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International Youth Day was designated by the United Nations in 1999 with the adoption of Resolution 54/120 to raise awareness of barriers in society young people face, celebrate and work toward youth empowerment with an intersectional lens. It is commemorated every year on the 12th August, bringing youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society.
Today, our world is home to the largest generation of young people in history. It’s time for all generations to collaborate and tackle societal challenges locally and globally. Trying to solve global challenges in isolation, with the same people in the same rooms where decision-making is happening, and applying the same solutions isn’t working. Young people should be meaningfully included in various actions and decision-making spaces worldwide to drive systemic change.
Theme in 2023
International Youth Day of 2023 is dedicated to “Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World”. Climate change, global warming, and increased risk of pandemics draws into sharp relief our responsibility towards the planet, its societies, and communities. Foregrounding green skills in teaching values and practices will enable future generations to meet the global challenges that face humanity.
CHARM-EU gives youth a seat at the table.
CHARM-EU is raising awareness of this International Day, reiterating its commitment to celebrate and reflect on efforts to tackle inequalities and structural barriers young people and people of all ages face in education and various spheres of life.
Sustainability is embedded into the CHARM-EU Masters in Global Challenges for Sustainability. Students work to address and tackle global challenges and sustainability issues in this innovative programme, learning theory and practices from educators and stakeholders, and collaborating with their peers, stakeholders from business and civil society. We are delighted that the CHARM-EU Masters programme discusses many issues people and communities face locally and globally with human rights perspectives and how to work towards a more just and inclusive society. CHARM-EU is committed to creating spaces for collaboration for building supportive communities, learning, exchanging knowledge and experiences, and self-growth as individuals with open hearts and minds, conscious of their communities and the environment, to realise the UN SDGs.
“I am delighted to see so many local, regional, national, and European initiatives engaging different stakeholders to work towards an inclusive, diverse Europe that includes and co-creates with young people,” said Agnes Sarolta Fazekas-Vinkovits, Leader of CHARM-EU Inclusiveness (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Team. “When we say “Nothing about us without us,” we mean that no policy or practice should be made without the participation of all groups, including individuals – especially young ones – from different backgrounds, life experiences, and access needs. Collaborating and co-creating with young people, especially those who face structural barriers and rigid power relations and dynamics is essential; otherwise, their voice is easily dismissed.”
See Dr Fazekas-Vinkovits’ 2019 article for more information: ‘No one left behind: increasing access for all students’.
Join us to raise awareness by using the hashtag #YouthDay on social media and read more here: International Youth Day | United Nations
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The contribution was prepared by Anna Tepliczky, a student volunteer (ELTE BGGYK), in collaboration with Agnes Sarolta Fazekas-Vinkovits, Leader of the CHARM-EU Inclusiveness (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Team.
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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
