On July 13, 2026, members of the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition
of student clubs at Utah Valley University (UVU), had the distinct opportunity to
advocate for mountain communities as representatives of the Foreign Affairs Club,
UIMF, and the Orem/Lindon Rotaract Club at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in
New York City, New York. They knew from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals class about High-Level
Political Forum (HLPF) as the central United Nations platform for the follow-up and
review of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and now they had an opportunity
to learn how they can contribute to the HLPF activities by advocating for SDGs implementation
for mountain communities as their representatives and share State of Utah experiences
in this area. Students were accredited into the UN by two Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
from Utah that are affiliated with the UN and received access badges on the morning
of the 13th before heading into the city to meet with the head of LDS Charities, another
NGO located within the city.
The LDS Charities director in New York, Ryan Koch, gave valuable insight to participating
students of the 2026 Study Abroad trip to the UN on how their organization works closely
with the UN funding projects and sending representatives to advocate at different
forums and UN councils such as the Multi-Faith Advisory Council. Students of UVU were
able to gain insight into possible future career path outlooks for working under NGOs
in New York as how diplomacy works between those NGOs and the United Nations.
UVU Student Group in New York with LDS Charities heads
After their meeting with the LDS Charities the UIMF members made their way back to
the UN headquarters in Manhattan where groups of students would break off to attend
different side events taking place during the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable
Development. Each side event would be hosted by a presiding country’s delegate and
have a highly specified topic relating to the reports by volunteered UN states about implementation of SDG 6 on clean water
and sanitation, SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy, SDG 9 on industry, innovation
and infrastructure, SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities and SDG 17 about
partnerships for the goals sustainable development and the forum. SD6 was important for students as target 6.6
is about the protection of water-related ecosystems, including mountains. Students found events that best suited the mountainous countries they had studied
individually and the research on challenges in SDGs implementation they had conducted and presented the past week in Geneva.
Side events are open to all attendees of the HLPF creating a very diverse atmosphere
for attendees to learn from. After hearing from a selected panel of representatives
of different nations and organizations, side events typically turn to the room for
questions. Students of UVU were tasked to attempt to ask a question at every side
event that related to the events topic as well as sustainable mountain development
and the goals of the UIMF. If questioning was not possible in their side event, students
would be tasked to still meet and make connections with those attending.
UIMF President Natalia Figueroa and Foreign Affairs Club President Aemish Brock with
Representatives from Kazakhstan and Indonesia
A highlight of the HLPF on Sustainable Development in 2026 was the Voluntary National
Reviews where it is proposed for each country to offer a status report on how the
sustainable development goals have been fulfilled within their power. As the name
implies, these reviews are recommended but not required for a state to complete; Voluntary
national review. In 2026 only 36 countries released and presented their VNR’s. While
at the HLPF at the UN Headquarters, Domenic Maximus Callor, Louyoko Nianza, Roland
Kabongo, and Antoine Mwamba attended the VNR of multiple states including Italy’s
where they were able to meet with the Italian contingency and make connections with
their secretary of health and human rights council members who work closely with the
Mountain Partnership in Rome, Italy.
UIMF Vice President Domenic Callor presenting a gift from UIMF to Italian council
members
Amidst the many great achievements made by the student coalition responsible for UVU’s
study abroad to the UN in Geneva and New York, a full day of meeting representatives
and learning about the inner running of the UN is just another drop into the growth
these students will receive in becoming better advocates and representatives of the
UIMF, foreign affairs club, Orem/Lindon Rotaracts, and UVU students. This was also another testimony in support of the student-engaged learning (SEL) model
at UVU, which encourages students to resolve problems faced by mountain communities
as one group through hands-on activities with their teacher mentorship. Students continue to learn the importance of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals
or 2030 Agenda and how different countries and NGOs are meeting these goals with the
best interest of their people in mind.
By Domenic Maximus Callor, Vice President of the Foreign Affairs Club
at Utah Valley University
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STUDENT REFLECTIVE ESSAYS
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26-07-13-Antoine-Mwamba-My Participation at the HLPF Democratic Republic of the Congo
Voluntary National Review
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