Mobilizing Youth to Strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention: Virtual Side Event BWC 2020 Meeting of States Parties

‘The International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA) is pleased to have cohosted a successful virtual side event to the Biological Weapons (BWC) Convention Meeting of States Parties, ‘The Youth Declaration for Biosecurity Mobilizing Youth to Strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention’, on November 22^nd, 2021.

A collaboration between IFBA, Nuclear Threat Initiative Global Biological Policy and Programs (NTI bio), United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM), Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (CHS), Next Generation Global Health Security Network (NextGen), and Youth4Biosecurity, this event underlined the importance of youth inclusion in BWC decision-making and greater global biosecurity. The event included testimonials on the impact of youth engagement efforts and contributions to responsible bioscience under the BWC, and culminated with the official announcement of the Youth Declaration for Biosecurity, curated by the 2021 Cohort of Young Scientists from the Global South of the Biosecurity Diplomacy Workshop.