UN: International Youth Day
August 12
With 1.8 billion people aged 10 to 24, the world has never had so many young people today. However, more than half of children and adolescents aged 6 to 14 do not have basic reading and numeracy skills, even though the majority of them go to school. This global learning crisis threatens to seriously impede progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
August 12 was designated International Youth Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999 and is an annual celebration of the role of youth as key partners in change.
Theme 2019: Transforming Education
This year’s theme focuses on efforts to make education more inclusive and accessible for all young people, including the efforts of young people themselves. Rooted in Sustainable Development Goal 4 – “Ensuring access to quality education for all, on an equal footing, and promoting lifelong learning opportunities” – International Day of Youth 2019 examines how governments, youth and youth-led and youth-led organizations, as well as other actors, are transforming education to make it a powerful tool for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Development sustainable.