The theme for World Youth Skills Day 2024 is Youth Skills for Peace and Development. It highlights the crucial role that young people play in peacebuilding and conflict resolution efforts. UN New York, UNESCO-UNEVOC, and UNESCO HQ are holding online events to celebrate the day.
The world is rapidly evolving, presenting both opportunities and challenges for workers worldwide. As we navigate complex global issues – such as climate change, environmental degradation, rising conflicts, inequalities, and social injustices – it is crucial to equip young people with the skills, knowledge, values, and attitudes necessary to achieve their full potential and contribute to a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for all.
In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day, to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship, as well as for addressing global challenges and advancing sustainable development. Since then, World Youth Skills Day events have provided a unique opportunity for dialogue between young people, TVET institutions, the private sector, policymakers, and development partners.
The primary objective is to promote and advocate for comprehensive skills development for youth to empower them for employment, entrepreneurship, addressing global issues, and realizing their full potential.
Click here to read the concept note and provisional agenda.
Specifically, the event will focus on:
Future of work exploration: The observance will provide a platform to engage in dialogue, discussion, and exploration of emerging trends for the future of work including green jobs and in-demand skills for future job markets.
Address gender disparities: Recognizing the importance of gender equality in the workforce, World Youth Skills Day will explore current gender disparities and focus on promoting opportunities, greater engagement and increased participation of girls and women in TVET programmes in STEM and other fields.
Raising awareness of holistic set of skills beyond technical or vocational training: World Youth Skills Day will seek to raise global awareness of the importance of equipping young individuals with essential skillsfor personal development, well-being the future of work, peace building and global citizenship, and sustainable development.
Promote partnership and collaboration: World Youth Skills Day endeavours to provide a platform for policy, practice, and systemic dialogue to increase meaningful youth engagement, representation, and agency.