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Youth Voices for a Sustainable Future: Young People Leading the Conversation on Sustainable Development

  • 8 hours ago
  • 1 min read

What does meaningful youth engagement look like? At the 2026 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) Official Side Event, Youth Voices for a Sustainable Future, young people shared their experiences and recommendations for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Mary Ward Centre participated as an event partner alongside international faith-based organizations and civil society groups committed to strengthening youth participation in global conversations.


Speakers from the Philippines, Australia, India, Spain, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe demonstrated how global challenges are experienced in local communities. Christine spoke about accessible and sustainable public transportation in the Philippines. Claire and Disha presented Youth Voices for Sustainable Development: A Global Call to Action, a report based on conversations with 102 young people from Australia, Canada, England, India, and Nepal. Jasmine shared youth-led research on the impacts of climate change on education, health, and daily life in India, while Laura and Vitalina reflected on housing, energy, and infrastructure from European and Ukrainian perspectives. Jaden concluded with a spoken-word presentation on infrastructure, development, and opportunity in Zimbabwe.


Across different contexts, the presentations reached a common conclusion: achieving the 2030 Agenda requires young people to be meaningfully included in policy development, partnerships, and implementation. Throughout the event, youth participation was presented not as a symbolic gesture, but as an essential contribution to creating more sustainable, equitable, and resilient communities.



Watch the full recording below to hear directly from the speakers and learn more about their experiences, research, and recommendations for advancing sustainable development.


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