The age of globalization has catalyzed the emergence of globally responsible intergenerational leadership. But with internationalization trends imposing significant challenges on sustainability, demographic changes, diverse cultures, broken relationships, growing unemployment rates among young people, housing shortages or insufficient means to gain independence, reinforcing global competence is vital for individuals to thrive and for societies to progress without leaving anyone behind. And with the number of people over 60 years projected to increase by 50 per cent in developed countries and triple in developing countries by 2050, older generations may have more opportunities to share knowledge and resources with younger generations, they are also more likely to depend on the support of younger generations for longer periods of time.

Against a context in which we all have much to gain from growing openness, competence and cooperation, and much to lose from rising inequalities and radicalism, gathering a global community of change-driven, growth-minded, hope-filled leaders to discover how to voice their vision for a better future, build competitive skills for a new world of work and build capacities to analyze and understand intergenerational, intercultural and global issues are of the utmost importance to create opportunities for all and advance shared values of mutual respect for a better world. Coaches United Nations Simulation (CUNS) acting under its mandate to catalyze experience of rich learning, fresh perspectives, new ideas present its third edition of The Gambia International Model United Nations (TGIMUN) Conference under the theme: “Raising Intergenerational Leaders for Global Impact” from May 26th – 27th 2022. 

The conference seeks to gather youths across different parts of the world to exchange, experience, share and identify entry-points through diplomacy and international cooperation in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also referred to as the Global Goals and Agenda 2030.

Raising an army of Intergenerational Leaders is about profound engagement between leaders across generations, where the opportunities for partnerships and collaboration are valued and recognized at all levels. Our different institutions and industries are very diverse today because of their composition of different generations. Each of these generations have their own behavioral patterns, habits, attitudes, expectations, motivation and attitudes that fosters greater diversity, excitement and innovation. 

Several Meetings of the United Nations International Expert Group proposed recommendations on intergenerational issues, including Promoting Social Protection and Intergenerational Solidarity, partnerships and cooperation between youth and older person’s organizations, community-based active aging centers and research on intergenerational transfers to be used in national development plans. TGIMUN under this theme will align its vision of influencing generations through capacity building and advocacy to complement the United Nations efforts of transforming lives, implementation of various social policies, like education and social protection provision for young and old, reconciling work and family life, and eliminating age-related barriers in the workplace may improve intergenerational relations at the family, community and societal level.