Students from regional Australia will have the unique opportunity to engage directly with a United Nations leader when Mr David Ohana, Chief of the UN’s Civil Society Unit and a Charles Sturt University alumnus, joins an interactive session for World Children’s Day.

Charles Sturt’s Children’s Voices Centre will host the event, titled ‘From Regional Roots to Global Impact: Kids Interview UN Changemaker David Ohana’, which invites children and young people to step into the role of interviewer as they explore Mr Ohana’s journey from his own regional beginnings to his current role shaping global initiatives.

The event highlights the power of children and young people’s voices in international dialogue and aims to inspire regional students to see themselves as active contributors to global change.

Mr Ohana has worked extensively across humanitarian and development programs, championing civil society engagement and youth participation at the UN. His conversation with children and young people will focus on how local experiences can inform global leadership and how children and young people can harness their regional perspectives to influence international decision‑making.

Associate Professor Tamara Cumming and Associate Professor Kathy Cologon with the Children’s Voices Centre have organised the event, which they said underscores the importance of connecting regional communities with global networks, reinforcing the message that geography need not limit ambition.

By interviewing a UN changemaker, the children and young people will gain insight into leadership, resilience and the pathways that link local action to worldwide impact.

The online event, which takes place on Thursday 20 November from 10am to 11am, will ensure accessibility for people across regional Australia. Registration is free and open to all young people interested in learning how their voices can resonate on the world stage.