World Youth Skills Day 2015, July 15th.

世界青年技能日, 7月15日.
 Всемирный день молодежи Навыки, 15 июля.
World Youth Skills Day , 15 July.
 Día Mundial de las Habilidades de la Juventud, 15 de Julio.
Journée mondiale des compétences des jeunes,15 juillet.

مهارات اليوم العالمي للشباب، 15 يوليو

Secretary-General Poses for Selfie at Event in Brussels with a group of young people.Credit :UN Photo (Evan Schneider)

United Nations Secretary-General Message for the World Youth Skills Day 2015.

I welcome this first-ever commemoration of World Youth Skills Day. On July 15th each year, the international community will underscore the value of helping young people to upgrade their own abilities to contribute to our common future.
While overall more young people have greater educational opportunities than in the past, there are still some 75 million adolescents who are out of school, denied the quality education they deserve and unable to acquire the skills they need.
We may see an understandably frustrated youth population – but that picture is incomplete. With the right skills, these young people are exactly the force we need to drive progress across the global agenda and build more inclusive and vibrant societies.
Skills development reduces poverty and better equips young people to find decent jobs. It triggers a process of empowerment and self-esteem that benefits everyone. And it strengthens youth capacity to help address the many challenges facing society, moving us closer to ending poverty hunger, injustice and environmental degradation.
On this Day, I call for investing politically and financially in developing the skills of young people so that they can help build a more just and sustainable future for all.

Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General.

Statement by the President of the 69th session of the General Assembly for the World Youth Skills Day 2015.

Delivered by H.E. Maria Cristina Perceval, Permanent Representative Argentina, on behalf of President Kutesa

Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of His Excellency, Sam K. Kutesa, President of the 69th session of the General Assembly.
Excellencies,
Today, we have gathered for the first time to mark World Youth Skills Day. This event is indeed timely, as this year we have been presented a critical opportunity to create a better future for people and the planet.
This September, we will gather in New York to adopt an ambitious and transformative post-2015 development agenda. This week leaders are also meeting in Addis Ababa to put in place adequate means of implementation for the future development framework. Furthermore, in December, we will gather in Paris to adopt a new, universally-binding climate change agreement.
As we pursue efforts to promote sustainable development while also seeking to protect the well-being of the planet, considerations for the needs and aspirations of the youth should be taken into account.
Excellencies,
The issues affecting youth are also taking centre stage in other fora this year including as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY). In an event marking that milestone last May, many participants noted the important strides made in addressing youth development over the last two decades, although many challenges remain, including access to education and unemployment.
The High-level Event on the “Demographic Dividend and Youth Employment”, which I convened last month, provided another occasion to explore the many challenge and opportunities facing today’s youth. Throughout that event, special emphasis was put on human capital development, with specific calls to provide young people with quality education, training and skills development.
Beyond educational, entrepreneurial and vocational skills, there is also a need to enhance the core skills of the youth, including, interpersonal skills, innovation, creativity, values and attitudes all of which will help foster a generation of young people that contributes to the well-being of their homes, their communities, as well as their workplaces.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As we mark this first World Youth Skills Day, we are afforded an opportunity to reflect on the important role of young people around the world and identify ways to maximize their potential.
Indeed, the youth are no longer just the leaders of tomorrow, but are valued partners today as we seek to put the world on a course toward a better, more sustainable future.
I thank you.

 Maria Cristina Perceval, Permanent Representative Argentina

Did you know... 

With the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and UNESCO’s Education for All (EFA) campaign coming to their term in 2015, more young people than ever around the world have gained access to education. This has sparked career expectations and raised hopes for a better future in many young people. Education, skills and jobs are rated high in people’s priorities for development: in the global My World 2015 Survey, young people up to the age of 30 across all regions and education levels rated education as their number one priority, with better job opportunities being the third priority. Yet globally,

• youth represent 25% of the total working age population but make up 40% of the unemployed (ILO, FAO, 2013).
• almost 74 million young people (aged 15 to 24) were looking for work in 2014 (ILO, 2015).
• two thirds of youth in developing economies are without work, not studying, or engaged in irregular or informal employment (UNDP, 2014).
• never before have there been so many young people on the planet: 1.8 billion people are aged 10 to 24 (UNFPA, 2014).
• the working-age population is poised to more than double in the least-developed countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa between 2015 and 2050 (UNFPA, 2014).
• the youth unemployment situation is common to all regions in the world and is happening despite improvements in average educational attainment (ILO, 2015).

Never again is there likely to be such potential for economic and social progress. How we meet the needs and aspirations of young people will define our common future. Skilling people through relevant and good-quality vocational education is seen as a factor that can really make a difference in the global youth employment crisis. Yet weak governance structures are key factors holding back the increase of employment opportunities for youth and the sustainable development of countries and economies.

 EVENTS :  World Youth Skills Day  Save the date!!


WYSD Event in Bonn

 The United Nations in Bonn will observe the first World Youth Skills Day together with guests from Bonn University, WorldSkills competitors and UN Bonn staff with a panel discussion on “Youth skills for work and life in the post-2015 agenda”.
•When : 15 July 2015
•What time: 16:00
•Where : UN Campus Bonn

World Youth Skills Day 2015

 To raise awareness on the importance of investing in youth skills development, the United Nations General Assembly has decided to celebrate the first World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) on 15 July 2015.  #WYSD2015 – spread the word! Join us in celebrating the first-ever World Youth Skills Day on 15 July 2015!   #WYSD at the United Nations in Bonn

WYSD celebrations coincide with an important year of setting the agenda for the future: a new climate agreement, and the adoption of the Sustainable Development goals are just around the corner. That is why this year’s theme is “Youth skills for work and life in the post-2015 agenda”.

WYSD is in line with the upcoming Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, which propose two goals on education and skills for employment:

Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.  Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

In this context, the UN is organizing several events at UN offices in Bonn (Germany), New York (USA), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and elsewhere.  

Publications :

• Global Forum on Skills for work and life: post 2015
• Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013

External Links :

• Youth Employment
• Skills for Youth Employment
• The World Bank - Youth Employment
• UNESCO International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training