Speaking at the celebration, UNESCO Representative to Vietnam Michael Croft said the youth play an active and inspirational role in boosting socio-economic growth toward sustainability.
He noted the Vietnamese Government has made efforts to increase young people’s engagement in making policy for their group amid fast socio-economic development of a middle income country like Vietnam.
Croft said increasing youth empowerment and involvement in development process can help build a better world, stating that the UN will continue steeping up cooperation of and facilitate young people’s involvement in the making, implementation, and monitoring policies that directly impact the group.
Nguyen Hai Minh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Youth Federation Central Committee, said the youth day event is not only a chance to listen to the younger generation, but also an occasion to call on governments to address youth-related problems on the global scale.
Investment in youth capacity building lays a basis for young people to develop and employ their talents in life, he added.
Minh said the National Assembly, Government and local authorities in Vietnam have organised a number of open forums and dialogues for young people to present their opinions and ideas, and make contributions to policy-making process.
In 1999, August 12 was first designated International Youth Day by the UN General Assembly. The date serve as an annual celebration of the role of young women and men as essential partners in change, and an opportunity to raise awareness of challenges and problems facing the world’s youth.
