At the United Nations General Assembly, world leaders highlighted the central role of young people in addressing the world’s most urgent challenges. They emphasized that today’s generation holds remarkable promise, despite the barriers millions of children and youth face in accessing education, healthcare, and political participation. Annalena Baerbock, President of the General Assembly and one of the youngest to hold the office, described youth as “the designers of their future” who should not have to build it alone.
Drawing on discussions with young leaders from countries including Ethiopia and Afghanistan, Ms. Baerbock highlighted the obstacles youth encounter, from conflict and crisis to cyberbullying and unemployment, while acknowledging the transformative change they are driving through digital innovation and climate advocacy. The recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion on climate obligations, prompted by youth activists, demonstrated how committed young people can influence global policy and foster intergenerational solidarity.
The transformative potential of youth was evident in Bangladesh, a year after the ‘July Revolution’ ended decades of authoritarian rule. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus credited the country’s young majority with defeating tyranny and advancing democratic reforms, including the establishment of 11 independent commissions and a ‘July Declaration’ signed by over 30 political parties. He emphasized empowering young people and women, aiming to cultivate youth not only as job seekers but also as job creators while expanding protections and public roles for women.
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis focused on the mental health and safety of children in the digital age, warning of cyberbullying, addictive content, and harmful online material. Greece has implemented measures such as banning phones in schools and launching a parental control app, alongside proposing a pan-European “digital age of majority” to ensure age-appropriate online access. He stressed that large platforms must no longer profit at the expense of children’s mental health.
The Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele highlighted youth-led climate action in the Pacific, noting that young activists were instrumental in prompting the ICJ’s advisory opinion affirming states’ climate responsibilities. He emphasized that youth advocacy has elevated the challenges faced by small island nations and underscored the need for collective action to meet global climate commitments and protect vulnerable communities.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago illustrated how small nations can have global influence by prioritizing youth and children’s welfare. She highlighted initiatives including the Children’s Authority, Children’s Life Fund, and expanded early childhood education, stressing that gender equality is integral to sustainable peace and development and that women and girls must be equal partners in these efforts.
Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela emphasized the tangible benefits of multilateralism, noting improvements in global child life expectancy over decades as evidence of collective effort and international cooperation. He underscored that enduring safety, environmental protection, and prosperity require nations to work together, listen to one another, and act in concert through multilateral institutions.
