Dustin Liu ’19 Named Youth Observer to United Nations
Former Cornell student trustee Dustin Liu ’19 has been named the ninth annual U.S. youth observer to the United Nations. Liu will connect young people to the work of the U.N. and represent young Americans at the 75th U.N. General Assembly, being held virtually in September, and at other U.N. events in 2020-21.
“As youth observer, I hope to build and engage youths in opportunities that support their identity as global changemakers,” Liu said. “I look forward to using my platform to lift up narratives and recognize the great work led by youths across the United States. Together, I believe we can build a better world.”
Liu, who lives on Long Island, graduated from the ILR School in 2019 and was active in many campus activities including serving as an Engaged Ambassador in the Office of Engagement Initiatives and as a Cayuga’s Watchers’ leader.
He received a Fulbright grant and is now a master’s of education degree candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was selected for the U.N. post from a pool of more than 200 applicants from across the United States.
“The coursework at ILR aligns exceptionally well with my role as youth observer,” Liu said. “From the opportunity to study from leadership, to having the opportunity to participate in global learning opportunities helped develop my understanding of global citizenship. I think about the concepts I learned from my foundational ILR classes almost every day. Professors who particularly impacted my perspective include Professor Sonnenstuhl, Professor Ehrenberg and Professor Friedman.
The youth observer program began in 2012 to increase youth engagement in global affairs.
“As our country navigates numerous global challenges, we need young leaders like Dustin who have shown their commitment to acting locally to foster social change,” said Rachel Bowen Pittman, executive director of the United Nations Association of the USA. “We are excited for Dustin to use this platform to represent young American voices on the world stage and to encourage more young people to act on the issues they care about most.