FORUM: “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages.” International Youth Day 2022.
This year’s IYD theme brings awareness to the important partnerships across all ages that are needed to advance sustainable democracy. Follow the conversation with thehashtags: #IntergenerationalSolidarity, #InternationalYouthDay, #youth, #12August.
To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world needs to leverage the full potential of all generations. Solidarity across generations is key for sustainable development. We must collaborate to foster successful and equitable intergenerational relations and partnerships to ensure “no one is left behind.” While intergenerational solidarity and concern for future generations is being called for in tackling global issues – with the UN Secretary-General recently putting forward new recommendations on renewed intergenerational solidarity, including in Our Common Agenda – many challenges remain.
Ageism continues to present a significant – yet, not sufficiently discussed – challenge to fostering collaboration and solidarity across age groups. The World Health Organization defines ageism as “the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) directed towards others or oneself, based on age”. Ageism is an insidious and often an unaddressed issue in health, human rights and development, and has bearings on both older and younger populations around the world. In addition, ageism regularly intersects with other forms of bias (such as racism and sexism) and impacts people in ways that prevent them to reach their full potential and comprehensively contribute to their community.
Statement by the U.N. Secreatry-General on International Youth Day 2022: August 12th.
Today, we celebrate International Youth Day, and the power of partnerships across generations.
This year’s theme — “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages” — reminds us of a basic truth: we need people of all ages, young and old alike, to join forces to build a better world for all.
Too often, ageism, bias and discrimination prevent this essential collaboration. When young people are shut out of the decisions being made about their lives, or when older people are denied a chance to be heard, we all lose.
Solidarity and collaboration are more essential than ever, as our world faces a series of challenges that threaten our collective future.
From COVID-19 to climate change, to conflicts, poverty, inequality and discrimination, we need all hands on deck to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build the better, more peaceful future we all seek.
We need to support young people with massive investments in education and skills-building — including through next month’s Transforming Education Summit.
We also need to support gender equality and expanded opportunities for young people to participate in civic and political life.
It’s not enough to listen to young people — we need to integrate them into decision-making mechanisms at the local, national and international levels.
This is at the heart of our proposal to establish a new Youth Office at the United Nations.
And we need to ensure that older generations have access to social protection and opportunities to give back to their communities and share the decades of lived experience they have accumulated.
On this important day, let’s join hands across generations to break down barriers, and work as one to achieve a more equitable, just and inclusive world for all people.
U.N. Secretary-General.
EVENTS
Official Commemoration – Webinar
For International Youth Day 2022, DESA worked with the Major Group on Children and Youth (MGCY) to organize a global webinar for its official commemoration. The webinar features an exchange of views on the topic of intergenerational solidarity, intergenerational equity, future generations, and ageism.
CAMPAIGN: Enhancing the situation of young people around the world.
Learn more about the International Youth Day and the History of Youth at the UN.
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