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International Youth Day 2007

Date: Sun, Aug 12 2007 | International Day
Time: 12:00 - 1:00am
© UNICEF/Karel Prinsloo UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas watches a football game between Eritrean refugee children and children from Ethiopia in the country's Hitsats refugee camp.

International Youth Day,12 August 2007

"BE SEEN, BE HEARD: YOUTH PARTICIPATION FOR DEVELOPMENT"

International Youth Day gives the world an opportunity to recognize the potential of youth, to celebrate their achievements, and plan for ways to better engage young people to successfully take action in the development of their societies. It presents a unique opportunity for all stakeholders to rally together to ensure that young people are included in decision-making at all levels.

How you can commemorate International Youth Day 2007

Team up! Create a strategic youth team in your own community. IYD is a great opportunity to rally support and get key stakeholders involved - Governments, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, businesses, municipal authorities – everyone has a role to play in marking the day! Young people are especially encouraged to participate in local, national and international efforts to promote the Day. Find out more about the youth organizations that exist in your community or if your National Youth Council or other national bodies are commemorating the Day.

Organize! Hold forums, public discussions and campaigns to find out more about how young people can participate in society. Research and evaluate what has been done successfully in other communities. Often, International Youth Day can be used to raise awareness about issues that are important to youth through newspapers, radio and the Internet. The media are important partners that can greatly increase public awareness of youth issues.

Take action! A major benefit to International Youth Day is that it can often lead to new partnerships and practical action to further support the participation of young people in the processes and decisions that affect their lives. You may want to find out who could support and cooperate with you to address issues of concern to young people in your community. It is a great opportunity to begin a Model UN in your school or form a UN Youth Association or a National Youth Council. Find out if your country sends youth delegates to UN meetings.

Celebrate! Plan and organize performances to showcase - and celebrate – the fact that youth make valuable and positive contributions to the societies in which they live. Convene community meetings and events focusing on the varied skills, interests, and aspirations of young people. Invite Government and local UN officials, community and business leaders to participate in your event. Celebrate and enjoy International Youth Day 2007!

World Programme of Action for Youth: Proposals for Action on Participation (A/RES/50/81)

  • Improving access to information in order to enable young people to make better use of their opportunities to participate in decision-making;
  • Developing and/or strengthening opportunities for young people to learn their rights and responsibilities, promoting their social, political, developmental and environmental participation, removing obstacles that affect their full contribution to society and respecting, inter alia, freedom of association;
  • Encouraging and promoting youth associations through financial, educational and technical support and promotion of their activities;
  • Taking into account the contribution of youth in designing, implementing and evaluating national policies and plans affecting their concerns;
  • Encouraging increased national, regional and international cooperation and exchange between youth organizations;
  • Inviting Governments to strengthen the involvement of young people in international forums, inter alia, by considering the inclusion of youth representatives in their national delegations to the General Assembly.

 What is happening around the world to mark the day *

  • Global: 1. To commemorate the Day, young people (11 to 24) from all around the world can submit photographs and drawings to participate in a global photography competition "Shoot Nations". Prizes will be awarded for 48 winning photographs that will tour 5 major cities around the world, as well as be presented to the United Nations and displayed at UN Headquarters on International Youth Day. For more information, please visit Shoot Nations or email: hello@shootnations.org. 2. A GLOBAL YOUTH WAVE - An endeavour to connect youth and organizations world-wide, to be seen and heard - as we, as youth, develop world-wide. On the day of your event, film a 5-10 second clip with your location and youth waving at the camera, with a short message to how they are participating for development, and we will put it all together to form a short film of this "Global Youth Wave'. Ask your youth to be involved with how they would like to present themselves on screen, and their message for development. 5-10 seconds only! The short film will be posted on Youtube. Send footage when complete to jon.earle@poletopoleleadership.com before 17th August.
  • Australia: The 2007 Australian youth delegate to the General Assembly will host a BBQ in Sydney to celebrate International Youth Day. Representatives from a diverse range of youth organizations will get together and discuss work currently being done for Australia's youth. For more information, please email Ben Groom at youthrep07@unya.asn.au.
  • Bahrain: 1. The Government through its General Organization for Youth and Sports (GOYS) will celebrate IYD by launching an awareness campaign in collaboration with the local media through radio talk shows, television, newspapers, and by distributing informational materials in malls and at youth meetings. GOYS will also organize a National Youth Forum, based on this year's IYD theme for local youth organizations to discuss the key challenges facing youth today as well as providing them with a platform for to showcase their work. The Forum will end with a workshop for participants organized by the United Nations Development Programme, entitled "We are Partners for Development". In addition, a "Leave a Legacy" wall has been created that will be placed in a major shopping mall for young people to present their talents, thoughts, hopes and dreams. For more information, please contact youthaffairs.goys@gmail.com. 2. Bahrain: The Youth Committee of the Supreme Council for Women will receive the views of young people on International Youth Day. The committee has created a large Youth Box to receive proposals from youth from all over Bahrain at Seef Mall. This box will receive proposals and suggestions of young people between the ages of 15 and 25. Youth proposals would include identifying problems and presenting the concerns of young people in addition to their ambitions and aspirations, suggestions and opinions. The event will culminate in a workshop in September where the Youth Box proposals will be discussed, and a monetary prize will be awarded to the group with the best proposals. For more information, please contact sana@scw.gov.bh.
  • Bangladesh: 1. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) along with the Department of Youth Development, Ministry of Youth & Sports will host a TV talk show for policy-makers and young people. Several national and international NGOs will participate in the Day's activities that will include a seminar on the theme, as well as a youth dialogue. For more information, please contact noor@unfpa-bangladesh.org. 2. A youth network will produce a theme paper on the Day, distribute promotional materials and hold a press conference to further encourage the observance of International Youth Day in their country. For more information, please contact dhaka@ypsa.org or proyouthbd@gmail.com. 3. In observance of International Youth Day, a national coordinating youth organization will rally other national youth organizations and conduct a major event on 12th August. The event will work to create awareness among the young people to use ICT as a development tool to achieve the MDGs as well as promote employment opportunities. Activities will include a stand up event, a signature campaign, an ICT workshop and a quiz. For more information, please contact nfyob_bd@yahoo.com.
  • Canada: In the city of Toronto, an international volunteer action network will celebrate the Day through an art exhibit of youth-created work, an NGO fair and an international youth volunteer photograph sale. Two youth-inspiring feature films will also be presented at the event. For more information, please contact erin@yci.org.
  • Ghana: Along with international partners, the Youth Employment Summit along with the UNDP Civil Society Centre will organize a one-day stakeholder dialogue in Accra, which will cover youth participation in the fight against small arms and light weapons (SALW); youth volunteering for development; National Youth Policy; Youth and the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy; and creating a permanent alliance of youth in civil society to serve as the voice of youth at national level. A special photo exhibition on the Day will highlight the devastating effects of small arms on nations, communities, and especially young people. Extensive television, radio and print media will publicize IYD and the events. For more information, please contact edudzie@gmail.com.
  • Greece: Club Serron for UNESCO along with youth NGOs in Serres will conduct IYD events, which include and exhibition in the central square with interview's and photo-displays. Radio promotions covered of IYD, youth programmes and personal experiences. Posters and print articles were also prepared to promote the events of the Day. For more information, please contact unescoserron@gmail.com.
  • India: In 23 cities in India, a non-governmental educational and spiritual organization will host interactive two hour workshops on the theme “LIVING PURPOSEFULLY-DEVELOPING INTERNAL & EXTERNAL LEADERSHIP QUALITIES”. The objective of the workshop is to make young people look at their role in family and society and propose solutions for personal and social development. During the workshop, the youth will utilize the tools of self-discovery such as meditation, as well as participate in group discussions. The workshops will be held in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Tirupati, Guwahati, Raipur, Ahmedabad, Ranchi, Bangalore, Indore,Mumbai, Pune, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Allahabad, Kanpur, Varanasi, Lucknow, Dehradun, Roorkee and Kolkata. For more information, please contact the youth coordinator, Rishabh Kothari at rck@ckc.in.
  • Northern Ireland: A community empowerment partnership in Belfast will team up with two other local community areas and meet in a park. Plans include a bar-b-q, balloons and badges with personal messages, music by a young DJ and face painting, as well as a youth forum to hear what young people have to say! The events are designed to work to present young people in a positive light and encourage them to express themselves positively in their changing community.
  • Kenya: 1. UN-HABITAT will conduct IYD celebrations at the UN Headquarters in Nairobi and offer an opportunity for United Nations Agencies and Programmes to collaboratively feature their youth programmes, best practices and lessons learned from the local, national and global levels to promote system-wide collaboration in support of youth empowerment and youth-led development. The UN-wide exhibition will include an opening ceremony and reception. Young people attending the opening ceremony will present a commitment request for participating UN agencies and partners commit themselves to achieve by IYD 2008. For more information, please contact copudo@gmail.com. 2. In Kwale District, Coast Region of Kenya, activities will be held to create awareness on the impact of environmental degradation and pollution and will include a beach clean-up, tree planting at the show ground and a public education workshop. A Public Forum will also be organized to discuss drugs and substance abuse in the district and the role of youth in the area's development agenda. Other activities will include boys and girls football, traditional dances and bicycle races. Government officials, and representatives of NGOs, CSOs, as well as religious leaders will be invited to participate as partners in the IYD commemoration activities. For more information, please contact cicc@swiftmombasa.com.
  • Nepal: 1. In Pokhara, several youth-led youth organizations will conduct independent activities under a common IYD Celebration Committee that include interactive discussions on governance, youth participation and entrepreneurship development, a youth poetry recital and street plays. The events will culminate in a major youth rally. For more information, please contact paudelsamu@gmail.com. 2. A team of young researchers is now actively working on a youth report to highlight the status of youth of Nepal that will be launched on International Youth Day 2007. Workshops will also be organized to provide a space for young people to raise their voices for their participation and representation in development initiatives. For more information, please contact youthactionnepal@ntc.net.np.
  • Papua New Guinea: The National Youth Commission of Papua New Guinea, under the Ministry for Community Development will conduct media publicity of the importance of IYD, through a radio talk-back show, panel discussions, and press releases encouraging youth development agencies in the country and youth groups to carryout educational activities to commemorate the Day. For more information, please contact cusuka@pngfamilies.gov.pg.
  • Philippines: 1. A local roadrunners youth club will conduct a 10-k clean-up drive, a 1-day youth exhibits and 3-k, 5-k and 10-k Fun Run to celebrate International Youth Day through information, education, communication and sports. Plans are also underway to have IYD as a year-round activity culminating in a 12-August event. For more information, please contact ptyp2006@gmail.com. 2. Local youth organizations in Dumaguete City will hold a mini concert of local bands and young people that will include slide-show presentations and a live feed of IYD celebrations from other countries available on the Internet. T-shirts and giveaways will be distributed at the event, which will culminate with a "countdown" to 12:00 a.m. on August 12. For more information, please contact yanot14@yahoo.com.
  • Republic of Macedonia: In Skopje, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the Y-Peer Macedonia Network will celebrate the Day thorough theatre performances, street animation, NGO information points (small fair), creative canvas painting and lots of entertaining and educative games. The event will be held on 10 August in front of one the biggest shopping malls in the city where young people and others will have the opportunity to get information on sexual and reproductive health, as well as nutrition and positive health practices. Videos made by young people on HIV/AIDS awareness and youth involvement in local communities will be presented at an event. For more information, please contact irina.janevska@undp.org.
  • Republic of Tanzania: 1. A major local NGO will conduct a youth rally, exhibition and dialogue to commemorate IYD. The events will address the theme of the day and will enable young people to learn more about the MDGs and MKUKUTA - the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP). For more information, please contact vijanavision@hotmail.com 2. In Zanzibar, the Ministry of Labour, Youth , Women and Children Development Zanzibar in collaboration with UNICEF will conduct activities to commemorate International Youth Day from 6 - 12 August 2007, a youth policy workshop, a round-table discussion, a Youth Talk show on TV and radio and a Press Conference. The workshops will focus on the implementation of Zanzibar's Youth Development Policy, Zanzibar Youth Employment Action Plan and the challenges of HIV/AIDS and substance abuse. Additional activities in other areas include the provision of free VCT, awareness education on HIV/AIDS, environmental clean-up and sports competitions. For more information, please contact znzyouthdept@hotmail.com.
  • Russian Federation: The following are the events in the Russian Federation (2007): National workshop on challenges to participation in projects related to implementing a national youth policy strategy; plenary meeting of the Duma State Assembly on cooperation between the legislative and executive branches of Government on youth policy; Moscow Youth and Student Festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 6th World Youth and Student Festival in Moscow; International Youth Forum entitled “All different – all equal” (Kazan, 21-23 September 2007) for young people and representative of Governmental organizations responsible for youth policy. Also included are representatives from European and Central Asian countries. For more information, please contact the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, Division for Human Rights and Social Issues
  • Timor Leste: "UNIC: I held a special roundtable on youth (for World Youth Day), which went well. It got coverage on national Timor-Leste radio and a small article in the national paper Timor Post, which I was pleased with. But more than that, bringing the relevant stakeholders to discuss how to maximize the potential of Timor-Leste's youth, felt important and critical, especially given the situation and in a country where almost 60 per cent of the population is under 20 years old.
  • United States: 2. In New York City, the Mayor has issued a proclamation adopting 12 August as International Youth Day in the city. A city-wide basketball and soccer tournament will culminate in final championship matches played on 12 August in a park near UNHQ. Performances from China and Mexico will also be conducted to enliven the event. Young people and others will contribute their images and ideas to a Peace Wall at the event. For more information, please see http://www.dfoy.org/youthday.shtml. 2. In the town of Fairfield, Connecticut, a non-profit, non-governmental education organization working to promote literacy in rural and impoverished communities in Haiti will host an event to promote educational rights for children in Haiti along with the Town Board. Young people participating in the event will share their talent through reading, poetry, music and art. The program will end with a Barbecue lunch for all participants and will receive full media coverage. The goal is connect young people in the affluent community with the reality of poverty of the youth in Haiti. For more information, please contact HLD@Haitilumiere.org.

Email us at youth@un.org to share unique ideas and plans for commemorating International Youth Day in your local commuity that show effective collaboration and partnerships between young people and their Governments, UN offices and national youth organizations. Please note that this opportunity should not be used for self-promotion or publicity.

What is happening at UN Headquarters to mark the day?

An event was held at UN Headquarters on Friday, 10 August to commemorate the day. See details of the programme.

The event held at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium included young people from New York City schools, participants at UNESCO's Intergenerational Forum and delegates from Children International. Presentations on youth participation for development were made through Friends of the UN: Young Leaders Initiative that featured the Young Professionals for International Cooperation (YPIC), TakingITGlobal, and the World Peace Prayer Society. Performances were organized by a local NGO, Directions for our Youth, that included a dynamic and outstanding demonstration by Life Sport Performance and a step dance by P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. (Participating in the Lives Amongst Youth to Educate and Restore Society). A highlight of the event was the Shoot Nations, photo-competion presentation made by Plan International and Shoot Experience.

See photographs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

Other initiatives to increase youth participation