13/08/2025
SPEECH BY HIS EMINENCE CHIEF AMBASSADOR SIR SYLVESTER OKEYOBA, FOUNDER/PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF AFRICA (UNAA), TO MARK THE 2025 INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY, AUGUST 12, 2025
Distinguished partners in progress, dear young people of Africa and the world,
Today, we join the global community to mark International Youth Day 2025, a day dedicated to celebrating the energy, creativity, and leadership of young people. This year’s theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, reminds us of a profound truth: the future of our nations, our continent, and our world will be shaped not only in conference rooms and parliaments, but also in our streets, schools, villages, farms, marketplaces, and digital spaces where young people are taking bold, local action.
At the United Nations Association of Africa, we firmly believe that youth empowerment is not just a goal to be pursued; it is the very pathway to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. When young people are educated, equipped with skills, and given opportunities to lead, they become the most powerful drivers of change in any society.
Our young people are not waiting for tomorrow; they are leading today. From rural communities in Kano using technology to improve farming yields, to youth-led startups in Lagos creating jobs in renewable energy, to young climate activists planting trees in Accra and Nairobi, we see proof that local action is the heartbeat of global progress. These efforts directly advance key goals such as SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
But for this potential to be fully realised, we must do more than applaud from the sidelines. We must invest in young people’s education and skills. We must open doors to decent work and entrepreneurship. We must create spaces where youth voices influence policies that affect their future. And we must recognise that empowering youth is not charity. It is the smartest investment any nation can make.
Let me be clear: the SDGs can not be achieved without the active leadership of youth at the local level. National strategies succeed when they are lived out in communities, and communities thrive when their young people are resourced and supported. This is why UNAA will continue to champion programs that connect young innovators to funding, mentorship, and platforms for collaboration. We will deepen partnerships with schools, civil society, and governments to create a generation not only ready for the future but also determined to shape it.
To our young people listening today: you are the authors of the next chapter of our shared story. You carry the courage to challenge injustice, the creativity to solve complex problems, and the compassion to build inclusive communities. Never underestimate the power of your local action; a small idea can spark a national movement, and a single voice can inspire a continent.
As we celebrate this International Youth Day, let us recommit ourselves, as leaders, policymakers, educators, entrepreneurs, and citizens, to stand with our youth, to invest in their dreams, and to walk with them on the journey to a more peaceful, just, and prosperous Africa. Together, we will go beyond the goals, beyond the limits of the present, and into a future shaped by the brilliance and resilience of our young people.
Happy International Youth Day. God bless our youth, and God bless Africa.
Chief Amb. Sir. Sylvester O. Okafor
Founder/ president General, UNAA USA, INC.
