Video Message
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
Distinguished delegates, young leaders,
I thank the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People¡¯s Republic of China for the invitation to deliver this keynote. I join you in welcoming the brilliant young minds gathered here from across the globe.
The central question of youth development is clear: are our institutions creating the conditions for youth aspirations to translate into tangible opportunities? Worldwide, young people are driving transformative solutions in technology, culture, and sustainable development. Yet, systemic barriers persist. Too many still face unequal access to quality education, decent work, health services, digital connectivity, and decision-making spaces.
Because opportunities remain fractured by geography, gender, disability, and income, young people require more than just a seat at the table. You need deeply enabling environments that respond to your lived realities, protect your rights, and provide genuine, structural inclusion.
This conviction is the foundation of the 1995 World Programme of Action for Youth. Its core message remains urgent: youth development demands coordinated, cross-sectoral policies that dismantle barriers to learning, employment and well-being. The 2025 Doha Political Declaration reinforces this global agenda. By prioritizing decent work, social inclusion and tackling inequalities, it confronts the realities of a generation navigating rapid technological shifts and economic volatility.
The policy direction is unambiguous: participation and opportunity must advance together.
At the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Department of Economic and Social Affairs, we support Member States through policy analysis, evidence and intergovernmental processes, ensuring youth perspectives actively shape multilateral action. The ECOSOC Youth Forum is a vital platform for this, bringing over 1,200 young people into direct dialogue with Member States to connect youth priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The upcoming 2027 Forum will be decisive, empowering young people to shape preparations for the 2027 SDG Summit. I strongly encourage you to join us next April to bring the innovative ideas forged here in Hong Kong into a broader global dialogue.
Likewise, through the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Youth Delegate Programme, young people are serving as official members of national delegations, directly influencing General Assembly deliberations. Having witnessed the profound commitment of youth delegates at the 81st session, I know these initiatives go far beyond representation. They recognize youth¡¯s capacity to steer the very direction of international cooperation.
As we look beyond 2030, the next global development agenda must not simply be built for young people; it must be driven by your agency, your priorities and your commitment to a sustainable future.
This Summit provides a powerful platform to exercise that influence. To our young leaders here: speak boldly. Your insights are the essential blueprints for workable, lasting solutions. To the governments, institutions and partners present: our imperative task is to listen, invest and act. We must urgently make opportunities equitable and open institutionalized pathways for youth participation.
I thank the organizers for making this vital exchange possible, and I eagerly anticipate the bold ideas and partnerships that will emerge from your work today.
Thank you.