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General Assembly Launches 'Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding' Forum

Hundreds of young people converged on the United Nations in New York today as the General Assembly kicked off a high-level meeting devoted to tackling the challenges facing youth and exploring their potential to bring about change in their societies and in the world at large.

"We are seeking to promote a culture of dialogue and mutual understanding between young people and with young people as key stakeholders in today's world. The meeting aims at underscoring the importance of supporting young people's vast and untapped potential." -Assembly President Joseph

The two-day meeting, which is focusing on the theme of "Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding," is among events to mark the International Year of Youth, which comes to a close on International Youth Day on 12 August.

The event began on a sombre note with participants observing a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the terror attacks that took place in Norway on Friday in which more than 75 people were killed, including young people who were gunned down at a youth camp connected to the ruling Labour Party.

He went on to note that the past few months have been momentous for youth, who have been at the centre of a movement for change that is sweeping North Africa and the Middle East.

Mr. Ban said the international community must work to expand "the horizons of opportunity" for young women and men and answer their legitimate demands for dignity and decent work, noting that the global economic crisis and austerity measures in many countries are constraining these opportunities.

In the aftermath of the economic crisis, the youth unemployment rate rose from 11.9 per cent to 13 per cent from 2008 to 2009, the largest annual increase on record - with around 81 million unemployed young people.

The meeting is expected to conclude tomorrow with the adoption of an outcome document that calls for strategies to give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent work and urge countries to take effective measures to protect young people from terrorism, among other elements.

Source: United Nations