Pupils from Lagan College join the debate at a Global Question Time in Stormont. Pictured from left to right are Rebekah Ogilby, Loma Ngoma, Caitlin Smyth, Charo Lanao (event speaker), Bronagh Finnegan and Peter Mulholland (teacher).

Pupils from a South Belfast school questioned MLAs on Northern Ireland’s role in tackling global challenges of poverty, injustice and sustainability at an event organised by the Coalition of Aid and Development Agencies (CADA).

The students from Lagan College joined other first-time and future voters at a Global Question Time in Stormont on Tuesday 17th November, discussing global challenges with NGO and business leaders and asking questions of MLAs.
The event, sponsored by Claire Hanna MLA, was held to mark the European Year of Development a few weeks after the United Nations ratified the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals and ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference which takes place in Paris next month.

Christine McCartney, Chair of CADA, said: “The fantastic turnout today from across Northern Ireland shows young people are passionate about these issues and are eager to send a message to our politicians that Northern Ireland needs to actively engage in addressing global challenges.
“The people of Northern Ireland have a long history of solidarity with poor and vulnerable communities around the world. Around a quarter of a million people actively support the work of our member charities based here in Northern Ireland, by volunteering, donating and campaigning for action on poverty, injustice and sustainability. We don’t feel it should just be about individuals or charities though.
“The new Sustainable Development Goals are global– they place responsibility on everyone, in developed and developing countries, to do their part to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice and fix climate change by 2030. It’s time for Northern Ireland to consider what it can do to be part of meeting these critical global challenges.”

Three young people shared their stories of active citizenship at the event, including Alex O’Hare who travelled to support Habitat for Humanity’s work in Ethiopia earlier this year with a team of volunteers from Belfast County Scouts.
Alex said: “It was inspiring to work beside communities in the slums of Addis Ababa and see how small changes can make a big difference. The local people were welcoming and hardworking, overcoming incredible challenges every day. The experience has motivated me to encourage others, including other Scouts, to do what they can to support Global Development.”

For more information on the work of CADA, visit www.cada-ni.org