International Youth Day 2023 Focuses on Cultivating Green Skills for Shaping Local Policies

14-08-2023 

Sofía Medina Sánchez 

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher 

Global Human Rights Defence 

On the 12th of August 2023, in observance of International Youth Day (IYD), the Congress advocates for the education and training of young individuals from a young age, aiming to enhance their understanding of responsible behaviour and to better guide local public policies focused on environmental preservation and climate change adaptation.

Veronique Bertholle, Deputy Spokesperson on Youth (France, SOC/G/PD), and Cemal Bas, Spokesperson on Environment and Climate Change (Türkiye, EPP/CCE), jointly welcomed this year's IYD theme, “Green skills for youth.” They emphasised the crucial role of young people in contributing to environmental protection across all sectors of society and the profound ecological shift in modern communities. They underscored that “green skills will play a vital role in enabling youth to shape more environmentally conscious local communities and societies.”

The Congress will continue to convey such messages through the promotion of its own documents, such as the report and recommendation on an eco-conscious interpretation of the European Charter of Self-Government and the Human Rights Handbook on the Environment. Additionally, the Congress has actively raised environmental awareness among young people through its SDG leaflet for children titled "How to make your town a better place."

Highlighting the significance of engaging the younger generation in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local and regional levels, the Secretary General of the Congress, Mathieu Mori, stressed on July 11, 2023, at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum, that “education, healthcare, and a clean environment are fundamental aspects of the 2030 Agenda, necessitating active participation from local and regional governments”. 

International Youth Day is commemorated annually on August 12 to draw global attention to youth-related issues and acknowledge the potential of young people as vital partners in today's global society. The 2023 IYD theme, "Green Skills for Youth," spotlights the invaluable role young individuals play in advancing the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Sources and Further Reading: 

Council of Europe, Newsroom, Council of Europe, Green skills for Youth: towards a sustainable world, 11 August 2023 : https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/green-skills-for-youth-towards-a-sustainable-world

Council of Europe Portal, Media Release, Ref. DC 179(2023), Green skills for Youth: towards a sustainable world, 11 August 2023: https://rm.coe.int/sg-green-skills-for-youth-towards-a-sustainable-world-bil/1680ac2f1c

Council of Europe, News 2023, International Youth Day 2023: Green skills today will enable young people to shape greener local policies in the future, 12 August 2023: https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/-/international-youth-day-2023-green-skills-today-will-enable-young-people-to-shape-greener-local-policies-in-the-future