The World Jewish Congress has been elected vice chairman of the United Nations Headquarters Youth Caucus (UNHYC), a coordinating body responsible for youth-related activities of national and international organizations at the world body. The WJC. representing the Jewish communities of 67 nations, has consultative status at the UN as an international nongovernmental organization accredited to the Economic and Social Council.
As its principal task, the UNHYC is charged with preparations for participation of youth-involved organizations in observances of International Youth Year. The UN General Assembly has designated 1985 for observance of the Year whose theme will be “Participation, Development and Peace”.
The WJC appointed Sharon Cohen, a member of the WJC United Nations staff in New York, its representative to the UNHYC. Ms. Cohen noted: “As a member of the Executive Board, the WJC assumes a position by which to exercise effective influence with regard to policies and programming relating to youth matters at the UN and the International Youth Year.”
She pointed out that in the past, social and humanitarian observances at the UN, such as the Women’s Decade, had all too often been diverted from their true aim and been transformed into anti-Israel forums. “In its new position,” Ms. Cohen observed, “the WJC will endeavor, to the extent it can, to prevent any such politicization of the International Youth Year.”
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