Latest content: Youth

A Malaysian school which launched a scholarship programme for students from Commonwealth countries and aspires to be a centre for music and dramatic arts, has named its new state-of-the-art auditorium in honour of the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland spoke as guest of honour at a Faith in the Commonwealth seminar at the Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization in Kuala Lumpur.

On her visit to India, the Commonwealth Secretary-General travelled to the city of Gorakhpur in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. She took part in the launch of the Out of School Children Project, and attended the country’s first ever Sustainable Development Goals Choupal.

Young people have said their efforts to stem extremism and build peace remain largely overlooked at the national and global levels.

Young people have asked Commonwealth leaders to work with them in developing innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

Time magazine has named Commonwealth Young Person of the Year Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi among its 100 world rising stars who are shaping the future.

African countries will spend this month giving special impetus to improving the lives of millions of young people. Beginning with Africa Youth Day on 1st November, the African Union member states, including the 19 Commonwealth countries, will focus on providing opportunities for young people in the areas of Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Engagement, known as the 4Es.

The Secretary-General has called for “transformational leadership” in youth development across Africa and the Commonwealth.

Young people wishing to apply for the 2020 Commonwealth Youth Awards have less than one week left to submit their entries. The Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work are free to enter and recognise exceptional young people in the Commonwealth who are making a difference in their communities through development work.

Governments in Africa should step up financial support to young people, according to a policy brief co-launched in Ghana by the Commonwealth and Africa Union Commission (AUC).

Young people and senior Rwandan officials have kicked-off the countdown to the 12th Commonwealth Youth Forum.

The Secretary-General has urged young diplomats posted to London from across the world to pool their talent, knowledge and dynamism to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Courage is the greatest measure of a leader and young people should not be afraid to “go against the flow” when acting on their convictions, the Commonwealth Secretary-General has said.

A meeting of policy makers in Brunei-Darussalam has the potential to amplify the voices of millions of young people from across the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General has appealed to governments of member states to continue their support for youth workers and invest in education and training.

Nominations have opened for the 2020 Commonwealth Youth Awards which will see winners awarded a cash grant to scale-up development work benefiting their communities.

The role of young people in the development of Commonwealth countries will be the focus of a high-level meeting in Brunei from 27-29 August.

This year’s Commonwealth Youth Work Week will be celebrated across the 53 member countries from 4-10 November.

The Commonwealth has developed a new education programme to strengthen learning systems in member countries.

The Commonwealth Children and Youth Disability Network has convened its first strategic meeting in London, following its official launch during Commonwealth Week earlier this year.

A youth-led taskforce has met in Kigali to lay the foundations of the 12th Commonwealth Youth Forum which takes place in Rwanda next year in the margins of the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

A post-graduate executive course in strategic leadership and management has been successfully completed by ministers and senior policy-makers in the youth sector.

Inequality, child marriage and social and cultural norms are just some of the barriers that girls face in their pursuit of education.