Days Until International Youth Day

About International Youth Day

Following a recommendation from the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, the General Assembly designated August 12 in 1999 of Ministers Responsible for Youth held in Lisbon the prior year, to draw attention to youth-specific issues worldwide.

Each year's observance is built around a specific thematic focus set by the UN, ranging from youth mental health to green skills and climate action.

The UN defines "youth" for its own statistical purposes as ages 15 to 24, a specific working definition used across its youth-focused programs and reporting, though the term is used more loosely in everyday observance messaging.

The Lisbon-based 1998 conference that inspired the day's creation also produced the World Programme of Action for Youth, a policy framework the UN continues to reference in its youth-development reporting.

The observance frequently coincides with youth-led policy forums at the UN, giving younger delegates a formal platform to address global bodies typically dominated by older policymakers.