International Youth Day is celebrated globally on August 12. This year’s theme is Safe Spaces for Youth and the contributions they make towards freedom of expression, mutual respect, and constructive dialogue. Among these spaces are civic spaces, public spaces, digital spaces and physical spaces.
There are currently 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world – the largest youth population ever.
Political instability, labour market challenges and limited space for political and civic participation have led youth to becoming increasingly more isolated, raising the need for more safe spaces where they can meet, engage and express themselves.
“The hopes of the world rest on young people,” said the UN chief on Friday, in advance of the official Day.
“Peace, economic dynamism, social justice, tolerance – all this and more, today and tomorrow, depends on tapping into the power of youth,” he added.
The UN Secretary General further pointed out that more than 400 million young women and men live amidst armed conflict or are vulnerable to organized criminal violence
Giving youth the education and skills they need remains one of the world’s most pressing challenges. Worse, nearly 60 percent of primary school children in developing countries fail to achieve minimum proficiency in learning.
‘’We must invest so that young people have access to education, training and decent jobs to achieve their full potential ‘’– Secretary-General Guterres
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically Goal 11, emphasizes the need for the provision of space towards inclusive and sustainable urbanization.
Events to celebrate International Youth Day 2018 will take place all over the world to
