International Youth Day 2022

Since being endorsed by the General Assembly in 1999, 12 August has been celebrated annually as International Youth Day to highlight the importance and bring to the forefront youth participation in current affairs.

This year’s International Youth Day theme is Intergenerational solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages. Action is needed across all generations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leave no one behind.

Why Intergenerational solidarity matters to us

At the Kofi Annan Foundation, we believe that people from different generations can learn from each other and that we need all generation’s strengths and knowledge to create positive change and tackle global issues.

This is one of the main goals behind our Kofi Annan Changemakers initiative: an Intergenerational dialogue for impact. Each year, 12 young changemakers are selected carefully to take part in the programme, where they are paired up with a mentor from the Greycells Association of Former International Civil Servants for Development. The mentors provide the Changemakers with advice, inspiration and support during and after the programme on how to strengthen their impact on the ground and to help them build their capacity for positive action.

As we celebrate solidarity between generations today, we have asked our Kofi Annan Changemakers and their mentors to share what solidarity means to them. Here is what they said:

Kofi Annan Changemakers: An intergenerational dialogue for impact

Are you curious about the programme, and want to learn more about our Changemakers? Watch the video below and discover the 2022 Kofi Annan Changemakers’ work.