INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

Do you know what August 12th is and how it is celebrated around the world?

International Youth Day, which was primarily organized by the United Nation in 1999, is an annual celebration which is held each year on 12th of August in order to create and raise awareness of the role of young people  and their place in society.  It also attracts attention to the challenges and hardships that the youth of today face.

 As essential partners, young women and men are important in terms of development of communities around the World. They are quite powerful parts of change and progress if they are provided necessary opportunities such as education, empowerment and decision-making. However, today, most of the youth suffer from a lack of education, from unemployment, delinquency, social justice, poverty, disease and other challenges. International Youth Day contributes to the promotion of ways to be focused on all of the challenges stated above.

 On this day, many activities and events including youth conferences on issues such as education and employment, concerts, sporting events, exhibitions and parades take place around the world with the participation of many countries  with the purpose of promoting the advantages of being more actively involved in one's community.

 In order to accent the importance of this day, ‘Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be the key agents for development and peace. If, however, they are left on society's margins, all of us will be impoverished. Let us ensure that all young people have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives of their societies.’ stated Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

 Consequently, young people are our future.  They are our essential agents for improved, beautiful,  peaceful and more livable world. Let’s give them more chances to be included!

 Coalition SEGA and INFO SEGA as a Youth Information and Counseling Center are constantly working to improve the position of young people and increase their influence in the society through a series of activities and projects that are part of the non-formal education that help young people be active citizens in the society.

Happy International Youth Day!

Written by: Irem