International Youth Day

We want to hear your stories. From Peace talks to local councils, Let's talk about what meaningful youth participation actually looks lile and wha's still missing. Tag UN Youth Affairs with #YouthLeadPeace to join the global conversation.

The 2025 NDC Partnership Youth Engagement Forum will center on intergenerational dialogue and practical approaches to embedding youth in national climate action. 📅 21 August 2025 🗣️ Language: Spanish (interpretation available in English and French) Organized by the NDC Partnership Support Unit, United Nations Development Programme - UNDP, YOUNGO and IIYFCC. International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change   Learn more and register 

  The UReport and UN Youth Affairs are coming together to ask young people around the world about their lives and the issues that matter to them . Their answers will be shared at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Complete the poll and make your voice heard! Send LEAD to U-Report .

Young women and girls continue to: Advocate for rights; Challenge stereotypes; Innovate climate solutions; Confront discrimination and violence head-on. On International Youth Day , UNWomen reaffirms its commitment to supporting their leadership and work #ForAllWomenAndGirls . It is imperative for governments, communities, and all stakeholders to invest in young women’s education, health, and leadership .

Young people are not waiting for change. They are the change. In Tanzania, Shadya empowers girls to lead. In Lebanon, Judy bridges law and climate justice. In Turkmenistan, Kasym teaches climate resilience. In Honduras, Giselle mobilizes youth to vote. In Bangladesh, Mashrur builds AI tools for smallholder farmers. Youth aren’t just shaping the future – they’re signing it. Watch the trailer and follow us this week as we share the full stories.

This year’s International Youth Day theme, “ Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond ,” underscores the transformative role of young people in adapting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to local realities. It is a reminder that youth are not merely beneficiaries of development; they are innovators, decision makers, and active agents of change in their communities and beyond. While inclusion is vital, the challenge lies in ensuring that youth participation goes beyond representation to genuine influence. On this International Youth Day, I share my reflections as a young professional at the start of my career, exploring how youth within international institutions such as the United Nations can meaningfully contribute to positive change in their own workplaces. My recent internship with the Strategic Communications and Gender Units at UNOAU has given me a front row view of how multilateral institutions engage with youth. This engagement happens both internally, by offering pat...

Youth are leading the charge for the Sustainable Development Goals  through advocacy and community engagement . That includes here at the World Meteorological Organization, where a Youth Action Plan is being developed to strengthen youth participation in decision-making, capacity development, and scientific innovation .  By doing so, WMO ensures that weather, water, and climate services are inclusive, forward-looking, and responsive to all generations.  Find out more about all the different youth initiatives happening at WMO by clicking link in bio.

From climate action to digital innovation, youth are building more sustainable and inclusive communities. On International Youth Day 2025  on 12 August 2025, stand with young changemakers driving progress from the ground up.

    This International Youth Day , we celebrate the power of young people to shape a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future of work.  At ITCILO , we’re committed to equipping youth with the knowledge and skills they need to lead change in their communities and beyond. Explore how we support youth employment !

This International Youth Day , meet 5 inspiring changemakers who are turning their passions into powerful climate action by protecting nature and communities, defending rights, and creating a sustainable future for all.

  This coming International Youth Day , join us on 12 August for a virtual knowledge-sharing event on the State of the Ecosystem for Youth Entrepreneurship by IsDB and UNDP. The session will explore targeted solutions to youth unemployment, enhance access to skills development, and identify opportunities for collaboration to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems . It will also explore how youth entrepreneurship drives jobs, innovation, and SDG progress, and share key findings that led to the creation of the Youth Digitalization for Employability and Entrepreneurship Program (Y-DEEP) . Register and join our celebration for and with young people: Youth Entrepreneurship in Asia.  http://tinyurl.com/IYD-YESA

Young people are shaping the future with bold ideas and local action.  Bold ideas for the future involve leveraging technology, prioritizing sustainability, and empowering local communities. This includes initiatives like digital twins for predictive modeling, off-grid solar energy, and sustainable architecture, alongside efforts to electrify transportation and promote clean energy. Local actions can focus on strengthening communities, fostering social justice, and promoting genuine democracy through initiatives like community gardens, "Buy Local" campaigns, and tool libraries. About Bold Ideas: Digital Twins : Using digital representations of physical objects or systems to simulate scenarios and predict future outcomes, potentially in areas like infrastructure management or urban planning. Off-Grid Solar Energy : Developing and deploying renewable energy solutions that are independent of traditional power grids, offering greater energy independence and resilience. Electrif...

  Youth aren’t just the future. They are our present. From leading climate change strikes, to fighting for human rights, and driving democratic change, young people are reshaping the world now. This August 12th , International Youth Day , let’s stop calling them hopeful, and start recognizing their power, action, and impact. The world isn’t waiting and neither are they.

    Who’s driving the fight for a sustainable planet? Youth —1.8 billion strong—are innovating with maps, tech, and grit, like the flood resilience projects in Colombia and South Africa from WMO ’s 2023 youth competition. Yet, with 1 billion kids at high climate risk, their voices still echo too faintly in the halls of power. The World Meteorological Organization 's  Youth Action Plan is set to lock in their role—think decision-making seats, climate science training, and support for game-changing ideas.

  The observance of the International Youth Day (IYD) 2025 is on August 12th with the theme  “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond ”. The celebration of the IYD 2025 comes just ahead of the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY+30) —a pivotal framework recognizing young people as leaders in governance and humanitarian values. Discussions and actions around IYD will feed into the upcoming Second World Social Summit for Social Development, to be held in Doha, Qatar in November 2025 ( Access Youth Hub for WSS here ) Let’s come together to spotlight local youth actions shaping global impact! The Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) is compiling a global calendar of events and activities (both in-person and online) organized by youth groups in celebration of International Youth Day 2025 . You can access the calendar here and get involved!

The UN DESA has launched an  IYD Trello Board  packed with customizable social media infographics, quote cards, and design assets that you and your organization can use to amplify your messages. You can also  visit the UN DESA International Youth Day page  for updates and official materials. International Youth Day 2025 Trello Board is now available! Access the Trello Board to download and share the IYD resources, social media toolkits, logos, and other visual assets. Join us in celebrating the local actions led by and for youth and their contributions to building a more sustainable and inclusive future!

As we start a new year, it is our duty to remember what we can do to build a better world. For that, 2025 marks a pivotal year for Member States to put into action more ambitious action plans towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) . Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement and the SDGs, and with only 5 years left until the 2030 deadline, countries are falling short of achieving the Goals. This is evidenced by the 2024 Sustainable Development Report (SDR) developed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) , which shows that “On average, only 16% of the SDG targets are on track to be met globally by 2030, with the remaining 84% showing limited progress or a reversal progress.” In addition, the current reality of our planet is far from hopeful. From escalating geopolitical tensions to the risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the climate crisis - which is posed to be the biggest challenge for humankind in hi...

Amongst the most important pathways that we can promote for the upcoming years, one that stands out is the localization of sustainability efforts . As it was reinforced during the last United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) with the adoption of the historic Pact of the Future : “We must meet the Sustainable Development Goals for all segments of society and leave no one behind, including through the localization of sustainable development.” Localization of the SDGs is understood as the efforts to adapt the 17 Goals to the local context of each region, country, or territory by taking into account the realities of said place. This realities range from the socioeconomic context, the culture and values, the geography, or even the demographic of the territory, and it includes many other aspects that can have a direct correlation with the themes and priorities presented throughout the Goals and its targets. This concept is not something new. In fact, for years now, the UN has been strongly e...

Policy Recommendations for the Years Ahead There are multiple benefits to localizing the SDGs , and the effectiveness of this approach can be significantly enhanced when involving youth . As we look ahead to the next 5 years and start to think about how the post-2030 world will look, it is becoming clear that while international cooperation is still essential, if we effectively want to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , we need a bottom-up approach that meaningfully involves young people. This is, of course, an approach that starts from the local communities and gradually expands outward. For that, here are some recommendations on how to achieve this: Foster Inclusive and Accessible Participation : Institutions must ensure that young people from diverse backgrounds have equitable opportunities to engage in localization processes. This can be further facilitated by providing capacity-building opportunities that educate youth on how to participate meaningfully. Invest to...

  The  International Youth Day 2025  will serve as a strategic platform to Showcase youth stories and solutions: • Provide platforms for youth to share their personal experiences, insights, and innovations. • Use storytelling as a tool to amplify youth voices and promote peer learning. • Document and disseminate lessons learned from youth-led localization projects.

  The  International Youth Day 2025  will serve as a strategic platform to Encourage multi-stakeholder collaboration:  • Foster partnerships between youth and youth-led organizations, local governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, and UN agencies. • Promote knowledge sharing and joint problem-solving to enhance the effectiveness of local SDG implementation . • Leverage technology and innovation to connect youth across regions and facilitate collaboration

    The  International Youth Day 2025  will serve as a strategic platform to Promote policy coherence and institutional support for local youth initiatives:  • Encourage governments to integrate youth-led initiatives into local development frameworks and decision-making processes. • Promote the integration of youth development goals within local development strategies, drawing from the WPAY ’s framework and the Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations  • Advocate for inclusive policy environments that facilitate youth participation in governance.

  The International Youth Day 2025 will serve as a strategic platform to Recognize youth as key local development partners. • Elevate the visibility of youth-led initiatives and their impact on SDG implementation. • Raise awareness about the World Programme Action for Youth  and its role in recognizing the youth as local development partners. • Celebrate young people as innovators, leaders, and mobilizers within their local contexts.

Young refugees and forcibly displaced youth are proving that even in hardship, hope grows strong and powerful. Today we celebrate their unstoppable spirit and the future they are shaping for all of us.

The Youth2030 Phase 2 (2025–2030) presents a comprehensive Strategic Priorities and Results Framework, charting a bold path forward to intensify impact and drive transformative change with and for young people worldwide . Launched in 2018 by the UN Secretary-General, Youth2030 — the UN Youth Strategy — is the umbrella framework guiding the UN system’s work with and for youth. Now, over six years into its implementation, acceleration is needed at all levels to meet the strategy’s goals. The report focuses on accelerating the implementation of Youth2030 at the global, regional, and national levels.  The Youth2030 Phase 2 (2025–2030) has been developed to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), placing youth at the front and center of this work while addressing the gaps identified in the first phase. Building on the UN Youth Strategy’s Priority and Foundational Areas, Youth2030 Phase 2 is supported by six strategic priorities aimed at driving systemic cha...

1 in 7 adolescents live with a mental health condition. Without adequate support, these conditions can have long-lasting impacts on their relationships, development & overall well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) has tips for supporting young people coping with mental illness.

On International Youth Day , we celebrate how youth transform local action into waves of change, born in villages, towns, and cities, into scalable models for change. From equipping youth with digital and entrepreneurial skills to backing climate-smart innovations and creating spaces for their voices in governance, UNDP, together with partners, is working for and with young people as co-creators of a more sustainable and resilient region.

The International Youth Day is commemorated every year on 12 August to highlight the challenges young people face, celebrate their contributions to society, and promote their meaningful engagement in building a better future.  The theme of International Youth Day 2025 is “ Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond ”. Localizing the SDGs refers to the process of adapting and implementing the global goals within specific local contexts, aligning them with community needs while maintaining consistency with national and international commitments. This approach is vital to ensure that development is inclusive, participatory, and sustainable. When young people are empowered to engage in this process, they become catalysts for innovation and resilience in their communities.  This year’s theme will focus on the power of young people in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and turning global commitments into local realities . Young people are not just beneficiaries ...