麻豆传媒

Young people from Kosovo and Albania collaborating on a mural as part of a community art project.
Local youth actions are not isolated activities; they are integral to broader efforts to achieve national development plans and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Photo:? Dardan Rushiti/ UNDP Kosovo

Youth Localizing the SDGs

The theme of International Youth Day (IYD) 2025, Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond, highlights the unique role of youth in translating global ambitions into community-driven realities. As development partners work to translate and implement the global goals within specific local contexts, aligning them with community needs while maintaining consistency with national and international commitments, young people are critical partners. They bring creativity, insight, and deep community ties that help bridge the gap between policy and practice. With over 65 per cent of SDG targets linked to local governance, youth engagement is not a luxury—it is a necessity.

This year’s IYD will also underscore the essential role of local and regional governments. Being the closest to the communities they serve, they are uniquely positioned to create inclusive policy environments, allocate resources, and establish mechanisms for youth participation in local planning and decision-making. By integrating youth priorities into local and regional strategies and fostering partnerships with youth organizations, authorities can collaborate with young people to transform their ideas into impactful solutions. When local governments provide spaces for innovation, mentorship, and civic engagement, they not only accelerate SDG implementation but also nurture future community leaders and changemakers.

This year’s IYD takes on added significance as it coincides with the upcoming 30th anniversary of the . It remains a guiding framework for recognizing youth as key actors in sustainable development and participatory governance—principles directly echoed in this year’s theme. Discussions related to the 2025 IYD theme will also inform preparations for the to be held in Doha in November.

As the world embarks on the final stretch toward 2030, IYD 2025 calls for real investments in inclusive policies and programmes that leverage local youth actions for the SDGs.

The Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change

On International Youth Day, 12 August 2025, the Secretary-General announced the 14 young leaders appointed to the third cohort of his Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change who will bring their expertise and recommendations to guide the UN's effort on climate action. Learn more about these inspiring young climate leaders here.

logo for the international day

Did you know?

  • Half of the people on our planet are 30 or younger, and this is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030.
  • Survey shows that 67% of people believe in a better future, with 15 to 17 year-olds being the most optimistic about this.
  • By 2050, the people who are under 25 today will compose more than 90% of the prime-age workforce.
  • 13% of the young labour force is unemployed. This number from 2023 marks the lowest rate in 15 years.

Official Commemoration

Youth representatives attending the UN Youth Theme Conference

The global observance of International Youth Day 2025 will take place on 12 August in Nairobi, Kenya, in collaboration with the . The event will bring together youth leaders, municipal officials, policymakers, UN representatives, and development practitioners to exchange ideas and showcase solutions for strengthening youth engagement in local development.

Stories | United Nations Development Programme

Youth can be a positive force for development when provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive.?Today, there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16 per cent of the global population . By 2030—the target date for the?Sustainable Development Goals?(SDGs) that make up the?—the number of youth is projected to have grown by 7 per cent, to nearly 1.3 billion.

, held from 15 to 17 April, brought together young leaders from around the world to share innovative solutions for accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda. Through dialogues with Member States and UN agencies, youth participants voiced their priorities and proposed actions to address the world’s most pressing challenges.

an abstract illustration of people engaged in an event

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances.