Photos: Yoomi Jun/ United Nations in Vietnam

The policy dialogue is part of a series of activities to celebrate 2019 International Youth Day (August 12), organized by the United Nations in Vietnam in collaboration with Ha Giang Peoples’ Committee and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

Featuring the theme “Transforming education” this year International Youth Day highlights efforts to make education more relevant, equitable and inclusive for all youth, including efforts by youth themselves.

Rooted in Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”, International Youth Day 2019 will examine how Governments, young people and youth-led and youth-focused organizations, are transforming education so that it becomes a powerful tool to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“This is a unique opportunity for us to participate and contribute our ideas on transforming education. We are living in the technology era of 4.0 and young people have a lot of access to information on the internet. Educational system must provide us with a range of tools and skills to be compatible with a constantly changing modern world. Transforming education should give us access and freedom to choose the education platforms that we need,” shared Sung Van Thang, a youth representative from Dong Van town, Ha Giang province.

Thang also took part in a two-day capacity building workshop designed and led by young people themselves prior to the event that gathered 60 young people from varying groups to improve their skills on public speaking, listening and critical thinking. They also discussed challenges they are facing in education and provided suggestions and recommendations on how education could be adapted to build the world they want in the future.

Vietnam is experiencing a period of golden population bonus, recording the highest proportion of young people in the country’s history. This period presents Vietnam with a timely and unique opportunity to plan for a transformation and make its next generation of leaders and advocates the drivers of social, environmental and economic progress.

Addressing the International Youth Day celebration in Dong Van town, Dao Quang Dieu, Acting Secretary of Ha Giang Provincial Youth Union said: “There are more than 200,000 young people in Ha Giang province, accounting for about 24 per cent of the total population of the province. Currently, education status and other professional skills of Ha Giang youth have been improved significantly. This aims to form a young generation, who are dynamic, creative, dare to think, dare to do, economic thinking, capable of seizing opportunities, contributing positively to the socio-economic development of Ha Giang province”.

“The main purpose of young people’s participation is to empower them as inpiduals and as members of society to fulfill their role to improve the design and implementation of education policies, programmes and investments for young people. Active, knowledgeable and innovative young people will be essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and make good on our pledge to leave no one behind,” said Astrid Bant, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam at the event.

Investing in education is key to accelerating Sustainable Development Goals progress particularly on poverty eradication, health development, gender equality and decent work. On the International Youth Day, the United Nations in Vietnam, Ha Giang Peoples’ Committee and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union call for more investment in education towards vulnerable and disadvantaged youth, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds and those with disabilities to strengthen their equitable opportunities and promote authentic engagement in all other areas.

Today, August 12, will be the International Youth Day and the United Nations Population Fund will launch its new corporate strategy for adolescents and youth “My Body, My Life, My World!”. The strategy underscores the centrality of young people to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, alignments with the UN Strategy on Youth 2030 launched last year.

Active, knowledgeable and innovative young people will be essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and make good on our pledge to leave no one behind./.