Leaders of tomorrow, and today

It is hard to believe that we are at the end of the 2nd International Year of Youth.

Celebrated 25 years after the first Year of Youth, this year was set to bring together young people and leaders around the world to think about our common future.

Monique Coleman, UN Youth Champion for the year, travelled the world to hear young people’s issues and concerns. During the tour, she visited more than 20 countries of 5 different continents and listened to the aspirations of thousands of youth. 

Global conversations around the International Year of Youth focused on asking the hard questions:

How can young people meet the challenges facing the world today and those that will arise tomorrow? How can the next generation of leaders and citizens improve living conditions of the poor and work together to secure their common future? How can we ensure that every young person finds her place as a citizen in the era of globalization and new technologies?

Debates on these issues have resulted in guiding documents, intended to equip young people who want resources to help them realize their common goals. 

Common Goal: "Dialogue and Mutual Understanding"

Youth representatives from all over the world gathered at the United Nations in New York in July 2011, where they presented the results of their efforts during the International Year of Youth. They also talked about how they will do a better job of integrating young voices into the decision-making process.

The outcome will be a final document, which member countries will commit to. Some of the common concerns that came out of the gathering were: 

• ICT and the fight against the digital divide: Increasing access to the information technologies that are quickly becoming central to our world.  
• Health and Prevention: Ensuring access to health care and social services. Promoting sports, diet and disease prevention and working against dependencies on products harmful to health (tobacco, alcohol, drugs). 
• Education and the fight against unemployment: Offering  academic and professional training adapted to the needs of dynamic sectors, supporting entrepreneurship. 
• Supporting young migrants, and fostering respect for human rights and children.

Several speakers, including the Minister of Youth for Namibia, recommended the creation of a specialized U.N. agency modeled on UN Women and dedicated to the promotion of  development priorities of young people.

Taking It Forward  

As part of the Year of Youth, UN Habitat awarded grants of up to $25,000 to support pilot projects run by young people. The fund saw record participation, with 5,700 projects submitted. Sixty have been selected for funding.

The energy and spirit of the Year of Youth will live on through these concrete projects.

For more information, join the official "Change Your World" campaign on Facebook.

How did you celebrate the year? The day? Let us know in the comments.

Photo: UNMIT / Martine Perret