The Eco Ambassadors program is an educational initiative to engage high-school students in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - 17 urgent actions that all nations are working towards. The grassroots program is run through Columbia University's Center for Sustainable Development and involves high school students in Millburn, NJ and other nearby communities. Eco Ambassadors focus on Target 4.7 concerning climate change education toward a just and peaceful society.

On Oct. 2 they learned firsthand about these goals at a meeting with United Nations former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at his Global Citizens Foundation’s office in New York City. Mr. Ban showed the Eco Ambassadors how to practice global citizenship, to reach out to neighbors with a helping hand and to show compassion. As they continue to plan to become AI specialists, doctors, investors and more, this talk gave them insights to carry forward keeping sustainability and humility at their core. — Radhika Iyengar, Director of Education, Center for Sustainable Development, Climate School, Columbia University, (Dr. Iyengar is a trustee of CivicStory.)

Below is a selection of reflections from the Eco Ambassadors:

Meeting Mr. Ban was an incredible and inspirational experience. Among Mr. Ban’s most important and hopefully most impactful achievements was helping to create the 17 SDGs. These goals highlight topics such as education, the environment, poverty and equality, and have served as the basis for important milestones such as the Paris Climate Agreement. But the sad truth is, the SDGs are not being given the attention they deserve in the classroom. In my 10 years as a student in the public education system, I cannot recall a single moment where SDGs were brought up inside the classroom, and my fellow students shared my concerns.

Hearing Mr. Ban speak with such passion and conviction about the SDGs reinforced how crucial they are for the whole world, and for my generation in particular. Understanding the 17 SDGs is key to building a more sustainable society and if there is anything the climate crisis has taught us, it is that we are running out of time. Mr. Ban emphasized to all of the students in the room that we are the generation that is going to have to step up and take action in order to save our planet, but how can we do that when millions of people across the world have not even heard about SDG’s? We need to do better, which is why I believe that it is necessary that we implement education about SDG’s in school curricula across the world  if we want a chance at a healthier future. 

Asad Syed, 16, Fairfield Ludlowe High School (11th grade), Fairfield, CT

Mr. Ban’s perspective on the SDGs was both eye-opening and sobering, as he shared that humanity still has a long way to go in achieving them. He stressed the important role of education, particularly focusing on SDG 4.7 (climate change education), and advocated for instilling these values in younger generations, highlighting the significance of teenagers' involvement in shaping a better future, which inspired me further. Engaging with fellow high school and college students after hearing from Mr. Ban provided a glimpse into the incredible work being done by the Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future at the grassroots level.

Prishaa Shrimali, 16, Fairfield Ludlowe High School (11th grade), Fairfield, CT

Mr. Ban has inspired me to continue learning about SDGs and the United Nations. 

Eshan Akula, 15, Millburn high school (10th grade), Millburn, NJ 

During my meeting with Mr. Ban, I was struck by his profound wisdom and the motto he shared: "Be like water."  He emphasized the importance of adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges, much like water's ability to flow and adapt to its surroundings. He explained that water, despite its soft and fluid nature, has the incredible power to shape and carve its path through even the hardest of obstacles. His advice, to adopt this mentality and be a herald for change by embracing flexibility and open-mindedness in order to make a positive impact in the world, stuck with me deeply. 

This was an incredibly enlightening experience that left a lasting impression on me. As an individual deeply interested in the human rights field, I have long admired his remarkable contributions to climate change activism and his instrumental role in creating the SDGs. These achievements are often referenced and celebrated within the international community. The opportunity to engage with him and receive advice from his wealth of knowledge was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will cherish for years to come. 

Eunice Lee, 14, Loomis Chaffee School (9th grade), Windsor, CT

“Are you a global citizen?” was one of the first questions Mr. Ban asked during our conference. Most of us warily raised our hands, unsure of what he meant. He revealed to us that we are all “global citizens” as we are part of a global community. 

With the 17 colored lapel pinned onto his suit, Mr. Ban shared his experience as a global citizen. It started with growing up in a war-devastated country. In 1962 he was one of four students to win an essay competition sponsored by the Red Cross and was invited to the United States to meet then President, John F. Kennedy. He underscores how this event was his biggest inspiration to dedicate his life's work to the UN and specifically to help achieve the 17 SDGs. His story left us with a zeal for pivoting our life’s direction towards being a better “global citizen” and contributing to creating a more sustainable home for us all. 

He emphasized that our generation, living in a first-world country, (including his two daughters), takes education for granted and does not fully appreciate the opportunities it can open to us. Listening to an influential leader passionately speaking out about increasing the value of our education inspires me to reevaluate my actions and consider how I can help as a “global citizen.” 

Hannah Lee, 16, Bergen County Academies (11th grade), Hackensack, NJ

Around 26 centuries ago, the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu gave the world a resounding piece of advice: “Flow like water.” Just as the dynamic fluid flows around rocks and moves with the course of the river, people, too, should seek to live harmoniously with the world around them, adapting to fit its form. In the present day, Mr. Ban champions this message in his diplomatic and political strategy: aiming to build consensus and resolve conflict, his policies reflect compromise, moderation and mutual understanding. While listening to him at the Ban Ki-Moon Foundation Office, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between his principles and how human actors often behave. 

Consider our interactions with the environment: instead of adaptively living and coexisting with nature, we have mowed it over and pushed it aside to obtain land, resources and wealth. The impact of this on humanity can’t be overstated: natural disasters, diminishing freshwater resources and the rapid desertification of land are causing our civilization to crumble. In order for us to transcend this crisis, and many others, our political structures will have to mimic water’s cohesiveness, our economic systems, its resiliency and our people's regenerative qualities. Taking a look at the 17 SDGs crafted during his tenure as secretary-general and listening to his ideas, it’s clear that Mr. Ban envisions a world where human activity and industry are as adaptive and as essential to life, as water.

Aryaan Jain, 15, Millburn High School (10th grade), Millburn, NJ

From humble beginnings in South Korea to his experiences traveling with the American Red Cross and eventually working as the head of the United Nations, Mr. Ban's story was truly inspiring. During our chat with Mr. Ban, my fellow Eco Ambassadors and I were able to get a glimpse into what shaped the SDGs which we have come to know well. What struck me most during our conversation was Mr. Ban's optimism in the face of complex global challenges as well as his belief in the capacity of individuals and nations to come together and address issues such as climate change, conflict resolution and humanitarian crises.

Over the last few years, I have been participating in many SDGs and environmentally related projects ranging from native plant sales to petitioning for a single-use plastic ban in my township. Even as I did not fully appreciate what the SDGs meant, they were already influencing my thinking and now are the lens through which I see the world. Now, as I continue to work towards advancing the SDGs in my own community, particularly SDG 14 focused on life in our oceans, my chat with the creator behind the SDGs reaffirmed and renewed my enthusiasm to continue my work.

Eshaan Jain, 16, The Pingry School (11th grade), Basking Ridge, NJ