THE WORLD BANK YOUTH SUMMIT 2024
by alexa dominique pascual
06/08/2024
I got the opportunity to be a youth delegate at the World Bank Youth Summit 2024 representing American youth and In Network National Security Academy. The theme of the summit is “digital transformation” As someone specializing in digital equity and misinformation, I got the chance to advocate the importance of securing our social media, and preventing misinformation from spreading because misinformation is one of the causes of riots and violence and the improvement of female leadership worldwide. During the summit, I got to talk to my counterparts about the importance of these issues, and how their government works in their home country. We also got to form collaborations with our NGOs to improve people-to-people ties between our countries, and to maintain the close relationship between our citizens. I also got to present a policy recommendation about agriculture and climate change and showcase the importance of youth involvement in the field of international development and foreign policy. Because of the spread of false news, this continues to harm education all around the world because people are being taught the wrong information which can cause them to revolt against any policy. In some cases, policies that are implemented by the government could either harm or take care of their citizens depending on which country you are from. In some cases, the government chooses to establish a policy that could benefit many but sometimes people who have an agenda to destroy the government choose to alter the truth and spread misinformation in social media and the media. Misinformation can also cause diplomatic problems and misunderstanding between nations. This can cause conflict to escalate, which only increases the chances of security threats and violence. That is why improving funding for organizations that support public diplomacy and journalism should be pursued to combat this issue. Not only that, women and girls worldwide should have access to proper information, and digital technology and be involved in advocacy for leadership. To reach more people when it comes to raising awareness about women’s rights, then digital equity must be improved. In my discussions with my counterparts, I was able to address this issue, by coming up with ideas on how to improve digital access in my country the US and across the world.