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'Overwhelmed but proud': Meet 17-year-old Dubai student who addressed United Nations

Aritro Chatterjee was one of 25 students selected globally and the sole representative from the UAE to speak at the UN in September

A 17-year-old student from Dubai is making a global impact as he was invited to speak at the 79th UN General Assembly in New York.

Aritro Chatterjee, a Year 12 student at Dubai College, was one of 25 students selected globally and the sole representative from the UAE to speak at the UN in September on the increasing need for youth representation in institutional decision-making and environmental advocacy.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Aritro said, “I’m fortunate to have been invited to speak at the UN General Assembly in New York about increasing youth representation in institutional decision-making processes, fostering youth participation in environmental impact, and how we can use applications in Math, Science, and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to solve environmental issues.”

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This invitation followed his selection as one of the RISE Global Winners, a program by Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust.

Notably, it is designed to identify and support exceptional young people who are making a significant impact in their communities and beyond.

“RISE (The Research on Improving Systems of Education) selects 100 students from over 50,000 across the world – deemed the ‘World’s Most Promising Teens’ by Forbes,” he said.

“As part of my RISE project, I created a podcast wherein I interviewed leading young environmental figures from all over the world like entrepreneurs, scientists, and activists. Through my focus on representing environmental advocacy through diverse perspectives, I featured change-makers from countries such as Nigeria, Lebanon, Poland, South Korea, India, China, the US, and the UAE. Following my selection as a RISE Global Winner 2024, a representative of the UN invited me to speak at the General Assembly,” added Aritro, who’s also delivered a TED Talk on the History of Mathematics.

Recalling the memorable experience

Recalling his experience in New York, he shared how walking into the room, thousands of miles from home, was both overwhelming and awe-inspiring.

“I met delegates from all over the world there. For example, one of the key delegations I met was the South African Water Commission. Speaking to all these people - prominent scientists, activists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers - you initially feel quite overwhelmed, but you also realize that the work you've been doing is coming to fruition on such a global stage. So, I also felt extremely proud to speak at that kind of stage.”

Shedding light on certain aspects of his speech, he stressed that the UAE's focus on sustainability, highlighted by initiatives like the Year of Sustainability, COP 28, and Expo 2020, has significantly shaped his ambitions.

“The country’s progressive approach to addressing environmental and sustainability challenges has greatly influenced my work,” added Aritro. Elaborating on the concept of sustainability, he explained that it encompasses ‘social, environmental and economic facets’ as defined by the UN Sustainable Development Agenda. “The area that I focus on is not only the social and environmental aspects of advocacy but also how we can encourage youth to catalyse impact in their regions and communities while providing them with resources through local institutions and Governments.”

Applying quantitative methods

The Indian expat who specializes in using quantitative methods to advance environmental research, reflected on his journey, noting that his fascination with puzzles began in childhood, where he spent his free time solving them. As he progressed through his senior years, this early passion for numbers transformed into a deeper interest in applying mathematics to other disciplines.

“Progressing to my senior years at Dubai College, there was a shift in everyone around me thinking about what they were going to do when they grew up. Given my innate passion for mathematics, I was drawn to exploring how can we apply quantitative methods and research to the real world to make a difference. Eventually, I decided to delve into environmental and social issues,” he said.

In the longer perspective, the young adult aspires to become an environmental scientist preferably working with governments and large institutions impacting global policy and industry innovation. He explained his motivation, adding, “One of the key focuses of doing this is to bridge the gap between technical experts, research and policymakers on the other side, and that’s the divide which I find in the world now. That’s something which I’d like to address in the future.”

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