PURPOSE: International Youth Day is commemorated every year on 12 August, bringing youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society. The idea for International Youth Day was proposed in 1991 by the young people who were gathered in Vienna, Austria, for the first session of the World Youth Forum of the United Nations System. The Forum recommended that an International Youth Day be declared, especially for fund-raising and promotional purposes, to support the United Nations Youth Fund in partnership with youth organizations.
FORUM: "Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World." International Youth Day 2023. Today, the world is embarking on a green transition. The shift towards an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly world is critical not only for responding to the global climate crisis but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A successful transition towards a greener world will depend on the development of green skills in the population. Green skills are “knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society”. These include technical knowledge and skills that enable the effective use of green technologies and processes in occupational settings, as well as transversal skills that draw on a range of knowledge, values and attitudes to facilitate environmentally sustainable decisions in work and in life. Due to their interdisciplinary nature, the essence of green skills is sometimes expressed, partly if not wholly, through other associated terms such as “skills for the future” and “skills for green jobs”. While green skills are relevant for people of all ages, they have heightened importance for younger people, who can contribute to the green transition for a longer period of time. The Youth Unit Programme encourages youth around the world to organize activities to raise awareness about the situation of youth in their country. What sowe know about green skills for youth?. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #12August, #InternationalYouthDay, #Greenskills4youth, #Youthday, #Greenskills.
EVENTS: The Virtual celebration of the International Youth Day 2013 will be held on August 12th at 9:00 (EST) from the UNHQ, New York. To mark the commemoration of the International Youth Day 2023, the Department of Economic and Social affairs (DESA) will organize a global webinar in collaboration with the United Nations Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth at International Labour Organization and Generation Unlimited. The webinar offers critical information and data and will promote discussions and an exchange of ideas on green skills for youth. It features perspectives from international organizations, national governments and young experts working in this area. Please find the webinar agenda here and Download Bios of Speakers.
STATEMENTS:
Webinar "Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World"
The theme of International Youth Day 2023 is Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World. “Green skills”—also dubbed “skills for the future”—are particularly relevant for young people, according to the United Nations, considering their critical and long-term contribution to transitioning to an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly world. We hope you enjoy the webinar as we work to bring more awareness to this important topic.
PODCASTS: Despite this lack of research, young people continue to report age-related barriers in various spheres of their lives such as employment, political participation, health and justice. On an individual level, these age-related obstacles can deeply impact wellbeing and livelihoods not only during the youth years, but also in adulthood. On a societal level, ageism prevents us from thinking and designing policies and social services that adopt a life-course approach and are fair for all ages. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: Tackling the learning crisis. What needs to happen to avoid failing a generation of children. On International Youth Day, join us in uplifting the voices of youth and celebrating their leadership. For those interested in organizing activities to celebrate 2023 IYD, logos in all 6 UN languages, both with and without the United Nations name are available here.
WHY WE CELEBRATE THE DAY?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED?
PARTNERSHIPS
In 1999, in its resolution 54/120, the 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 is commemorated. The Focal Point on Youth selects a theme for the day often with input from youth organizations and members of the UN Inter-Agency Network in Youth development. It also organizes a virtual commemoration of the Day. The Programme encourages youth around the world to organize activities to raise awareness about the situation of youth in their country.
Intergenerational activities can also lead to a greater sense of social connectedness and strengthen intergenerational solidarity.
Fostering intergenerational solidarity between generations is more than ever necessary to ensure an inclusive and sustainable recovery. As we navigate the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially important to recognize and address these age-related barriers to “build back better” in a manner that leverages all generations’ strengths and knowledge.
The Assembly recommended that public information activities be organized to support the Day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth, adopted by the General Assembly in 1995 (resolution 50/81).
The International Youth Day is hosted by the United Nations Youth; The Department of Global Communications; The UN Women; The UNICEF; The International Labour Organization (ILO); The World Bank Group; The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); The U.N. Youth Assembly; the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD); The World Health Organization (WHO); The UNESCO;The World Youth Organization; The United Nations Volunteers programme; The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS); The UN Youth New Zeand The UN Youth Australia;The World Alliance of YMCAs; The Civil society Organizations and Non-Governmental organizations.