Young Indian women had the opportunity to spend a day in the shoes of one of the UK’s top diplomats as part of the British High Commission’s celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.

The British High Commission in New Delhi said on Friday that the biennial “High Commissioner for a Day” competition, with an emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals, will provide Indian women, ages 18 to 23, an opportunity to share their skills with the world.

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“The Sustainable Development Goals push for a better planet for everyone, everywhere; just as India is doing with its G20 Presidency. I’m always amazed by the talent spread across this country and have no doubt that India’s brilliant youth will lead the drive for a better future in the years to come,” Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, said.

According to a statement by Ellis, girls and women are essential to maximising the potential of the next generation to address the world’s most pressing problems.

“The International Day of the Girl Child is an important moment to include and inspire. I’m looking forward to seeing numerous fantastic entries,” he added.

Participants must record and upload a one-minute video in which they respond to the question, “How can young people help lead the way in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?” in order to be considered.

The video must be shared on social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn with the hashtags #DayOfTheGirl and @UKinIndia.

The entries must be submitted by filling out an online form on the High Commission website by August 18 (one entry per participant).

The High Commission further stated that videos with plagiarised content and time limits overrides would be immediately disqualified.

The winner will then be chosen by a British High Commission jury and publicised on the @UKinIndia social media channels.

The High Commission said that it would pay for the winner’s travel to Delhi as part of the competition in the event that the High Commissioner for a Day function was not held in Delhi/NCR.

‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition is an annual event run by the British High Commission that began in 2017.

Jagriti Yadav, a 20-year-old from Lucknow who won the competition the previous year, participated in a variety of diplomatic duties, including leading meetings with various stakeholders, moderating debates, and attending multiple events throughout the day.

She interacted with Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, and Rishad Premji, Executive Chairman of Wipro.

Along with Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the government of India, Jagriti also released a book commemorating 75 Indian women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).