International Youth Day 2025 "Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond" | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

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 focuses 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 of development; they are active leaders, innovators, and agents of change within their communities.

You can read the full concept note for International Youth Day 2025 here.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Message

International Youth Day 2025 - Video message from Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General, UN DESA

Official Commemoration

The global observance of International Youth Day 2025 will take place on 12 August in Nairobi, Kenya, in collaboration with UN-Habitat. The event will bring together youth leaders, municipal officials, policymakers, UN representatives, and development practitioners to exchange ideas and showcase solutions for strengthening youth engagement in local development.

Planned activities include:

Interactive Dialogue: The event will feature an interactive dialogue between youth and other decision-makers. Topics will cover urban planning, climate resilience, social inclusion, innovation, and digital transformation, all through a youth lens.
Youth Innovation Showcase: Youth organizations and social enterprises will have the opportunity to exhibit their work both in the community and at the UN compound.
Commemoration of 2025 IYD: This will bring together youth, UN, and government representatives. The commemoration will be held in person on the UN compound and virtually, ensuring global participation of youth and youth partners.

Knowledge Products

In support of the 2025 theme, DESA is preparing a set of knowledge products to amplify youth voices and inspire action at all levels:

Infographic featuring the contribution and role of youth in localizing the SDGs.
Youth storytelling series showcasing stories from young people implementing local solutions.
Social media engagement package, with ready-to-use digital materials designed for dissemination by youth networks, Member States, and UN agencies to increase outreach and engagement.

International Youth Day Infographic

Explore these IYD infographics to learn what SDG localization means, why it matters, the role of youth in driving it, and how we can support their efforts.

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References:

UN DESA (2024). Inter-agency Policy Briefs on Accelerating Progress on the 2030 Agenda from Local to Global Levels.
UN Youth Office (2025). UN Youth Compass: A Guide to Youth Action for the SDGs.
UN-Habitat (2022). Multilevel Governance for SDG Localization.
UN SDG:Learn (2025). The Role of Youth in Localizing Sustainable Development.

International Youth Day Storytelling Series

Dive into this storytelling series to see how young people worldwide are turning the Global Goals into real change in their communities. Read the full story: Bringing the Global Goals home: How youth make the SDGs local

Visit the International Youth Day 2025 Trello Board

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!

Youth, Peace and Local Action

To mark this year’s International Youth Day, the UN Youth Office is leading a dedicated campaign focused on the role of young people in building peaceful, inclusive societies starting at the local level. Anchored in the principle of meaningful youth participation, the campaign highlights youth as equal partners in peacebuilding and inclusive governance. Through a global call for user-generated content, the UN Youth Office is inviting young people to share real stories and examples of youth-led initiatives that prevent violence, promote dialogue, and build trust at the community level. These stories will be featured across UN platforms to help amplify youth contributions and shift public narrative on young people’s role as leaders in peace and security. Add your voice to the global conversation using #YouthLeadPeace today!

To learn more, please visit here.

Youth-Led Events Around the World

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. You can access the calendar here and get involved!

Disclaimer: This calendar is developed and maintained by MGCY. It is shared for informational purposes only and is not an official product of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).