22.1% of the United States population are youths, that's 73.1 million people!
International Youth Day, celebrated on August 12th, was created by the United Nations to celebrate and bring awareness to these youths and others worldwide. International Youth Day is used to bring attention to youths' issues and ways to solve them. Each year, there is a theme to pinpoint one of the challenges facing youths. The theme for 2023 was Green Skills for Youth, to teach youth the importance of green habits and the effects of climate change, an issue that becomes more pressing as time passes. This year's theme for International Youth Day is "From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development." (“International Youth Day | United Nations”).
What does this mean? How can you get involved?
This theme aims to celebrate the power of youth and how they are harnessing technology to develop sustainable solutions to challenges worldwide. You can help get involved this International Youth Day by teaching youth you know about the challenges facing the world and offering examples of how they can help. Teach them the importance of technology and how it can be a powerful tool when trying to make a difference. If someone already has an issue they want to solve, offer support! Encouraging youth to let them know that they can make a difference and produce change is a great way to get involved on International Youth Day.
International Youth Day aims to address challenges, encourage youth to take action and celebrate the change they can make. Today's youths are the ones who will play an influential role in tomorrow's future. Growing up in a world of technology, they have access to millions of resources that can be used to create change for the better. Acknowledging these resources can make youth more comfortable in reaching out to use them. Motivate them to make a difference, remind them of their power, and watch all the good that can happen.
Blog Authored by Gina LeBeau, UWAC Youth Coordinator & Junior at Vergennes Union High School
