Latest content: Youth

Twenty extraordinary young individuals, including social entrepreneurs, climate advocates, innovators, and community health champions from across the Commonwealth, have been shortlisted for the 2025 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work.

Throughout the week-long Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance (CAYA) Summit and the Asia Regional Youth Ministers Meeting in Pakistan, more than 200 delegates from across Asia participated in intergenerational panel discussions, cultural activities, and training workshops designed to empower and position them for greater success.

A summit for young leaders in Asia has ended with strong recommendations to empower young people and promote their active participation in policymaking.

The Commonwealth Secretariat is deepening its partnership with the CARICOM Secretariat on youth mainstreaming and youth statistics.

In March 2025, a group of extraordinary young people will have the opportunity to receive support from the Commonwealth Secretariat. They will be chosen as the 20 finalists for the Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work.

By the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, on International Day of Education 2025

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the East, Central, and Southern African Health Community (ECSA-HC) have launched a significant mental health project to raise the standard of health of youths across nine countries in the region where mental health challenges in young people are on the rise.

Children aged from four to 14 have made history by becoming the youngest ever official delegates to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa.

Delegates from Commonwealth countries have called for "bold and innovative action" to tackle the out-of-school youth crisis worsened by climate change.

Commonwealth youth leaders, representing the 1.5 billion young people that live in Commonwealth countries, met with heads of government at a high-level Intergenerational Dialogue Breakfast Meeting in Samoa.

Young people from across the Commonwealth have surprised the Secretary-General the Rt Hon. Patricia Scotland, KC with a moving tribute to her "incredible" work on their behalf, as she attended the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Youth Forum in Samoa.

In Samoa, an energised and committed group of over 350 young leaders from 56 Commonwealth countries today concluded two days of deliberations on the pivotal role of youth in steering the Commonwealth towards a resilient and sustainable future.

The Commonwealth awarded the winners of the Think Trade, Think Green: Commonwealth Innovative Youth Essay competition today. The competition challenged young researchers and students to explore how trade and trade policy can tackle the climate crisis and drive a resilient, inclusive transformation across the Commonwealth.

13th Commonwealth Youth Forum. “Navigating Our Course: Building Resilience for a Common Future” is the youth’s proactive response to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2024) theme, “One Resilient Common Future.”

This theme underscores the vital role of young people and their tremendous potential and will in charting and propelling the course towards a resilient and prosperous future for the Commonwealth. As exemplified during the Commonwealth Year of Youth, young people are pivotal agents in forging this resilient future.

We will continue to be the energetic, innovative and empathetic voices of the Commonwealth, committed to advocating for and taking action towards these policy recommendations, as we envision and navigate the way towards a prosperous and resilient future for all.

The vibrant colours and rich Samoan culture filled the room as the 13th Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) opened in Apia, Samoa. Hundreds of dynamic leaders from the 56 Commonwealth countries gathered for the two-day event.

As the race for the keenly contested Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) executive elections intensifies, the CYC electoral board has shortlisted 48 candidates to compete for ten seats on the council.

Nominations are now open for the 2025 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Youth Work. The awards recognise the invaluable contribution of young people aged 15-29 and acknowledge their achievements towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As the celebrations for International Youth Day concluded, the Commonwealth Youth Ministerial Task Force meeting began deliberating on initiatives to put to leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), setting priorities with young leaders and reviewing progress on youth development.

On 12 August 2024, the Commonwealth Secretariat celebrated youth achievements and contributions to a peaceful society at a time when conflict, climate change and digital exclusion have exacerbated inequalities among 1.2 billion young people aged 15-24 years globally.

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