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STORY: UN / ECOSOC YOUTH FORUM
TRT: 03:09
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 14 APRIL 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
STORY: UN / ECOSOC YOUTH FORUM
TRT: 03:09
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 14 APRIL 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
Shotlist:
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UN Headquarters
14 APRIL 2026, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Trusteeship Council Chamber
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Lok Bahadur Thapa, President, Economic and Social Council, United Nations:
“If we are truly committed to leaving no one behind, we must ensure that all young people, regardless of geography, gender, ability, or socioeconomic background, have equitable access to opportunity, voice, and influence.”
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly, United Nations:
“Nearly 244 million children and young people are currently out of school globally. In some regions, more than one in three are denied even the most basic access to education. Almost one in five young people worldwide is not in employment, education, or training, leaving their development and career progression at standstill. And more than one in six children are growing up in conflict-where opportunity is not just limited, but almost out of reach.”
5. Wide shot, Trusteeship Council Chamber
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly, United Nations:
“So yes-young people – you - are the future, but right now, too many - especially young people that cannot stay with us today in the room - are even being locked out of the present, making their future almost impossible. That is why this moment matters so much. Because this Forum is not just a space for dialogue.it is a test of whether we are ready to act.”
7. Wide shot, Trusteeship Council Chamber
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations:
“And please don't let anyone tell you that there is no money. There is. We have never been in a more richer world. It's just: where is it? And can where can we open it up to come to where it needs to be? Investments are there. Money is there. But what is not there is a political will to open up the tap.”
9. Wide shot, Trusteeship Council Chamber
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Each and every one of you is here to shape what happens next, and this year, it matters more than it ever has. The world you have inherited is not the one that we have promised you, Unemployment, displacement, limited access to education and decent work are affecting young people like you in ways and at a scale that previous generations never had to contend with. Add to that the inequalities that are averaging the world right now at precisely the moment when countries need to be leaning into each other to find the solutions.”
11. Wide shot, Trusteeship Council Chamber
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Bring that urgency into every conversation that you have. Use this forum to shape the future boldly, certainly go further than we did, and know that we will be right behind you. Are you ready to change the narrative for youth? Are you ready? Okay, thank you.”
13. Wide shot, Trusteeship Council Chamber
Addressing the Youth Forum, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said, “Bring that urgency into every conversation that you have. Use this forum to shape the future boldly, certainly go further than we did, and know that we will be right behind you.”
Today (14 Apr), the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) hold the first day of its 2026 Youth Forum under the this year’s theme of the Council and the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF): “Transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all.”
At the opening, Lok Bahadur Thapa, ECOSOC President said, “If we are truly committed to leaving no one behind, we must ensure that all young people, regardless of geography, gender, ability, or socioeconomic background, have equitable access to opportunity, voice, and influence.”
Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly, noted, “Nearly 244 million children and young people are currently out of school globally. In some regions, more than one in three are denied even the most basic access to education. Almost one in five young people worldwide is not in employment, education, or training, leaving their development and career progression at standstill. And more than one in six children are growing up in conflict-where opportunity is not just limited, but almost out of reach.”
She added, “So yes-young people – you - are the future, but right now, too many - especially young people that cannot stay with us today in the room - are even being locked out of the present, making their future almost impossible. That is why this moment matters so much. Because this Forum is not just a space for dialogue.it is a test of whether we are ready to act.”
Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, said, “And please don't let anyone tell you that there is no money. There is. We have never been in a more richer world. It's just: where is it? And can where can we open it up to come to where it needs to be? Investments are there. Money is there. But what is not there is a political will to open up the tap.”
She continued, “Each and every one of you is here to shape what happens next, and this year, it matters more than it ever has. The world you have inherited is not the one that we have promised you, Unemployment, displacement, limited access to education and decent work are affecting young people like you in ways and at a scale that previous generations never had to contend with. Add to that the inequalities that are averaging the world right now at precisely the moment when countries need to be leaning into each other to find the solutions.”
She concluded, “Bring that urgency into every conversation that you have. Use this forum to shape the future boldly, certainly go further than we did, and know that we will be right behind you. Are you ready to change the narrative for youth? Are you ready? Okay, thank you.”
The Forum provides a global platform for young people to engage with Member States, the UN system, and other partners by sharing ideas and showcasing innovations and solutions to accelerate progress on the SDGs.
For over a decade, the ECOSOC Youth Forum has been the UN’s largest annual gathering of young people, strengthening their role in policy- and decision-making.
The 2026 ECOSOC Youth Forum will build on this legacy by highlighting the transformative power of youth collaboration and innovation, reaffirming that young people are essential partners in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future.
The Forum is convened by the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2026, Ambassador Lok Bahadur Thapa of Nepal, and organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) in close collaboration with the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development (IANYD) and the UN Youth Office. It is co-convened by the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY), the International Coordination Meeting of
Youth Organizations (ICMYO), with technical input from youth constituencies and organizations relevant to the theme of the Forum.
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