Local youth actions are not isolated activities; they are integral to broader efforts to achieve national development plans and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Youth Localizing the SDGs
The theme of International Youth Day (IYD) 2025, Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond, highlights the unique role of youth in translating global ambitions into community-driven realities. As development partners work to translate and implement the global goals within specific local contexts, aligning them with community needs while maintaining consistency with national and international commitments, young people are critical partners. They bring creativity, insight, and deep community ties that help bridge the gap between policy and practice. With over 65 per cent of SDG targets linked to local governance, youth engagement is not a luxury—it is a necessity.
This year’s IYD will also underscore the essential role of local and regional governments. Being the closest to the communities they serve, they are uniquely positioned to create inclusive policy environments, allocate resources, and establish mechanisms for youth participation in local planning and decision-making. By integrating youth priorities into local and regional strategies and fostering partnerships with youth organizations, authorities can collaborate with young people to transform their ideas into impactful solutions. When local governments provide spaces for innovation, mentorship, and civic engagement, they not only accelerate SDG implementation but also nurture future community leaders and changemakers.
This year’s IYD takes on added significance as it coincides with the upcoming 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth. It remains a guiding framework for recognizing youth as key actors in sustainable development and participatory governance—principles directly echoed in this year’s theme. Discussions related to the 2025 IYD theme will also inform preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development to be held in Doha in November.
As the world embarks on the final stretch toward 2030, IYD 2025 calls for real investments in inclusive policies and programmes that leverage local youth actions for the SDGs.
The theme of International Youth Day (IYD) 2025, Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond, highlights the unique role of youth in translating global ambitions into community-driven realities. As development partners work to translate and implement the global goals within specific local contexts, aligning them with community needs while maintaining consistency with national and international commitments, young people are critical partners. They bring creativity, insight, and deep community ties that help bridge the gap between policy and practice. With over 65 per cent of SDG targets linked to local governance, youth engagement is not a luxury—it is a necessity.
This year’s IYD will also underscore the essential role of local and regional governments. Being the closest to the communities they serve, they are uniquely positioned to create inclusive policy environments, allocate resources, and establish mechanisms for youth participation in local planning and decision-making. By integrating youth priorities into local and regional strategies and fostering partnerships with youth organizations, authorities can collaborate with young people to transform their ideas into impactful solutions. When local governments provide spaces for innovation, mentorship, and civic engagement, they not only accelerate SDG implementation but also nurture future community leaders and changemakers.
This year’s IYD takes on added significance as it coincides with the upcoming 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth. It remains a guiding framework for recognizing youth as key actors in sustainable development and participatory governance—principles directly echoed in this year’s theme. Discussions related to the 2025 IYD theme will also inform preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development to be held in Doha in November.
As the world embarks on the final stretch toward 2030, IYD 2025 calls for real investments in inclusive policies and programmes that leverage local youth actions for the SDGs.
Official Commemoration
The global observance of International Youth Day 2025 will take place on 12 August in Nairobi, Kenya, in collaboration with the UN-Habitat. The event will bring together youth leaders, municipal officials, policymakers, UN representatives, and development practitioners to exchange ideas and showcase solutions for strengthening youth engagement in local development.
The global observance of International Youth Day 2025 will take place on 12 August in Nairobi, Kenya, in collaboration with the UN-Habitat. The event will bring together youth leaders, municipal officials, policymakers, UN representatives, and development practitioners to exchange ideas and showcase solutions for strengthening youth engagement in local development.
Did you know?
Half of the people on our planet are 30 or younger, and this is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030.
Survey shows that 67% of people believe in a better future, with 15 to 17 year-olds being the most optimistic about this.
By 2050, the people who are under 25 today will compose more than 90% of the prime-age workforce.
13% of the young labour force is unemployed. This number from 2023 marks the lowest rate in 15 years.
Among children ages 10-19, 1 in 7 experience a mental disorder. Nearly 6 in 10 ten-year-old children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and comprehend a simple paragraph.
Half of the people on our planet are 30 or younger, and this is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030.
Survey shows that 67% of people believe in a better future, with 15 to 17 year-olds being the most optimistic about this.
By 2050, the people who are under 25 today will compose more than 90% of the prime-age workforce.
13% of the young labour force is unemployed. This number from 2023 marks the lowest rate in 15 years.
Among children ages 10-19, 1 in 7 experience a mental disorder. Nearly 6 in 10 ten-year-old children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and comprehend a simple paragraph.
Global Issues: Youth
Youth can be a positive force for development when provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive. Today, there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16 per cent of the global population . By 2030—the target date for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that make up the 2030 Agenda—the number of youth is projected to have grown by 7 per cent, to nearly 1.3 billion.
Youth can be a positive force for development when provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive. Today, there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16 per cent of the global population . By 2030—the target date for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that make up the 2030 Agenda—the number of youth is projected to have grown by 7 per cent, to nearly 1.3 billion.
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ECOSOC Youth Forum 2025
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The ECOSOC Youth Forum 2025, held from 15 to 17 April, brought together young leaders from around the world to share innovative solutions for accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda. Through dialogues with Member States and UN agencies, youth participants voiced their priorities and proposed actions to address the world’s most pressing challenges.
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Level: Intermediate~Advanced
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ECOSOC Youth Forum 2025
✨⏝꒷۰꒷⏝꒷۰꒷⏝🎄‧₊˚ ۫
The ECOSOC Youth Forum 2025, held from 15 to 17 April, brought together young leaders from around the world to share innovative solutions for accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda. Through dialogues with Member States and UN agencies, youth participants voiced their priorities and proposed actions to address the world’s most pressing challenges.
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Level: Intermediate~Advanced
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#International #Youth #August
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International translation day
September the thirtieth 2026
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United Nations interpreters at work during a Security Council debate. Interpreters are one type of language professionals employed at the UN.
Photo:UN/Manuel Elias
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Level: Intermediate~Advanced
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#International #translation #September
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International translation day
September the thirtieth 2026
✨⏝꒷۰꒷⏝꒷۰꒷⏝🎄‧₊˚ ۫
United Nations interpreters at work during a Security Council debate. Interpreters are one type of language professionals employed at the UN.
Photo:UN/Manuel Elias
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Level: Intermediate~Advanced
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#International #translation #September
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The role of language professionals
International Translation Day is meant as an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals, which plays an important role in bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to development and strengthening world peace and security.
Transposition of a literary or scientific work, including technical work, from one language into another language, professional translation, including translation proper, interpretation and terminology, is indispensable to preserving clarity, a positive climate and productiveness in international public discourse and interpersonal communication.
Thus, on 24 May 2017, the General Assembly adopted resolution 71/288 on the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development, and declared 30 September as International Translation Day.
International Translation Day is meant as an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals, which plays an important role in bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to development and strengthening world peace and security.
Transposition of a literary or scientific work, including technical work, from one language into another language, professional translation, including translation proper, interpretation and terminology, is indispensable to preserving clarity, a positive climate and productiveness in international public discourse and interpersonal communication.
Thus, on 24 May 2017, the General Assembly adopted resolution 71/288 on the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development, and declared 30 September as International Translation Day.
Why 30 September?
30 September celebrates the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator, who is considered the patron saint of translators.
St. Jerome was a priest from North-eastern Italy, who is known mostly for his endeavor of translating most of the Bible into Latin from the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. He also translated parts of the Hebrew Gospel into Greek. He was of Illyrian ancestry and his native tongue was the Illyrian dialect. He learned Latin in school and was fluent in Greek and Hebrew, which he picked up from his studies and travels. Jerome died near Bethlehem on 30 September 420.
30 September celebrates the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator, who is considered the patron saint of translators.
St. Jerome was a priest from North-eastern Italy, who is known mostly for his endeavor of translating most of the Bible into Latin from the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. He also translated parts of the Hebrew Gospel into Greek. He was of Illyrian ancestry and his native tongue was the Illyrian dialect. He learned Latin in school and was fluent in Greek and Hebrew, which he picked up from his studies and travels. Jerome died near Bethlehem on 30 September 420.
30 September 2024 - 10:00 am (CEST)
Virtual
Under the theme "Translation, an art worth protecting: Moral and Material rights for Indigenous Languages" this event will focus on prominent ethical issues in the context of copyright, data collection and use of translated works. The event will shed light on the practical challenges faced by our multifaceted global community in data collection and translation of Indigenous languages and how they navigate such challenges as per industry norms.
Virtual
Under the theme "Translation, an art worth protecting: Moral and Material rights for Indigenous Languages" this event will focus on prominent ethical issues in the context of copyright, data collection and use of translated works. The event will shed light on the practical challenges faced by our multifaceted global community in data collection and translation of Indigenous languages and how they navigate such challenges as per industry norms.
Multilingualism, a core value of the United Nations
Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and the planet.
There is growing awareness that languages play a vital role in development, in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, but also in attaining quality education for all and strengthening cooperation, in building inclusive knowledge societies and preserving cultural heritage, and in mobilizing political will for applying the benefits of science and technology to sustainable development.
An essential factor in harmonious communication among peoples, multilingualism is also regarded by the United Nations General Assembly as a core value of the Organization. By promoting tolerance, multilingualism ensures effective and increased participation of all in the Organization’s work, as well as greater effectiveness, better performance and improved transparency.
Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and the planet.
There is growing awareness that languages play a vital role in development, in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, but also in attaining quality education for all and strengthening cooperation, in building inclusive knowledge societies and preserving cultural heritage, and in mobilizing political will for applying the benefits of science and technology to sustainable development.
An essential factor in harmonious communication among peoples, multilingualism is also regarded by the United Nations General Assembly as a core value of the Organization. By promoting tolerance, multilingualism ensures effective and increased participation of all in the Organization’s work, as well as greater effectiveness, better performance and improved transparency.
Translation at the UN
The United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals. Several hundred language staff work in UN offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi, or at the United Nations regional commissions in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva and Santiago. Translators are one type of language professionals employed at the UN.
UN language specialists include:
Editorial and desktop publishing assistants;
Editors;
Interpreters;
Précis-writers;
Production editors and desktop publishers;
Translators;
Verbatim reporters
United Nations translators handle all kinds of documents, from statements by Member States to reports prepared by expert bodies. The documents they translate cover every topic on the United Nations agenda, including human rights, peace and security, and development. New issues arise every day. UN documents are issued simultaneously in the six official languages of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). Some core documents are also translated into German. This multilingual documentation is made possible by United Nations translators, whose job is to render clearly and accurately the content of original texts into their main language.
Interested in working as a language specialist at the United Nations? Please check UN Careers on Competitive examinations for language professionals.
The United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals. Several hundred language staff work in UN offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi, or at the United Nations regional commissions in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva and Santiago. Translators are one type of language professionals employed at the UN.
UN language specialists include:
Editorial and desktop publishing assistants;
Editors;
Interpreters;
Précis-writers;
Production editors and desktop publishers;
Translators;
Verbatim reporters
United Nations translators handle all kinds of documents, from statements by Member States to reports prepared by expert bodies. The documents they translate cover every topic on the United Nations agenda, including human rights, peace and security, and development. New issues arise every day. UN documents are issued simultaneously in the six official languages of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). Some core documents are also translated into German. This multilingual documentation is made possible by United Nations translators, whose job is to render clearly and accurately the content of original texts into their main language.
Interested in working as a language specialist at the United Nations? Please check UN Careers on Competitive examinations for language professionals.
Did you know?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights holds the Guinness World Record as the most translated document. It exists in more than 500 languages.
The United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals.
There are six official languages of the UN - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
A delegate may speak in any official UN language. The speech is interpreted simultaneously into the other official languages of the UN.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights holds the Guinness World Record as the most translated document. It exists in more than 500 languages.
The United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals.
There are six official languages of the UN - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
A delegate may speak in any official UN language. The speech is interpreted simultaneously into the other official languages of the UN.
What does it really mean to translate? Translation is often the essential prerequisite for accessing a universal, multiple, diverse culture. In this issue of the UNESCO Courier, explore what this really entails.