By the time many of the teenage climate activists of today are in their late 20s, climate change could force an additional 100 million people into extreme poverty [World Bank]. By 2050, the risk of hunger and malnutrition could rise by 20 percent if the global community fails to act now [WFP]. This year’s theme for the International Day of Democracy, “Empowering the next generation,” focuses on young people’s essential role in advancing democracy and ensuring that their voices are included in the decisions that have a profound impact on their world.

Technological advancements and shifting labour market dynamics increasingly call for agile and adaptable skill sets. It is crucial that young people are well equipped with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. On this World Youth Skills Day (July 15), let’s unite in recognizing the potential of young people as catalysts for change and commit to providing them with the skills and opportunities they need to build a prosperous and sustainable world for all. Together, we can shape a brighter future in which no young person is left behind.

UNODA and the government of Japan's new learning programme is aimed at equipping the leaders of the future with the knowledge, skills, and network to join global efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons – the most dangerous weapons on earth.

This is an important conversation for everyone, but it is especially important for young people, who are the most likely to be exposed to misinformation and disinformation online

Young people should be at the heart of decisions that impact their lives and health. WHO has therefore established the WHO Youth Council, a newly set up mechanism for meaningful engagement to provide direct advice to the Director-General. Its members consist of international youth organizations that will meet for the first time in Geneva on 27 January. The meeting will solidify the council’s working plans and structure. The Youth Council is a dynamic network that will amplify the voices and experiences of young people, and leverage their expertise, energy and ideas to promote public health.

Every two years, this flagship initiative recognizes 17 young change-makers who are leading efforts to combat the world’s most pressing issues and whose leadership aims to achieve the SDGs.

1.8 billion young people, the largest generation of youth in history, are transitioning to adulthood. Their education and opportunities will shape the future of the world. Today’s young generations are still bearing the scars of a global financial crisis and enduring the impacts of an entrenched and inherited climate crisis. They are coming of age during a pandemic on a scale not seen in generations, which has pushed more than 1.5 billion students and youth out of schools and universities due to lockdowns. Paradoxically, they are the most prepared and highly entrepreneurial generation.

For International Youth Day, UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem, calls for a world where everyone at any age has rights, choices and opportunities to fulfill their potential and promise.

The WIPO Photography Prize encourages Indigenous and local community youth to express themselves on climate change and climate action – while raising their awareness on how copyright can be used to protect their creativity expressed in the photographs. Among the hundreds of applications received, Joanderson Gomes de Almeida, 30, an indigenous Pankararu from Brazil was chosen as the first place winner of the competition. His photograph shows a tradition called the Pulling of the Vine, which helps to predict whether the coming year will be one of good harvests, abundance and good rains.

As we approach 2030, developing digital skills has become critical to professional success. While young people are often considered “digital natives", the majority of them may not actually possess sufficient job-relevant digital skills to fill vacancies.

World Youth Skills Day 2022 (15 July) takes place amid efforts towards a socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, interconnected with challenges such as climate change, conflict, persisting poverty, rising inequality, rapid technological change, demographic transition and others.  This year’s observation highlights the ongoing focus on the Transforming Education Summit and contribute to the work being done under its Thematic Action Track “Learning and skills for life, work, and sustainable development”. Register to participate the global event!

"The war [in the Ukraine] is affecting the sustainable development of every single country in our region [...] The war was used as a pretext to walk back on certain already feeble commitments in terms of climate."

Vladislav Kaim is dedicated to protecting the environment. A member of the UN Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change, he promotes green jobs, the energy transition, and generous climate finance - urgent priorities for our rapidly warming world. Yet the war in Ukraine has blown apart regional and global networks working towards a livable future. As a Moldovan, Vladislav Kaim has seen how the devastating war in Ukraine has affected the region and turned people's attention away from the climate emergency. In this episode, he reflects on the effect of the war on long-term climate action, and on his fears for loved ones in the region.

Photo: ©Vladislav Kaim

The Summit in Kigali, Rwanda (2-4 June) addresses the digital divide and related topics, including digital skills, gender, climate change, online safety, the future of work, and more.

Thirty years ago, the Earth Summit, which took place in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, paved the way for the establishment of three major conventions on the environment - specifically on biodiversity, climate change and desertification. As countries meet on all three conventions in 2022, SDG Advocate and indigenous rights activist Hindou Ibrahim talks about the indispensable role that indigenous communities around the world play in protecting life on our planet - its biodiversity, land and climate. 

19 April 2022 - Youth activism has been “pushing the world forward,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet told Day 1 of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)’s annual Youth Forum on Tuesday.