The International Year of Youth, which began on 12 August last year, drew to a close today in New York. The UN system’s activities for the Year had three main objectives; to increase commitment and investment in youth; to encourage partnerships with young people and intensify their participation in society and in decision-making processes, and to foster dialogue and mutual understanding among youth.

Each year, International Youth Day (IYD) is assigned a theme; a conceptual slogan that communicates the scope, direction, and objectives of the year’s youth initiatives and also provides a unifying banner from under which individuals can draw the inspiration to take action. As you know, this year’s International Youth Day will represent the culmination of the International Year of Youth (IYY) - designated by the United Nations to comprise the 12 month period between IYD 2010 and IYD 2011 - and the 25th Anniversary of the first International Year of Youth.

“Educational, memorable, awe-inspiring” these are the words of UN Youth Champion Monique Coleman to describe the six-month long world tour she embarked on at the beginning of 2011 to raise awareness of the International Year of Youth and of the challenges facing young people.

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Youth, in New York today, 25 July:

Let me first share my shock about the terror attack in Norway on Friday.  I condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms.  I am particularly saddened that this murderer singled out young people keen to engage meaningfully in the future of their country.

Hundreds of young people converged on the United Nations in New York today as the General Assembly kicked off a high-level meeting devoted to tackling the challenges facing youth and exploring their potential to bring about change in their societies and in the world at large.

“We are seeking to promote a culture of dialogue and mutual understanding between young people and with young people as key stakeholders in today’s world,” Assembly President Joseph Deiss said as he opened the meeting.

As part of the International Year of Youth, the General Assembly will hold a high-level meeting on youth with the theme “Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding”. The meeting takes place on 25 and 26 July, 2011 in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The world is still a dangerous place for children. It is estimated that approximately 300,000 armed children and youths are living in conflict zones, half of them girls and the most vulnerable. These children are victims, forced to live in constant violation of their rights by being subjected to recruitment, mutilation, abduction, sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals and the denial of necessary humanitarian aid.

The UN Youth Champion and American Actress of the movie, High School Musical, Monique Coleman was recently in Nairobi to engage with young people in the country and promote the International Year of Youth (IYY). The Year was launched on 12 August 2010 and will end on 11 August 2011 under the theme Dialogue and Mutual Understanding.

As part of the International Year of Youth, the General Assembly will hold a high-level meeting on youth on 25 and 26 July 2011. The high-level meeting will have as its overarching theme “Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding”.

The high-level meeting will comprise two consecutive informal interactive round tables on 25 July 2011 and two plenary meetings on 26 July 2011. The round tables will be chaired by Member States at the invitation of the President of the General Assembly and will address the following themes: