UNESCO contributions to the International Year of Youth

The 7th UNESCO Youth Forum will be held by UNESCO from 17 to 20 October 2011 with the aim of marking a time when youth are raising their voices to claim their place in the future of their countries. The need to be heard, and to go beyond and actually shape decision-making, is embodied in the objectives of the UNESCO Youth Forum.

The UNESCO Youth Forum is institutionalized as an integral part of the UNESCO General Conference, thereby being among the few regular mechanisms, at global level, which allow youth to submit their recommendations to representatives of national governments.

During the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum in October 2011, the results of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on youth , organized at UN Headquarters in New York on 25 and 26 July 2011, will be presented and discussed. This meeting was focused on “Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding” and conceived as the highlight of the International Year of Youth.

Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, participated as a speaker in the panel discussion on Challenges to youth development and opportunities for poverty eradication, employment and sustainable development.

More information about the United Nations High-Level Meeting on youth can be read here.

More information about the UNESCO Youth Forum can be read here.