UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum 2025

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Following active participation in the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum at United Nations Headquarters, the Youth Charter is issuing a call for a more youth-centred and action-oriented global communiqué.

This call urges the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and all Member States to elevate youth engagement and strengthen support for the growing global sport for development movement as a key contributor to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This year’s Forum, themed “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda,” featured inspiring dialogue between youth leaders, UN agencies, and Member States. However, the Youth Charter notes a critical gap in the formal outputs: the underrepresentation of youth-led, grassroots, and community-based solutions—particularly those harnessing sport, culture, and the arts.

A Global Youth Call2Action
As a United Nations-accredited NGO, the Youth Charter reiterated its commitment to its Global Youth Call2Action, which urges governments and development partners to:

– Support the integration of sport for development into national youth strategies, education systems, and community development frameworks
– Adopt and replicate the Youth Charter Community Campus model, which uses place-based innovation to engage, equip, and empower young people through sport, art, culture, and digital learning
– Invest in Social Coach Leadership Programmes, to train local mentors who can guide young people away from violence and disengagement toward purpose and opportunity
– Ensure youth are not only consulted but co-creators in shaping policies and initiatives aimed at achieving the 2030 Agenda

A Stronger Role for ECOSOC
The Youth Charter is also calling for greater recognition and integration of youth-focused outcomes from the ECOSOC Youth Forum into the formal Ministerial Declaration of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF). This includes adopting an annual ECOSOC Youth Communiqué, co-created by youth, to ensure their contributions are not only heard but embedded in high-level decision-making.

“If we are truly serious about ‘leaving no one behind,’ then young people must not be at the margins of global development discussions—they must be at the centre,” said Professor Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL, Founder and Executive Chair of the Youth Charter.

Looking Ahead
As the world moves toward the halfway mark of the 2030 Agenda, the Youth Charter will intensify its advocacy efforts to ensure that youth voices translate into youth outcomes, and that sport, culture, and creativity are recognized as essential tools in tackling inequality, disengagement, and global youth violence.

The Youth Charter extends its appreciation to ECOSOC, the UN Youth Office, and all collaborating partners, and stands ready to work with global stakeholders to translate this year’s Forum energy into lasting impact.

Résumé en Français
Suite à sa participation active au Forum des jeunes de l’ECOSOC 2025 à l’ONU, la Charte de la jeunesse appelle à un communiqué mondial davantage axé sur les jeunes et l’action.Elle exhorte l’ECOSOC et les États membres à renforcer l’engagement des jeunes et le soutien au mouvement mondial « sport au service du développement » pour atteindre les ODD 2030.

Malgré un dialogue inspirant, la Charte note une sous-représentation des solutions menées par les jeunes, notamment celles utilisant le sport, la culture et les arts.

Appel Mondial des Jeunes à l’Action
La Charte réitère son appel à intégrer le sport au développement dans les stratégies jeunesse, à adopter son modèle « Campus Communautaire », à investir dans des programmes de mentorat locaux et à impliquer les jeunes comme co-créateurs des politiques.

Un Rôle Renforcé pour l’ECOSOC
La Charte demande une meilleure intégration des résultats du Forum des jeunes dans la Déclaration ministérielle du HLPF, incluant un communiqué annuel co-créé par les jeunes.

Selon le Professeur Geoff Thompson, les jeunes doivent être au centre des discussions sur le développement mondial.

Perspectives
À mi-parcours de l’Agenda 2030, la Charte intensifiera son plaidoyer pour que les voix des jeunes se traduisent en résultats concrets et que le sport, la culture et la créativité soient reconnus comme des outils essentiels.

La Charte remercie l’ECOSOC, le Bureau de la jeunesse de l’ONU et ses partenaires, et se tient prête à collaborer pour transformer l’énergie du Forum en impact durable.