2025 UN Youth Forum Side Event Concludes as Young Pioneers Chart Vision for Green Innovation, Global Collaboration, Accelerating a Sustainable Future

The year 2025 marks both the 10th anniversary of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implementation and a crucial phase of the UN's Youth 2030 Strategy, which aims to enhance youth participation in socioeconomic development by strengthening their role in global governance, social transformation, and sustainable development.

Today's world faces intersecting global crises - escalating climate change, rapid technological disruption, widening inequality, and geopolitical instability. Statistics reveal one in five youth are not in education, employment or training, over one-third lack internet access, and nearly 90% of climate-displaced persons are under 30. Yet youth are transforming from crisis victims to solution designers, leaders, and practitioners.

Against this backdrop, the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum convened at UN Headquarters in New York from April 15-17. As the UN's largest annual youth gathering, this year's forum, chaired by ECOSOC President Bob Rae, centered on "Youth in the Driver's Seat: Technology, Innovation and Social Inclusion for Sustainable Development," focusing on SDG 3 (Health), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 17 (Partnerships). The topics cover a wide range, from improving health and education, narrowing gender equality, stimulating economic growth, invigorating economic vitality, to addressing the challenge of climate change, protecting marine and forest ecology and other fields. Global youth leaders, policymakers, and tech innovators explored how technological innovation, green transition, digital inclusion, and cross-sector collaboration could address youth unemployment, digital divides, and climate vulnerability to build an equitable, sustainable future.

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UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang stated: "Empowering youth is a long-term social investment that yields enduring benefits."

ECOSOC President Bob Rae urged attendees: "You are today's leaders. We need your engagement now to shape a more sustainable, inclusive and just future for all."

Youth Pioneers Co-Create Blueprint for Sustainable Future

On April 16, the side event "Youth Forward: Green Innovation, Digital Inclusion and Global Partnerships for SDGs" successfully convened at Millennium Hilton New York UN Plaza.

Co-organized by Peaceland Foundation, Global Youth Philanthropy (GYP), Global Youth Leadership Development Council (GYLDC), and Global SDGs and Leadership Development Center, this side event, as one of the officially certified parallel activities of this year's Youth Forum, focuses on how young people can play a key role in promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through cross-border innovation and global cooperation.

This side event attracted nearly 100 participants including representatives from UN Youth Office, UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, Singapore Youth Council, Cuba Youth League, and youth delegates from China, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Canada, Cameroon, Kenya, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and the U.S. This conference aims to further enhance the voice and participation of young people in global priority areas such as digital transformation, green economy, fair education and climate action, and to build a platform for high-quality dialogue and collaboration between young people and the international community.

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Highlights from the Side Event and Activities

The event was gracefully inaugurated with a flute performance by Corner Gong, a youth delegate from Los Angeles, and chaired by Ryan Li, a youth representative from Vancouver, founder of the GYP Debate Club and student at Georgetown University. Sherry Xie, founder of Global Youth Philanthropy (GYP) - one of the organizing partners - emphasized in her opening remarks that "youth are not just future leaders, but active shapers of global transformation today." Since its establishment, GYP has actively responded to the UN's "Youth 2030 Strategy" with its mission to "unite global youth power and innovate global governance practices." The organization has built a cross-cultural, transnational platform for public welfare innovation, incubating dozens of youth-led social impact projects spanning climate action, education equity, mental health, gender equality, art integration, and technological innovation. GYP is committed to inspiring and empowering young people worldwide to lead with empathy, act with courage, and drive change through innovation.

Youth Driving Multidimensional Action to Co-Create a Sustainable Blueprint

The first session, themed "Youth at the Forefront," featured keynote speeches from five young leaders who demonstrated how cutting-edge technology can be combined with social responsibility to address contemporary global challenges:

Anushka Rawat, Stanford University student and U.S. Youth Senator, discussed AI applications in environmental governance, stressing the importance of building responsible technological ecosystems.

Catherine Xinyu Zhang, Massachusetts youth delegate and leader of the African Community Education Center, proposed using sustainable financial tools and decentralized economic systems to help climate and conflict-displaced populations reintegrate into the global economy.

Richard Da, Princeton University delegate, advocated for housing justice through affordable, sustainable and equitable infrastructure systems.

Andy Xu, New York delegate and founder of GensConnect, highlighted technology's role in bridging generational dialogue and implementing SDGs.

Athenia Liu, New York delegate and initiator of the Global Eczema-Free Health Alliance, curated an on-site "Art for Health" exhibition and explored how AI-art integration could enhance youth well-being.

These young leaders showcased unique perspectives and practical capabilities in institutional innovation, technological application, and cross-sector integration, fully demonstrating their generation's sense of responsibility and agency in addressing global issues.

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Global Youth Resonance: Building Bridges for International Collaboration

The first "Youth Voices" dialogue brought together delegates from Azerbaijan, India, Peru, China, and the UK to discuss digital education, green transition, cross-cultural exchange, and youth participation mechanisms:

Fateh Kerimli (Azerbaijan) and Dev Karan (India) shared experiences in promoting digital education, youth employment, and green skills training.

Ana Paula Guillen Yangali, UN Youth Delegate from Peru, called for formal youth representation in multilateral governance systems.

Dr. Willis Ochieng, Executive Director of Creats International, presented strategies for rural development and agricultural transformation.

The second "Youth Voices" session, young representatives from the UK and China shared inspiring insights on plastic pollution control, youth responsibility and commitment.

Jiawei Liu from UK environmental organization Common Seas emphasized empowering youth as key actors in plastic waste solutions.

Beini Fang, Shanghai youth delegate (via video), shared her experience of taking leadership during a crisis, urging global youth to become "solution designers" rather than just SDG followers.

Building Youth Platforms to Activate New Global Governance Momentum

During this critical transitional period, participants unanimously called for more international mechanisms to support youth as core architects and drivers of global agendas. Experts stressed that youth should be equal partners in solution-building, not just passive listeners. Chinese representatives proposed establishing institutional platforms for youth innovation and international exchange to foster inter-generational co-governance. Moving forward, this side event will continue serving as a multilateral platform for youth empowerment to advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and build a more inclusive, just, and sustainable future.

Youth Pioneers in Action: From New York to a Global Future

During the event, young journalists from "Voice of GYP" conducted in-depth interviews with participants, documenting concrete measures and challenges in promoting social inclusion and technological innovation, while strengthening their sense of responsibility as youth media professionals.

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The side event injected innovative perspectives into the Youth Forum while strengthening multilateral cooperation pathways for global youth empowerment and SDG implementation. By facilitating North-South dialogue, enhancing youth participation in decision-making, and promoting inclusive innovation economies, the event created momentum for realizing the youth-related goals of the 2030 Agenda. It called for more opportunities in governance, technological innovation, and social transformation to ensure youth play pivotal roles in global affairs. This platform will continue driving the full implementation of the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

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