In 1995 the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the World Programme of Action for Youth, setting a policy framework and guidelines for national action and international support to improve the situation of young people. Fifteen Priority Areas were adopted by the UNGA, such as education, employment, environment, participation, information and communication technologies. In a follow-up action, in 1999 the UNGA decided that 12 August would be declared International Youth Day (IYD).
Theme of the IYD 2017: Youth Building Peace
Since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2250 in 2015, there is growing recognition that as agents of change, young people are critical actors in conflict prevention and sustaining peace. International Youth Day 2017 is dedicated to celebrating young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace.
The current generation of youth is the largest in history and young people often comprise the majority in countries marked by armed conflict or unrest; therefore, considering the needs and aspirations of youth in matters of peace and security is a demographic imperative.
Another Security Council Resolution, Resolution 2282 (2016), recognizes that the scale and challenges of sustaining peace require partnerships between stakeholders, including youth organizations. It also reaffirms the important role youth can play in deterring and resolving conflicts, and that they can be key constituents in ensuring the success of both peacekeeping and peace building efforts.
Let’s develop and implement a dual approach with young and senior professionals for developing young talents within MAVA partners
On the occasion of IYD 2017, the MAVA Foundation is launching a call for proposals to develop and implement a tailor-made intergenerational leadership program.
As MAVA will phase out of its funding to all partners by 2022, this new programme will be a key component of its strategy, building institutional resilience within MAVA partner organisations by supporting the professional development of young talents.
Applications can be addressed to: proposal.youngleaders@fondationmava.org
The closing date for the submission of applications is Friday, 29 September 2017 at midnight
Read more about the call here
More information
The official commemorative event to celebrate International Youth Day at the United Nations Headquarters in New York will take place on Friday, 11 August 2017. To learn more about how you can participate in the official commemorative event to celebrate IYD or watch it live, click here.
To organize your own event or activity, check out the toolkit of ideas here.
To add your event to the map of events click here.
To learn more about the issue of youth building peace, click here.
The World Programme of Action for Youth, which provides a policy framework and practical guidelines to improve the situation of young people, also encourages “promoting the active involvement of youth in maintaining peace and security”.
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