The International Youth Day marked globally this year has been embraced more by young people as their presence is ultimately getting felt and various forums are acknowledging the instrumental role of the young people.
There have been numerous forums organized that were mainly aimed at collecting the young people’s views, engaging them meaningfully with the intention of including their views, propositions, and presence in the policies, state departments, and conventions. The International Youth Day at the United Nations Environment Program was themed ‘Youth Digital Pathways for Environment’ which underscores the tremendous understanding and sway the young people have through social media.
This crucial moment has been reached as a result of youths amplifying their advocacy for change, consideration, and absorption into governance, and implementation via social media. Since the beginning of 2024, there have been several occasions where the renowned youthful population surpassed the online presence and transcended to actions on the ground.
Considering the heightened presence of young people globally on governance matters, health issues, environmental issues, and their unemployment crisis, the youth are an awakening force that has reassured of the strength, will, and understanding to bring the desired change. This move has been renowned as a step from clicks to progress- a way in which young people are turning social media into a tool for impact and empowerment, especially for the climate space.
During the Youth Sustainable Development Conference (YSDC) 2024 held in Rabat, Morocco, the young people were tasked with engaging in conversations that not only highlighted key issues Africa and the globe is faced with but also some of the solutions viable. The Youth Sustainable Development Network (YSDN) emphasized its mission of creating a world where every young person is empowered to lead and contribute to a sustainable future.
The conference brought together 150 young people from 12 countries world and was themed ‘Building the Future: Spotlighting Youth-led Solutions for Global Sustainability’ as a testimony to young people’s power to be the agents of change. The convention featured seven insightful panel sessions with a core aspect of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in them which included; renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture, and environmental conservation.
According to Damilola Balogun CEO and Co-Founder of Youth Sustainable Development Network (YSDN), the conference’s inspiring discussions, groundbreaking ideas, and innovative solutions have a great potential to shape the future of our planet.
He further pointed out that despite the conference ending, the outcomes of the engagement need to be embraced, and ideas, and collaborations, forged must translate into tangible actions that can create a real impact.
Other than the SDGs-related goals the youths on International Youth Day also tackled three significant case study-related challenges that is Carbon market, just energy transition, and sustainable agriculture to foster practical solutions. The young people in recognition of Africa’s potential unanimously agreed that the continent needs urgent environmental preservation based on its abundant natural resources hence crucial steps toward harnessing to prioritize and protect the environment.
It was declared imperative for increased advocacy and action, whereby Africans are urged to advocate for environmental well-being actively to safeguard the continent’s wealth of resources. This came hand in hand with the call for self-empowerment as the young people recognized the importance of taking initiative and leading the way in environmental conservation.
“Don’t wait to be given the driver’s seat, take the driver’s seat,” said H.R.H. Princess Abze the leader of the Initiative MAMA-LIGHT for Sustainable Energy, Special Envoy of the President of Burkina Faso and CEO of AbzeSolar.
