Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen<\/em><\/p>\nIn a world where unprecedented advances in technology and innovation are reshaping societies and economies, education and training systems must keep pace. Continuous learning and refitting skills are going to be required to take advantage of ever-changing opportunities.<\/p>\n
Shaping education and training systems to respond to these needs is itself a complex task. It is a task one that calls for international cooperation, strategic partnerships, and transfer of technology.<\/p>\n
The multilateral system has a responsibility to bring together Governments, youth, employers, educators, and innovators to demystify the labor markets of the future, and to find innovative ways of building digital skills across the world, all in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.<\/p>\n
With Ministers from across the world gathered here in New York at the High-Level Political Forum to discuss global progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda, we are reminded that the Sustainable Development Goals are the existential promise we have made to young people.<\/p>\n
Implemented effectively, the 2030 Agenda, taken together with the Paris Climate Agreement, will shift humanity\u2019s trajectory away from an unsustainable future towards one that is safe, sustainable and prosperous for all.<\/p>\n
And as the main beneficiaries of the SDGs, and as the drivers of innovation and change, it is vital that the enthusiasm and ingenuity of youth are harnessed to transform the world for the better.<\/p>\n
Just as youth need education and training to access decent jobs in and of the future, they also require skills development to fulfil their vital role in SDG implementation.<\/p>\n
A new type of balance has to be struck between teaching existing knowledge, while facilitating young learners to be creative about solutions for tomorrow\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n
We must see investing in quality education and training as fundamental for a world of sustaining peace and sustainable development.<\/p>\n
We need targeted policies and resources to develop the digital skills of our youth, not only so they can participate in the digital economy of the future, but also so they help shape it towards sustainability.<\/p>\n
Specific programs need to be introduced to ensure women and girls have access to education, health and employment opportunities, so that they can secure decent jobs and are never left behind again.<\/p>\n
And we must work cooperatively with all stakeholders in building the education and training systems that are responsive to the workplace needs of the future.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen<\/em><\/p>\nAchieving a future of sustainable development requires us to look at the future through a lens that highlights the inevitably of change. Today\u2019s youth is ready to do just that. Let us empower them to do so.<\/p>\n
I thank you for your attention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As delivered Statement by Peter Thomson,\u00a0President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ General Assembly at\u00a0World Youth Skills Day 2017:\u00a0Skills for the future of work 17 July 2017 \u00a0All protocols observed Excellencies, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":202,"featured_media":103982,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[2902,3180,294,5910,2890],"class_list":["post-103978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-statements","tag-hlpf","tag-latest-news","tag-sdgs","tag-youth-envoy","tag-youth-skills-day"],"yoast_head":"\n
World Youth Skills Day 2017 - General Assembly of the United Nations<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n