12 August: International Youth Day

"Youth in an Intergenerational Society", is the theme of this year's International Youth Day to be celebrated on 12 August in many countries over the world to stress the importance of solidarity between generations at all levels. The event is particularly relevant to all stakeholders committed to rural development, since young people in rural areas make up a large percentage of the total population in most developing countries around the world and are severely affected by poverty, hunger, illiteracy and HIV/AIDS.

The global partnership initiative on Education for Rural People, led by FAO, in collaboration with UNESCO, places a special focus on the need to close the educational gap among urban and rural people in general and youth in particular, as a crucial aspect of achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Rural families need to be involved in this effort as attempts are made to more closely link schools, families and rural communities both in formal education (primary and secondary school) and village elders teaching and mentoring youth in the context of non-formal education.

According to the United Nations' Population Division, by the middle of this century, the old and the young will represent an equal share of the world's population. Therefore the need to strengthen the links between generations at all levels. The chosen theme also commemorates this year's Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family.

The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that 12 August be set as the day to commemorate International Youth Day following the recommendations made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth held at Lisbon, in August 1998.

Activities to be organized in different cities in the world will focus on the practical action that needs to be taken to encourage the empowerment and participation of youth in processes and decisions that affect their lives. Topics that can be used to showcase the main theme of the International Youth Day include: youth Participation in an ageing society, an intergenerational perspective on HIV and Aids and intergenerational transmission of poverty.

The United Nations' Youth Programme will celebrate International Youth Day 2004 in Barcelona at the World Youth Festival together with an expected 10,000 young participants as well as NGOs and several UN agencies.

To read more about the activities to be organized for the International Youth Day please click here.