Young athletes participated in a summer sports camp in Tajikistan.
To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world needs to leverage the full potential of all generations.
Photo:UNFPA Tajikistan

On this important day, let’s join hands across generations to break down barriers, and work as one to achieve a more equitable, just and inclusive world for all people."

UN Secretary-General António Guterres

Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages

the objective of International Youth Day 2022 is to amplify the message that action is needed across all generations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leave no one behind. It will also raise awareness on certain barriers to intergenerational solidarity, notably ageism, which impacts young and old persons, while having detrimental effects on society as a whole.

Ageism is an insidious and often an unaddressed issue in health, human rights and development, and has bearings on both older and younger populations around the world. In addition, ageism regularly intersects with other forms of bias (such as racism and sexism) and impacts people in ways that prevent them to reach their full potential and comprehensively contribute to their community.

The Global Report on Ageism launched by the United Nations in March 2021 highlights that despite 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. The report also identifies intergenerational interventions as one of the three key strategies to address ageism. Intergenerational activities can also lead to a greater sense of social connectedness and strengthen intergenerational solidarity.

Solidarity across generations is key for sustainable development. 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.

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Be Seen, Be Heard campaign

Building on the successful launch of the Be Seen, Be Heard campaign in May, the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth invites you to join us throughout August by celebrating youth leadership, amplifying young voices in public life, and raising awareness around the importance of meaningful youth representation and intergenerational collaboration in decision-making spaces around the world.  #YouthDay, #BeSeenBeHeard and tag @UNYouthEnvoy

More Events

A variety of exciting activations and engagements are also scheduled throughout the remainder of the month, and you are encouraged to engage:

  • Share the suite of new social media assets: Check out our full social media toolkit for International Youth Day 2022.
  • Participate in the “Celebrating Young Leaders” video challenge: Join the conversation on Instagram Reels and TikTok.
  • Follow our Instagram Live: Join the the Envoy on Youth (@unyouthenvoy) and Follow live on 11 August at 3:00 pm PDT/6:00 pm EDT
  • Tune-in to our BBC World: Africa in Focus segment: The Envoy on Youth will join BBC World to host a portion of their Africa in Focus radio segment on the occasion of International Youth Day. Follow live on 12 August at 1:00 pm EDT/6:00 pm BST.

Youth Forum 2023

Get ready for a three-day event that's all about empowering the youth! From April 25-27, 2023, the highly-anticipated 2023 Annual Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum takes center stage at the UN headquarters. The forum's theme is "Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels" - a topic that resonates with all of us. The world is listening, and your voice matters! Follow it on UN Webtv!

Did you know?

  • Half of the people on our planet are 30 or younger, and this is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030.
  • Survey shows that 67% of people believe in a better future, with 15 to 17 year-olds being the most optimistic about this.
  • The majority of people agree that the age balance in politics is wrong. More than two thirds (69%) of people across all age groups agree that more opportunities for younger people to have a say in policy development/change would make political systems better.
  • Globally, only 2.6% of parliamentarians are under 30 years old, and less than 1% of these young MPs are women.
Source: Be Seen Be Heard Campaign

Voices of Change: Turn that anger into collective action

Related Observances

More resources

Youth can be a positive force for development when provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive. Today, there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16 per cent of the global population . By 2030—the target date for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that make up the 2030 Agenda—the number of youth is projected to have grown by 7 per cent, to nearly 1.3 billion.

A big human figure embraces a small human figure holding up a notebook.

The issue of safety and protection in civic space is not new, but until now, there have been no attempts to collect global data specifically on the threats and harassment young people are facing in civic space.  The Global Report on Protecting Young People in Civic Space is an attempt to address gaps in policy, while providing clear recommendations for how stakeholders should create youth-sensitive protection mechanisms.

Recovery in youth employment is still lagging.

 

The ILO confirms that the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt young people, regarding employment, more than any other age group. The Global Employment Trends for Youth 2022 report finds that the pandemic has exacerbated the numerous labour market challenges facing those aged between 15 and 24 years, who have experienced a much higher percentage loss in employment than adults since early 2020. The total global number of unemployed youths is estimated to reach 73 million in 2022, a slight improvement from 2021 (75 million) but still six million above the pre-pandemic level of 2019.

an abstract illustration of people engaged in an event

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances.