Attending the 2025 United Nations High-Level Political Forum as an Indigenous delegate was a sacred honour and a responsibility I hold close to my heart. Walking into these spaces with the voices of my people, my ancestors, and the next generations guiding me is something I never take lightly.
My name is Samantha Jack. I’m from Nuu-chah-nulth and Yale First Nations. I serve as the National Youth Executive for the National Association of Friendship Centres and as a North American Focal Point for the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus at the United Nations. I’m also a youth advisor to the Board of Directors at the Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre and a Eureka Fellow focused on Indigenous youth access to culturally safe healthcare. I was humbled to receive the King Charles III Coronation Medal for leadership and service to community. All of this work is grounded in love, accountability, and a responsibility to uplift the voices of Indigenous youth wherever I go.
I had the privilege of standing with an incredible team during our side event, Equity at the Core, Evidence in Action: Canadian Youth Shaping a Sustainable and Inclusive Tomorrow. We highlighted the leadership of youth advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goals 3, 5, 8, 14, and 17. Together, we showed how young leaders are weaving traditional knowledge, technology, and policy to create inclusive and sustainable solutions.
Being alongside our youth delegates Paul and Jaspreet made the event even more meaningful. Their voices carried such strength and vision. We were also joined by a former youth delegate and young diplomat of Canada whose words reminded us how much change is possible when we work together with clarity and heart.
In my session, I shared about cultural safety and how deeply it resonates with Indigenous peoples when it is present. I spoke of an Indigenous youth who once approached me with tears in their eyes and said, “This is the first time I’ve felt okay just being Indigenous in a space like this.” That moment still sits with me. When we create spaces that feel safe for our people, healing happens and possibilities open.
This experience taught me so much. Every conversation and every story shared at the HLPF felt like we had been planting seeds of change. These international spaces need more youth voices, especially Indigenous youth who carry both lived experience and the teachings of their nations.
A heartfelt thank you to the amazing team at UNAC for arranging our meeting with the Canadian Ambassador during the HLPF. Opportunities like that help ground our advocacy in real relationships and open doors for continued youth engagement on the global stage. I also want to extend my deepest thanks to His Excellency Bob Rae for his leadership as President of ECOSOC. It was an honour to witness his work in action and to see him again during such an important gathering. His dedication to multilateralism and justice has left a strong impression on so many of us. I wish him all the best in whatever journey lies ahead and know he will continue to lead with integrity and wisdom.
As UNAC delegates, we also carry the legacy of those who came before us. Some of them, bright young leaders who once walked into these global spaces with hope and determination, tragically lost their lives in a plane crash. We continue to honour their memory by showing up with purpose, by creating space for one another, and by carrying forward their vision.
I am grateful to the team I worked with and to every person who shared their wisdom. I carry forward these teachings with hope and determination.
To the next generation: you belong here. Your voice matters. The world needs your leadership and your truth. There is space for you, and I will always do what I can to hold that space open.
I will keep walking gently in this work, guided by love for my communities and a commitment to uplift their voices wherever I go.
