The UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, has urged global leaders to act with ambition and commitment on the UN’s journey toward a better future for young people for prosperity and peace.

Ban made the call in his remarks at an event organised by UNICEF, entitled: “Voices of Children” with the fund’s Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, in New York on Thursday.

He urged UN member states to help bring the voices of young people to the forefront of a new development era.

He thanked Beckham for his longstanding commitment to UNICEF and his work for children and the youth.

Ban said that for the past 15 years “the eight Millennium Development Goals have driven our ambition to build a better world.

“By setting clear targets, we have helped improve the lives of millions of people, both young and old.

“With the targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world is lifting the level of ambition.

“The new global goals put people, especially children and young people, at the centre of development.’’

He said that the SDGs prioritised human well-being, prosperity, peace and justice.

The secretary-general said the goals addressed all people in all countries and called for action from everyone everywhere.

He said that world leaders would adopt the goals on Friday and described the upcoming event as a first step in the paradigm shift.

He said that the second step was to listen to the people that these goals aimed to benefit, especially children and young people.

“We live in a world where economic, social and environmental challenges cannot be separated; our solutions must also be linked.

“It connects development to more accountable institutions and greater access to justice.

“All of us have a stake in the global goals,” he said. (NAN)