Dialogue on Youth Solidarity and Engagement to Accelerate the SDGs to mark the 77th United Nations Day

Mr. Fu Zhenbang, Vice President, All-China Youth Federation,

Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth,

Ms. Deng Hongmei, Counsellor, Department of International Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China,

Ms. Tang Ying, Director, Global Development Promotion Center, China International Development Cooperation Agency,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, October 24, is United Nations Day, marking the day in 1945 when the UN Charter entered into force. Celebrated every year, UN Day offers an opportunity to amplify our common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided the international community for the past 77 years.

In his message for this year’s UN Day, Secretary-General António Guterres put it simply, when he said, “The United Nations is the product of hope.”

It is, therefore, fitting that we commemorate the day this year by convening young leaders from China and across the globe to share their hopes for the future as we stress the need for intergenerational solidarity in order to realize the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Chinese philosopher Confucius once said, “A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know his or her future will not be equal to our present?” Friends, I can tell you that the young leaders in this room today have the potential to even surpass generations that have come before them in terms of their contributions and accomplishments. The possibilities for youth are endless and are only constrained by their imaginations, particularly if they have the support they need to thrive and prosper.

Today, there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24, accounting for 16 per cent of the global population. By 2030, the number of youth is projected to have grown by 7 per cent, to nearly 1.3 billion.

As the torchbearers of the 2030 Agenda, youth play a pivotal role not just as beneficiaries but as partners and participants in its adoption and implementation. However, sustainable development cannot be achieved unless we engage young people and create the conditions for them to reach and unleash their full potential.

Our world faces severe global challenges as we experience increased political polarization, a climate crisis, social inequality and fragmentation, democratic backsliding, and a lingering pandemic. Here, the anxieties experienced by youth are present and real, while the need for multilateralism and international cooperation is greater than ever.

The UN calls on all stakeholders in the room to further consult, engage, and integrate youth across your efforts toward achieving the SDGs. We all must recognize that young people are agents of change, who can be entrusted to act as the architects of their own future.

This year’s International Youth Day theme, Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World of All Ages, also reminds us that to ensure “no one is left behind”, the full potential of all generations needs to be leveraged. Therefore it is essential to foster more equitable intergenerational relations and partnerships that tackle global issues.

While all the SDGs are critical to youth development, the realization of targets in the Goals relating to climate change, education, employment, health, and youth empowerment and engagement hold perhaps the most significant implications for emerging generations and hence are some of the key topics in today’s dialogue.

For our part, the UN in China, while implementing our United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2021-2025), will continue to act as a source of protection and support for young people, and to provide a platform through which their needs can be addressed, their voices can be amplified, and their engagement can be advanced.  

To raise a few examples, in advancing SDG 4, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is promoting quality education, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, with emphasis on reaching young women. Their work supports the updating of curricula, providing hands-on workshops, kits and guidebooks, training teachers and students, encouraging the popularization of science among youth and ensuring that STEM education is accessible for all, not just the privileged.

In advancing SDG 8 – the International Labour Organization is working to reduce skills mismatch, promote sustainable employment and enhance youth employability, and has contributed to the Working Guide for China’s New Enterprise-based Apprenticeship Programme since 2018. Its’ Quality Apprenticeship and Lifelong Learning in China project are powering more advanced apprenticeship systems in China, by introducing new expertise and tools.

The United Nations Population Fund is also providing support in enhancing youth leadership and participation towards achieving the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action and the SDGs. As a result, knowledge and awareness of sexual and reproductive health and rights for 10,000 adolescents and young people in China have been strengthened. As part of this programme, a multi-sectoral mechanism has also been developed to identify and respond to adolescent psychological crises.  

The United Nations Children’s Fund has been doing important work through the Generation Unlimited, an initiative that focus on ensuring that every young person is educated, employed and fully skilled by 2030.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On UN Day, we are reminded that it is young people who are leading the struggle for climate action, and mobilizing for racial and social justice while putting forward innovative solutions that advance progress and inspire change. For their sake, we must renew our efforts to bring to life the values and principles of the UN Charter in every corner of the world.

Thank you for joining us today to mark this important day for the United Nations. I wish you successful and fruitful discussions that lead to concrete outcomes that we can operationalize together.