Delivering a lecture at Cairo University, Mr. Guterres underlined the importance of young people in addressing the challenges confronting the contemporary world, including those to peace, impacts of climate change and growing inequalities.
“The best hope [to address these] challenges is with the new generations, we need to make sure that we are able to strongly invest in those new generations,” said the Secretary-General, urging the international community to be fully engaged in addressing a key problem of youth unemployment.
“The frustration generated in young people that have no hope in the future is a major source of insecurity in today’s world. And it is essential that when Governments plan their economic activities, when the international community develops forms of cooperation, it is essential to put youth employment, youth skills [at] the centre of all priorities, [at] the centre of all projects,” he noted, adding:
“Unfortunately, this sometimes tends to be forgotten. And one way to avoid this to be forgotten is to bet strongly on the empowerment of young people.”
Link: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56178#.WKW9gG8rK72