UNESCO is currently organizing the 6th UNESCO Youth Forum which will take place from 1-3 October 2009 in Paris as an integral part of the 35th UNESCO General Conference. The Youth Forum will give its youth participants the crucial opportunity to exchange views, share experiences, and identify common opportunities for future commitment and actions.

The main theme of the 6th Youth Forum is:

 

·         “Investing out of the crisis: towards a partnership between UNESCO and youth organizations”

 This theme will be complemented by a cross-cutting theme on:

 

·         “Youth participation - UNESCO Youth Forum, a long term approach”

 The two themes of the plenary sessions reflect UNESCO’s commitment to further strengthen partnerships, common goals and its work with youth organizations and networks.

 

The Forum will result in a final report containing key recommendations made by youth participants which will be presented at the 35th General Conference.

 

Youth delegates will be nominated by UNESCO Member States as members of their official delegations. Please contact the National Commission of your country for more details.

 (http://www.unesco.org/ncp/index.php?lc=E&module=national_commissions&showall=1)

 

The following countries have already selected their youth delegates: Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Netherland Antilles, Saint Kitts and Nevis. Therefore, their quota has been completed.

 

Criteria for the selection of delegates are as follows:

-          Age (18-24 years old).

-          Membership in a representative youth organization and involvement in youth-related issues at the community level.

      -     Gender parity.

-          Representation of indigenous people is encouraged.

 

Youth organizations and international and national NGO’s with official relations with UNESCO as well as UN agencies will also be invited as observers (the invitation letter for observers has not been distributed yet).

 

UNESCO will launch an online discussion forum which gives young people from around the world the opportunity to participate in discussions surrounding the topics of the 6th UNESCO Youth Forum and make their voices heard in the sessions of the 6th Youth Forum.

Please check this link for more information and updates about the 6th UNESCO Youth Forum:

 

 http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.phpURL_ID=10997&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html .

 

Your participation can make a difference!