
