The World Health Organization (WHO) and Impact Hub Kuala Lumpur in partnership with Social Entrepreneurship to Spur Health (SESH) and the University of North Carolina, have launched an open call project, aimed at mobilizing youth and young adults in Malaysia to inform and contribute to the formulation of the national and regional health policies. The project will provide a platform for future thinkers to express their ideas and vision on how they imagine the future as well as to create social innovations for rebuilding a better world in the post-pandemic era.
“Youth have the opportunity to be key actors for health and can help define the future they want. This open call allows them to participate and truly contribute to the development of solutions to some of the biggest challenges posed by the pandemic. It is important that we listen closely to their innovative ideas and ensure that their voices are included in the response and in shaping health policies,” said Dr Ying-Ru Lo, WHO Representative to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.
Young people have been uniquely impacted by changes brought about by the pandemic but have not been meaningfully engaged in the COVID-19 response. The “Imagine the World Anew: An Open Call for Youth Voices on COVID-19 in Malaysia” aims to increase engagement and empower Malaysian young adults to take an active part in shaping the response and reducing the risks of contracting COVID-19. The project is also an opportunity for youth to generate and share ideas on how they imagine the future – life in 2050, recognize key issues related to work, travel, and social interactions in a post-COVID world, and propose innovative ideas to overcome them.
“Youth are often the engine of transformation in social life. This important open call will help us to identify youth-led messages and social innovations so that we can adjust to the 'new normal' and the post-pandemic world that awaits us. I am excited to see what youth in Malaysia will create,” said Dr Joseph Tucker from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has been a game changer in every sense, for lives and livelihoods around the world. It has underlined the importance of building resilient health and social systems & applying innovative solutions, particularly to reach those most affected and marginalized in society. As an organization that has been at the forefront of supporting aspiring and existing impact makers to take their ideas and ventures to the next level, Impact Hub KL is honored to work with our partners, SESH & WHO on discovering the next game changing ideas, supporting the next game changing impact makers and journeying with them, to imagine the world anew,” added Dr Shariha Khalid Erichsen, Co-Founder and Board Member at Impact Hub KL.
We encourage and invite young people in Malaysia to seize this opportunity, reimagine your future by influencing the present, and finding the courage to take bold steps with us to let your ideas take flight.
Submissions focus on three areas: Youth-led Social Innovation in Health, Youth Messaging and Futures Thinking & Strategic Thinking. Malaysian youth and young adults (ages 15-30) may submit an entry. Entries may be in Malay, or in English. The deadline to submit proposals is 7th May 2021.