International Youth Day 2026; August 12th.

FORUM: "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations." International Youth Day 2026. Today, we recognize that while young people’s lives are shaped by different national and local realities, their aspirations are remarkably similar. Across countries and communities, young people seek dignity, opportunity, meaningful participation, decent work, quality education, and a sustainable future. This year’s theme places particular attention on young people living in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), who often experience overlapping challenges linked to poverty, climate change, geographic isolation, limited economic opportunities, and unequal access to digital technologies. At the same time, these young people continue to demonstrate resilience, leadership, and innovation in advancing sustainable development within their communities and beyond. Although young people experience different realities depending on where they live, many of today's most pressing challenges transcend borders. Limited access to quality education, barriers to decent work, unequal digital connectivity, climate change, social exclusion, and concerns about mental well-being affect millions of young people worldwide. These challenges are often most acute in LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS, where structural constraints—including limited fiscal space, geographic isolation, climate vulnerability, and infrastructure gaps—can reduce opportunities for youth. Yet young people in these countries are also leading innovative solutions through entrepreneurship, digital technologies, community action, climate adaptation, and social innovation. The 2026 theme emphasizes that recognizing different contexts should strengthen—not diminish—global solidarity. By investing in youth everywhere and supporting those facing the greatest barriers, the international community can help ensure that no young person is left behind.

The 2026 Sub-themes are about:

Global Solidarity: Sustainable development and youth development are shared responsibilities. This sub-theme highlights the importance of international cooperation, partnerships, and equitable access to opportunities and resources that enable young people everywhere to thrive.
Shared Challenges: Young people across countries increasingly face interconnected challenges related to education, employment, climate change, digital inclusion, and mental well-being. This sub-theme encourages dialogue and collective responses informed by young people's lived experiences.
Youth Innovation: Young people are developing practical and creative solutions to local and global challenges. From climate action and digital entrepreneurship to community-led initiatives and social innovation, youth continue to demonstrate leadership even in resource-constrained settings. This sub-theme celebrates their contributions while promoting opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing.

On this occasion, we celebrate also the young people around the world who are turning ideas into action, building businesses, creating opportunities and driving change in their communities. Through our global youth entrepreneurship community, we are proud to connect and support young entrepreneurs on their journeys. With The hashtags #InternationalYouthDay, we celebrate the young entrepreneurs showing us what hashtag #YouthLead looks like in action — and the creativity, ambition and leadership they bring to building a better future.

 Statement from Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General, UN DESA on International Youth Day 2026; August 12th.

On this International Youth Day, I'm delighted to join you in celebrating the vital contribution of the young people whose ideas, energy, and determination are driving progress towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.

This year's theme, different context, common aspirations, reflects a simple but powerful truth. While the young people's lives are shaped by diverse local realities, their aspirations for dignity, opportunity, participation, and sustainable future are also shared across the borders. Many young people continue to face barriers to education, employment, digital connectivity and opportunity.
Yet, we also see a generation that is innovating, adapting, and leading change in the communities around the world. 

This year's observance highlights three priorities. 

First, global solidarity. Expanding opportunities for young people requires a stronger international cooperation, investment, and partnerships.

Second, shared challenges. Issues such as inequality, climate change, education, employment, digital access, and mental health transcend borders and demand collective solutions.

Third, use innovation. Across the all regions, young people are developing climate solutions, building businesses, and using technology to strengthen the layer communities.

The 2025 world summit for social development in Doha reaffirmed the importance of the inclusive people centered development. As we build on that commitment, we must continue investing in young people and creating the conditions for them to succeed through its work that on sustainable development, social inclusion and youth employment. My department at the UN Desert remains committed to supporting young people and expanding opportunities for them to thrive. Young people are not waiting for change.

They are leading changes. Our responsibility is to ensure that they have the opportunities, resources, and support they need to shape a better future for all. Thank you.

Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General, UN DESA. 

EVENTS: On August 12th, The main observance of the International Youth Day 2026 will be held. 

The United Nations will commemorate International Youth Day 2026 on 12 August through an online campaign inviting young people worldwide to share messages of hope, support, and collaboration, with particular attention to youth living in LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS. The observance provides a platform for governments, youth organizations, United Nations entities, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders to promote dialogue, strengthen partnerships, and showcase youth-led initiatives that contribute to more inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable societies.You can read the full concept note  and Register to participate!

This celebration of youth convenes hundreds of young people from around the world who are eager to make the world a better place. Hosted at the United Nations World Health Organization, young people, dignitaries, leaders, educators, activists and champions of sustainable development are gathering to explore the theme of “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.” Watch the celebration of International Youth Day 2026: Different Contexts, Common Aspirations organized by the UNITAR

COMMUNICATION MATERIALS: In support of the 2026 theme, DESA is preparing a set of products to amplify youth voices and inspire action at all level. These products are available in a Trello Board and include:Digital cards designed for dissemination by youth networks, Member States, and UN agencies to increase outreach and engagement

• Infographic that brings together key facts, insights, key messages and initiatives.
• Video messages from UN leadership
• Logos for UN entities and non-UN entities

Promotional resources, including digital cards, infographics, and video messages, will be made available to encourage broad participation.

HOW GET INVOLVED!

Everyone has a role to play in supporting young people and creating opportunities that allow them to thrive. Join the conversation with the hashtag: #YouthDay by participating in International Youth Day activities, sharing youth-led initiatives, engaging with the digital solidarity campaign, and using your platforms to amplify young voices and promote inclusive, sustainable development. Together, we can recognize that while young people live in different contexts, they share common aspirations—and that achieving those aspirations requires collective action and global solidarity.

World Youth Skills Day 2026; July 15th.

 

FORUM: " Skills for a Shared future." World Youth Skills Day 2026. This year's theme will focus on how skills systems can empower young people to thrive as learners, workers, citizens and agents of change in an increasingly complex world. The celebration shines a spotlight on young people as changemakers and architects of a more inclusive, resilient and human-centered future.Nearly 40 per cent of skills workers rely on now could change or become outdated by 2030. Choosing a path for the future has never been easy, but for young people today, such rapid technological change as artificial intelligence (AI) is making it increasingly difficult to predict which skills will remain relevant in the years ahead. Highlighting the importance of equipping young people with what is needed for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship, the observance raises an important question related to its 2026 theme, Skills for the Shared Future: how can young people prepare for labour market needs that will continue to evolve throughout their lives? Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #15July, #WYSD, #Skillsforasharedfuture, #youthskills, #WorldYouthSkillsDay.

EVENTS: On July 15th, the celebration of the World Youth Skills Day 2026 will be held from 8:30 to 10:00 Eastern Time / 14:30 - 16:00 CEST at the ILO Office at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN and the Permanent Mission of Portugal to the UN, together with the International Labour Organization, UNESCO and the United Nations Youth Office will spotlight young people as key drivers of a more inclusive, resilient and human-centred future. The event will focus on strengthening education and training systems, expanding access to decent work and ensuring young people are equipped with the skills needed to thrive and lead in their communities. This event will bring together relevant stakeholders to advance efforts to strengthen education and training systems, enabling every young person to develop the skills to thrive, access decent work aligned with their aspirations, strengthen their communities and lead positive change for sustainable development. Register to participate and  Watch the livestream!

WEBINAR: At UNESCO-UNEVOC Office in Bonn, from 10:00 to12:30 Central European Summer Time (CEST) will held a virtual-event. Get the list of speakers, the Survey slides, and the opportunities for youth. Follow the UNESCO-UNEVOC 2026 World Youth Skills Day event live.

CAMPAIGN:  ''Youth voices Matter '' campaign. Share your videos about the future of skills

SURVEY: Youth future - skills survey. Answer the survey: What skills are most important for the future?

PHOTO COMPETITION: Skills in Action Photo Competition. Capture inspiring moments in TVET and submit them.

INTERVIEWS

“I think young people today need to be more open-minded, more flexible, more adaptable,” said Francesca Fanelli, senior associate director of graduate career development at Columbia University.

Amid helping students and recent graduates navigate today’s competitive and rapidly changing job market, she spoke with UN News about some of the best ways to rise to the challenge.

Skills for an uncertain future

The World Economic Forum estimates that nearly 40 per cent of the skills workers rely on now could change or become outdated by 2030, making adaptability and lifelong learning more important than ever.

The answer is not to search for an “AI-proof” career, Ms. Fanelli said.

While some students are reconsidering their career choices and showing greater interest in skilled trades, which are widely viewed as less vulnerable to automation, she cautioned against basing decisions primarily on assumptions about which jobs will be least affected by AI and technological change.

Instead, she advises young people to focus on their interests and strengths while building a broad “toolkit” of transferable skills that can serve them across different roles throughout their careers.

Rather than committing themselves to a single career path, Ms. Fanelli encourages students to explore opportunities across different industries and remain open to new directions as the world of work continues to evolve.

With AI, ‘you’re still the problem solver’

While the future of work may be difficult to predict, Ms. Fanelli believes one thing is already clear: knowing how to use AI effectively is becoming a valuable workplace skill.

“AI literacy is a skill now that employers look for,” she says. “They want to make sure that people entering their office know how to use the tool.”

This includes knowing how to ask the right questions and write clear prompts while taking responsibility for fact-checking the information AI produces and deciding how to apply it.

“You have to use it as an assistant rather than as a problem solver,” Ms. Fanelli says. “You’re still the problem solver.”

Making AI work for you

For job seekers, AI can be useful throughout the application process. Ms. Fanelli recommends using it to analyse job descriptions, identify the skills employers are seeking, tailor application materials and prepare for interviews. The quality of the results largely depends on the quality of the instructions provided, she noted.

At the same time, she stressed that every application should reflect the candidate’s own experience and personality.

“Make sure it’s in your voice, that there are no phrases that you would never find yourself saying,” she advises.

Turning skills into a job

Yet, learning to use AI is only one part of preparing for the job market. For many students and recent graduates, the process itself can feel deeply uncertain and overwhelming.

“The whole process, I think, feels really overwhelming,” Ms. Fanelli says. “Students are just feeling overwhelmed by the process and discouraged before they even start.”

Pointing to data showing that it takes job seekers in the United States an average of 6.6 months to secure employment, she said sustaining a search over such a long period requires an effective strategy and the resilience to cope with rejection and self-doubt.

Many graduates also find themselves caught in what she described as a frustrating paradox. Despite having strong academic qualifications, they often worry that they lack practical experience, leaving them feeling “both overqualified and underqualified”.

Feeling unqualified does not necessarily mean that graduates lack the skills employers need. Ms. Fanelli said many underestimate the value of the abilities they have already developed during their studies.

“Every job posting, I still see collaboration, communication, teamwork. You’re most likely developing those skills in your education. You just have to think about how you can communicate those skills to an employer in a way that they’ll understand,” she said.

Beyond a dream job

As young people prepare for an uncertain future, Ms. Fanelli encourages them not to put too much pressure on themselves to find the “perfect” career.

“The dream job might not be exactly what you think it is,” she said.

Rather than searching for a role that fulfils every expectation, she advises young people to look for work that offers a sense of fulfilment in at least one respect, while recognising that purpose can come from many different parts of life.

Family, friendships, community and personal interests can all be sources of meaning, she said, and work does not have to provide everything.

“A job sometimes is just for financial stability, and that’s okay.”.

PUBLICATION: A moment of choice:Harnessing artificial intelligence for decent work. From the ILO. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming many aspects of our economies and societies. I see its applications expanding rapidly across the world of work, reshaping how work is organized, how value is created and how decisions are made. For the ILO and its constituents, this is a moment of both excitement and disquiet. On the one hand, AI can boost productivity and create new opportunities for workers and enterprises alike. It can also improve public services and labour administration, including by strengthening labour market governance and social protection systems. On the other hand, it raises profound concerns about rights, equality and social inclusion – and about social justice more broadly. Some voices have gone further, predicting a future marked by large-scale job scarcity, in which work becomes the exception rather than the norm. I do not dismiss these concerns. They reflect real anxieties about the pace and scale of technological change. But I also believe that they risk overshadowing what we know from experience. History has shown that technological change often goes hand in hand with market expansion and the creation of new jobs in roles that were previously unforeseen. It is clear that exposure to AI varies widely – across tasks, occupations and sectors, and depending on skills, gender, age and national context. These differences reflect the persistent digital divides. While some economies lead in AI investment and deployment, many low- and middle-income countries are experiencing its effects more indirectly, through broader processes of digitalization rather than large-scale AI development. For this reason, I am persuaded that technological change is not an irresistible force producing uniform outcomes. We are not powerless in the face of disruption. Policy choices, institutions and governance matter. Human intelligence matters. In adopting the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work (2019), we committed ourselves to a human-centred approach to shaping the future of work. In the context of AI, I believe that this means something very concrete: not assuming that technological progress will automatically advance decent work and social justice, but taking a proactive role in shaping its direction – by managing risks and harnessing opportunities in line with the ILO’s mandate. As the Declaration of Philadelphia reminds us, work is not only a source of income. It is also a foundation of dignity, autonomy and human development. How AI reshapes this meaning of work is therefore central to a human-centred future of work. For me, this reflection on harnessing AI for decent work is particularly timely. It takes place not only in a context of uncertainty about the future of work, but also amid strained multilateralism and democratic backsliding. As I have stressed in my previous reports to the International Labour Conference, work and democracy are in a symbiotic relationship. It is for this reason that a sober and evidence-informed examination of the implications of AI – and of the policy choices before us – is essential. I am confident that the ILO, with its tripartite structure and normative mandate, is uniquely placed to contribute to this examination. By bringing together governments, employers and workers, we can help shape a human-centred approach to AI – one that keeps people, rights and dignity at the core of this new chapter of technological progress. Gilbert F. Houngbo Director-General.  Read the full report!