By Dauda Abbas
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has underscored the imperative of equipping young individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to steer the trajectory toward a cleaner, greener, and more climate-resilient future.
Guterres emphasizes that these indispensable skills encompass a spectrum ranging from innovative sustainable technologies and renewable energy applications to revolutionary shifts in transportation systems and industrial practices.
These insights were conveyed through his message in commemoration of International Youth Day 2023 (IYD).
An annual observance on August 12th, IYD’s theme for 2023—”Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World”—resonates with Guterres’ message, emphasizing the critical need for youths to acquire and apply proficiencies within the burgeoning green economy.
Guterres accentuates the profound impact of youth contributions on global sustainability, asserting that the boundless energy, ideas, and active involvement of young individuals worldwide are pivotal for humanity’s progress.
“Every year, International Youth Day celebrates the determination, ideas, and leadership of young people as we ardently pursue a better world. In the face of today’s multifaceted challenges, youth are leading calls for bold and expeditious actions. They stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable populations and are at the forefront of designing solutions that underpin social equity, economic growth, climate justice, and worldwide peace and prosperity,” Guterres declared.
To foster expanded youth participation, Guterres recently launched a policy brief advocating for governments to integrate youth involvement as a norm across global decision-making processes and policies.
This paradigm shift seeks to make youth participation a pervasive force rather than an exceptional occurrence.
Moreover, Guterres’ perspective mirrors the conviction that young people play an integral role in realizing transformative changes in society.
Jayathma Wickramanayake, the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, echoes this sentiment in her message.
She accentuates how young individuals have emerged as a driving force for societal transformation through their advocacy for climate action, pursuit of racial justice, and promotion of gender equality.
Wickramanayake emphasizes that genuine and sustained progress demands contributions from a diverse range of stakeholders.
She lauds the unswerving optimism, innovative solutions, and unwavering determination of young people, asserting that their efforts exemplify the opportunity to recalibrate the world’s trajectory towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She underscores that now, more than ever, the world requires such reminders of possibility.
“Let us collectively recommit to the vision of a more equitable, sustainable, just, and inclusive world, where young individuals everywhere are not only supported and empowered but also fully engaged and equipped to actualize their potential,” Wickramanayake asserts.
The messages from Antonio Guterres and Jayathma Wickramanayake converge to underscore the imperative of investing in the skills, ideas, and leadership potential of the youth.
The call to action extends beyond symbolic recognition on International Youth Day—it resonates as an ongoing commitment to ensuring the meaningful inclusion of young individuals in shaping a more prosperous, harmonious, and sustainable world.