International Youth Day 2016: The Road to 2030

Students at an UN-backed development project site that supports vulnerable populations in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten
Visit to United Nations Project Site Ð Conseil de dŽveloppement dÕAndohatapenaka, Conseil de DŽveloppement dÕAndohatapenaka

On 12 August 2016, International Youth Day was commemorated around the world under the theme, “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production”. The theme brought attention to the leading role of young people in ensuring poverty eradication and achieving sustainable development through sustainable consumption and production. An official commemoration organised by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) was held at UN Headquarters in New York, United States.

Visit the official site International Youth Day or follow UN Youth on social media at United Nations Youth on Facebook and @UN4Youth on Twitter.

Snapshot of events across SUN Countries

• Nepal: In collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Youth Council, National SDG Youth Alliance and Bouddha Bikash Parshad, Bungamati, the Association of Youth Organizations Nepal took celebrations away from the core city to Bungamati, Lalitpur, a heritage city affected by the April 2015 earthquake.
• Ethiopia: An African Union commemoration held in Addis Ababa was organised by the Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology and Beza International. The event provided a platform for participants to creatively promote Agenda 2063 through art, music, video, poetry and drama.
• Indonesia: The United Nations Information Centre Jakarta and United Nations Volunteers celebrated the day by recognising the leading role of young people in poverty eradication and achieving sustainable development in their schools, communities, country and world. Local visual and performing artists were invited to contribute short performances at the celebration.
• Tajikistan: The Government of Tajikistan recognised the efforts of students, youth abroad, volunteers and young freethinking people at an animated event.
• Vietnam: Young leaders representing the 25 million Vietnamese young people, held talks with officials from government in Hanoi. Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Nguyen Trong Dam, shared examples of youth incentives in place and added that graduates majoring in agriculture will be provided with jobs under the sustainable poverty and new rural area programs.
• Zimbabwe: Youth Movements such as #tajmuka/Sesijikile were amplified and references to Section 20 of the constitution we heightened. The provision states that, “the State should ensure that youths are afforded opportunities for employment and other avenues of economic empowerment”.
• Hear insights from youth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar and Mali at Radio France Internationale (in French).

View the International Youth Day World Map of Events.

Youth Photo Contest “Sustainable food leading the way”

The Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth and the Zero Hunger Challenge called for photos of young people leading in consuming and producing food in a sustainable and healthy way on Instagram and Twitter.

We’ve had some great submissions for our #SustainableYouth contest. Here are the 4 finalists! Winner coming soon..! pic.twitter.com/bwmPRDRjA8

— UN Youth Envoy (@UNYouthEnvoy) August 12, 2016

Youth Video Competition on Climate Change

Young people can tell the world how they are shaping a more sustainable future and win a trip to the UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech, Morocco (COP22) in November by entering the second annual Global Youth Video Competition on Climate Change. The deadline for entries to the competition is 30 August 2016, with people between the ages of 18 and 30 eligible to participate.

History

In 1985, the UN celebrated the first International Year of Youth. On its 10th anniversary, the General Assembly adopted the World Programme of Action for Youth, setting a policy framework and guidelines for national action and international support to improve the situation of young people.

On 17 December 1999, in its resolution 54/120, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day.