Save the Children launches a new global film today highlighting the voices of youths around the world:  Race for Survival 2015.  In the film, the world’s children pass the baton of hope to global leaders. The film reminds world leaders that the clock is ticking on ending all preventable child deaths by 2030.  The film brings together the hopes and dreams of thousands of children in over 40 countries who have taken part in our annual global Race for Survival relay.

The UN General Assembly is always an opportunity for our global community to highlight the voices of children and their vision for the future, this year, Save the Children brought 18 inspiring child delegates  from 17 countries, representing every region of the world. These young child rights champions, most of them born in the year when the Millennium Development Goals were adopted, demonstrate what children can achieve when they’re able to fulfil their potential.  And they spent the week of the SDG Summit speaking directly to decision-makers to push their issues onto political agenda.

Our child delegates spoke to media about their experiences of growing up, often in communities affected by poverty and conflict, and advocated for action to achieve the 2030 goals. Listen to this panel discussion on the BBC World Service, and find out more about some of their high level meetings, including with Norwegian PM Solberg, Peruvian President Humala, Tanzanian President Kikwete , Afghan Vice President Abdullah Abdullah, Italian Prime Minister Renzi and the Indonesian Vice President.

The child delegates also had a role in the UN General Assembly opening ceremony, alongside Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, and in side events with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, Bill and Melinda Gates and UK PM David Cameron.

Some of the other highlights from our child delegates include:

• Delegates from the USA, China and Zambia leading a panel discussion at the Social Good Summit on the what the SDGs mean to them.
• Our delegates from Indonesia and the USA speaking to a crowd of over 60,000 people at the Global Citizen Festival about the importance of access to health as part of the new Global Goals
• Danikka Calyon our delegate from Australia joining an inequality panel organised by the Guardian and UNICEF.
• Meeting with the President of the General Assembly where each child spoke about their priority issues in front of international media
• Participating in the action2015 rally outside the UN headquarters, as part of the global ‘Light the Way’ mobilisation.