UN Lebanon Honors Winners of “UN Through Youth Eyes” Competition Marking UN@80

Beirut, 5 December 2025 — Marking the United Nations’ 80th anniversary, the UN in Lebanon brought together government representatives, young people, universities and partners for a moment of youth recognition during the “UN Through Youth Eyes” event held last week at the UN House. The ceremony honored eight young creators, who were awarded the title “UN Youth Voices 2025” for winning a UN competition through their bold ideas, artistic expression, and vision for Lebanon.

Launched on UN Day, 24 October 2025, in close collaboration with the UN Global Compact Network Lebanon (UNGC), and Lebanon’s Minister of Youth and Sports H.E. Dr. Nora Bayrakdarian, the competition invited young people aged 17–25 to express their vision for Lebanon through a photo essay, graphic artwork, or short video, responding to one of two questions: In your opinion, how can the UN help address one challenge facing Lebanon? or If you could create one UN Youth goal, how would you visualize it?

In just two weeks, the contest received 52 submissions from 21 universities, schools, and youth networks.

A jury of experts from various sectors, including the minister herself, shortlisted 33 entries and selected 8 outstanding winners from 6 universities, naming one overall winner for the emotional impact, creativity, and technical quality of her short film. Winners presented their work during the ceremony in an interactive session moderated by the young content creator and social media influencer, Mr. Edward Nammour, and received prizes generously provided by DomTech, Malia Group, iEngineering, and ITG Holding.

Speaking at the event, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza highlighted the importance of youth initiatives and interventions of young people in decision-making. “Some UN programmes show up to 40 percent higher sustainability when youths are part of the design and the decision-making. That tells us something simple: if we want change, youth leadership cannot be optional,” he said.

For her part, Minister Bayrakdarian praised today’s generation of youth as the largest in history, affirming that this generation’s leadership is not aspirational; it is already visible and impactful. “They cannot do this alone. Our duty as governments institutions and global partners is to amplify their voices, support their ambitions, invest in their present—not only their potential, ensure their participation is meaningful, not symbolic and create environments where they can thrive.”

Also speaking at the event was UNGC Lebanon Executive Director Deenah Fakhoury who encouraged perseverance, reminding young participants, “Your voice makes a difference. You are not alone, the next 80 years are yours.”

As the UN marks eight decades of partnership with and for Lebanon, the competition reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to elevating youth as partners, innovators, and co-creators of solutions for a more inclusive and sustainable future. Their voices, ideas, and visions not only reflected the challenges ahead, but also the hope and solutions they are ready to lead.

On the sidelines of the event, and on the occasion of UN@80, the UN in Lebanon organized a photo exhibition at the UN House’s entrance featuring 14 photo stories captured by UN colleagues in Lebanon, highlighting a range of thematic areas that UN entities are working on across the country.

The exhibition is a localized version of the global UN exhibit titled “Shared Lives, Shared Future” launched by the UN headquarters in New York to commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the UN.