UNIS/SGSM/1419
11 July 2024
The future of humanity and our planet depends on young people.
But it also depends on ensuring they have the skills to tackle today’s challenges and shape a more peaceful tomorrow.
We know there is a clear link between countries that enjoy high levels of peace, spending on education, and school completion rates.
Yet today, almost a quarter of the world’s youth are not in education, employment, or training – with that figure more than twice as high for young women.
Meanwhile the financing gap for education in low and middle-income countries stands at a massive 100 billion dollars a year.
This year’s World Skills Day shines a spotlight on skills for peace and sustainable development.
Around the world, young people are already working to build safer and stronger communities. They can make an even bigger difference for our shared future with training for the burgeoning green and digital economies, education to help break the cycle of hate speech and misinformation, tools to enhance mediation and dialogue, and so much more.
Today, and every day, let’s work to transform education.
And let’s ensure that youth have what they need to build skills for shaping a more peaceful, sustainable future for all.
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"Nelson Mandela showed us the extraordinary difference one person can make in building a better world. And as the theme of this year's Nelson Mandela International Day reminds us – combatting poverty and inequality is in our hands." — António Guterres
The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) adopted the UNCITRAL Model Law on Automated Contracting (the “Model Law”) at its 57th session in New York.
Over 70 per cent of Nigerians who were asked to pay a bribe in 2023 refused to do so on at least one occasion, according to a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
"The future of humanity and our planet depends on young people. But it also depends on ensuring they have the skills to tackle today's challenges and shape a more peaceful tomorrow." — António Guterres
