“Never underestimate the power of young people to make a difference… There are many young people who, like you, are passionate about making a difference. Together, we can do more”
This is what the 5th World Youth Alliance president, Lord Leomer Pomperada, said in an interview when I asked him about what he wanted to tell youth around the world, and personally, I could not agree more.
Most of us, if not all, have experienced or will experience at some point in our lives the sense of belonging to an empowering movement advocating for the greater good and creating a difference in our communities in the process. Youth are intrepidly shaping the future and making an impact resonating through the generations.
There are more than 1 million young people who are supporting and standing up for the dignity of each human person since 1999 with the World Youth Alliance. The community of “Dignity Defenders” is still growing with more people signing the charter.
When I asked Lord Pomperada about what is so special about WYA, he mentioned 3 main things; First, youth are leading it; staff, trainers, members are all under the age of 31. Second, it’s a global movement and it brought people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and religions together to promote human dignity. Last, WYA uses a different approach that will keep youth involved by training them through the Certified Training Program to understand the mission than providing them with more opportunities to stay engaged through different enriching programs.
Lord mentioned as well that his work as a Dignity Defender, in general, has given him so much joy and purpose. He describes WYA as “nurturing, motivating, and fun”. It has given him the opportunity to grow personally and professionally thanks to his interaction with many inspiring young people who are giving their best to promote human dignity.
As a regional intern myself with the Middle East and North Africa office, my internship helped me get a deeper understanding of WYA’s mission and so did Lord’s internship experience with the Asia Pacific office. So, let me tell you: don’t miss the chance to join the internship program after you become a certified member!
The World Youth Alliance needs more committed young people who are courageous and not afraid to answer the call to defend human dignity because we all stand together and the world needs us now more than ever.
Good luck to every Dignity Defender out there!
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Published: April 16, 2021
Written by Houyem Ghediri, WYAMENA Regional Intern 2021, Batch 1.
Special thanks to WYA President Lord Pomperada for the opportunity to interview him for this blog.
