International Youth Day

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

2023 Theme: Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World

UN: 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.

For the official commemoration of International Youth Day 2023, DESA will organize a global webinar in collaboration with the UN Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth and Generation Unlimited. The webinar will offer critical information and data and will promote discussions and an exchange of ideas on green skills for youth. It will feature perspectives from international organizations, national governments and young experts working in this area. More information on this global webinar will be available in July.