International Youth Day 2025: Youth Action for Sustainable Development

Every August 12, the world joins in celebrating International Youth Day - a global event initiated by the United Nations in 1999 to honor youth and affirm their pivotal role in shaping the future of humanity.

Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union members. (Photo: Xuan Khu/VNA)

With the theme “Local Youth Action for SDGs and Sustainable Future”, International Youth Day 2025 delivers a strong message: A sustainable future starts with the closest actions, at the local level, with the pioneering of youth.

If the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the musical notes for the world to move towards sustainable development by 2030, then young people are the sound waves that spread that music, by creating solutions and inspiring the community.

Adopted in 2015, the 17 SDGs set an ambitious roadmap to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. However, as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed: "The SDGs are not abstract goals on paper, they need to be translated into concrete actions in local communities." This is a challenge, but also an opportunity for young people to play their role.

The world currently has nearly 1.2 billion people aged 15-24, accounting for 16% of the global population. The United Nations expects this number to exceed 1.3 billion by 2030, creating the largest youth generation in history.

Today's youth, born into the age of technology explosion, have access to knowledge and global connections, making them “catalysts” for change at both the local and global levels.

According to a report by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), more than 65% of the SDGs depend on action at the local level and young people are becoming the driving force behind this transformation.

Inspiring stories from around the world demonstrate the power of youth. In Africa, young people are taking direct action to solve pressing community problems.

In South Africa, 19-year-old Nomsa Mbeki founded the “Water Warriors” group to combat water shortages, which is expected to reach 4.4 million people and save up to 40 billion liters of water by 2025.

In Nigeria, the Green Switch Initiative turns organic waste into biogas, providing clean energy to more than 1,200 poor households. In Kenya, Elizabeth Wathuti, founder of the Green Generation Initiative, has planted more than 30,000 trees, and another group of young people have taught themselves how to install solar power systems, bringing light to more than 150 rural households.

In the Americas, young people are also translating the SDGs into action. In Brazil, Natalia Tsuyama launched the “Green Cerrado” program, which helps local farmers adopt sustainable farming methods, creating an economic model that goes hand in hand with nature conservation.

In Colombia, a group of students founded the EcoBrick project, which turns plastic waste into cheap building bricks, creating jobs and reducing environmental pollution.

Asian youth are also contributing to the SDGs with unique initiatives. In India, a group of students launched the “Green Streets” campaign, planting more than 10,000 trees and turning more than 50 vacant lots into community gardens.

In Bali, Indonesia, sisters Melati and Isabel Wijsen started the group Bye Bye Plastic Bags, successfully lobbying the government to ban single-use plastic bags. In the Philippines, a group of architecture students designed a floating school model from recycled materials to serve as a safe shelter for the community during storms, an innovative initiative to adapt to climate change.

Plastic waste on the shore of Sukaraja in Lampung, Indonesia on June 4, 2025. (Photo: THX/TTXVN)

Not outside the general trend, Vietnamese youth also affirm their pioneering role in realizing the SDGs locally. With more than 21 million young people, accounting for about 28% of the population, Vietnamese youth strongly demonstrate the spirit of “thinking globally, acting locally”.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the Green Points group has built a reward points app to encourage people to recycle waste. In Ca Mau, the social enterprise Xanh Mai is planting new mangrove forests and developing handicraft products.

In Da Nang, the “Green School” project installs solar power systems and organic vegetable gardens in primary schools. A group of students in Dong Thap developed an automatic irrigation system that reduces water use by 30% for mango growers...

Young people are the most powerful force in entrepreneurship. According to the World Bank (WB), 40% of youth-founded startups in emerging economies focus on green sectors.

They not only use technology to connect but also turn it into a tool to solve local problems, from developing waste management apps to early flood warning systems.

However, for these efforts to be widespread and sustainable, support from governments and international organizations is indispensable. The United Nations and many countries have implemented priority policies to facilitate youth participation in decision-making processes, fund community projects and create learning opportunities.

The United Nations has promoted the Youth 2030 Strategy - a global framework to help governments include the voice of youth in policy-making.

The European Union (EU), with programmes such as European Solidarity Corps and Erasmus+ Youth, has funded thousands of youth-led volunteering and social entrepreneurship projects.

Similarly, the US launched the Youth Climate Action Fund, while the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) “Green Rising” initiative aims to support 10 million young people to become climate advocates.

Many countries such as Canada, Brazil, South Korea, India... have built their own funds and strategies. The Vietnamese government also strongly promotes the role of the young generation through the Youth Development Strategy for the period 2021-2030, encouraging young people to start innovative businesses in the field of sustainability.

These policies not only provide funding but also create space for young people to participate in decision-making, ensuring that their voices are heard.

However, challenges remain. Financial sustainability is a major barrier as many community projects fail due to lack of funding. In addition, not all young people are properly trained in project management or leadership skills.

According to a 2024 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) survey, more than 60% of young people in developing countries feel their voices are not being heard in public policies.

For this reason, UN experts recommend that in addition to youth initiative, there is a need for a comprehensive and long-term support mechanism. This includes establishing dedicated funding funds for youth initiatives, developing mentoring programs to connect them with experts, and establishing creative spaces for them to test their ideas before implementing them widely.

Not everyone can create large-scale projects, but every young person can take action. Each person can start with small things like reducing plastic consumption, planting trees, participating in cleanups or sharing knowledge about the SDGs with those around them.

As young Kenyan activist Elizabeth Wathuti once said, “Start where you are, with what you have, and keep expanding your circle of impact.”

This is also the philosophy that the United Nations conveys in the theme of International Youth Day 2025. A sustainable future is not a gift that is given, but the result of persistent efforts today.

Youth, with their enthusiasm, intelligence and innovative spirit, are the “green sound waves” spreading positive things in the roadmap to realizing the SDGs./.

According to VNA

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ngay-quoc-te-thanh-nien-2025-suc-tre-hanh-dong-vi-phat-trien-ben-vung-257780.htm