12 Kids Ambassadors from Japan to visit UN Headquarters in New York

Twelve children from Japan, appointed as Kids Ambassadors, will travel to the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 15 May. Their mission is to share insights from their recent experiences and represent the voices of young people committed to addressing global challenges.

This visit is a follow up of the 5th World Children’s Future Conference Supporting the United Nations, held in March at Tokyo Innovation Base. There, children developed proposals on issues such as peace and climate change. These ideas have been compiled into an “idea book”, which the ambassadors will present to UN representatives, along with traditional gifts from Japan.

The children will take part in a special learning programme led by UN officials. The curriculum focuses on real-world issues facing the international community, including the UN’s roles in conflict resolution and peacekeeping. The goal is to help the ambassadors understand how international cooperation works and what the UN does when nations disagree.

Later that same day, the UN Headquarters will host “World Children’s Future Conference Supporting the United Nations ~ The Project Event in New York United Nations 2025”. Five of the Kid Ambassadors will speak at the event, sharing their proposals with UN staff and other guests. Their presentations will offer a youth-led perspective on complex global concerns.

The event will also include a joint workshop with students from the United Nations International School (UNIS). Together with the Kid Ambassadors, they will explore the themes of peace and climate change through group discussions and interactive activities. The aim is to encourage open, cross-cultural conversations about global issues from a young age.

On 14 May, the day before the main event, the Kid Ambassadors will visit UNIS to observe classes and take part in cultural exchanges with students. That afternoon, they will make a formal visit to the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, strengthening the connection between grassroots education and international diplomacy.

To prepare for the experience, an orientation session was held in Tokyo on 6 May. The twelve ambassadors received their official badges and spoke about their hopes and motivation for the upcoming trip. The session marked the start of their journey as young representatives of Japan on the global stage.