On February 10th, QUNO New York hosted a group of Young Adult Friends (YAF) at Quaker House. The session was titled “Learning from Each Other: Young Adult Friends and the Quaker United Nations Office” and was organized in partnership with the New York Yearly Meeting. Over a day-long session, the group came together to exchange views on where young Friends hope for more engagement from Quaker peace practitioners, and how QUNO’s role at the UN intersects with these perspectives.  

A normal day at QUNO New York is spent working closely with diplomats, UN officials, and other civil society partners to help create lasting peace through people-to-people connections. As part of this, QUNO currently focuses on strategies that promote and uplift the inputs and experiences of young people in UN policymaking. This event provided a rich opportunity for QUNO staff to connect with the community we represent, share our work, and talk with young Friends about how they see the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) reflected in their everyday lives.

Throughout the day's discussions, the group emphasized how important it is for youth to feel seen, acknowledged, powerful, and supported in their involvement with the UN and the wider Quaker communities. Friends appreciated the openness and comfort that Quaker House provides and the ways it promotes human connections within the rigidity of UN processes. YAFS commented in the resulting epistle that “at Quaker House, we felt free to speak about topics we normally restrain ourselves about, expressing feelings and opinions about things that are not typical conversations”.  

Through time in worship and a space for creative innovation, NYYM’s young adult Friends have provided QUNO with many great ideas for our work. QUNO is grateful to have shared this Saturday with Young Adult Friends and we hope to see this partnership continue to grow.