The International Youth Conference
9th Edition
International Youth Conference 9 (IYC9) is scheduled to unfold in Los Angeles, California, and online from May 30th to June 1, 2024. This edition, spearheaded by Generation Next, is backed by the collaboration with reputed organizations including UN-Habitat, AFS Intercultural Programs, the Civil Society Unit of the UN Department of Global Communications, IOM UN Migration, and more.
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE (IYC)
The International Youth Conference (IYC) represents a significant collaboration between the Civil Society Unit of the Department of Global Communications (DGC), Generation Next Network, a youth-led NGO based in NYC, UN-Habitat, and the UN International Organization for Migration (UN IOM). With its non-profit 501(c) status, the IYC has firmly positioned itself as an influential platform in the global arena.
Emerging from the 68th UN Civil Society Conference (UNCSC) in 2019, which witnessed a robust youth representation (approximately one-third of the 5,000 participants), the IYC was conceived with specific aims directed towards the youth. The foundational objectives of IYC encompass:
- Bridge the Gap: Function as a liaison between the youth and the United Nations, ensuring that young voices resonate and leave an imprint within the UN corridors.
- Promote Inclusive Engagement: Champion genuine and inclusive youth participation at the UN, ensuring a diverse representation from varying backgrounds and regions.
- Decision-making Inclusion: Stress the importance of youth participation in decision-making processes, emphasizing the belief that the youth of today are the torchbearers of tomorrow.
- Outreach to Youth: Extend a global outreach to the youth, ensuring they are well-informed, actively involved, and encouraged to contribute to global challenges.
OBJECTIVES OF #IYC9
- Empower Youth: Equip young minds with resources and skills through capacity-building workshops, enabling them to be proactive contributors to global solutions.
- Inclusive Dialogue: Encourage participation from marginalized and underrepresented youth, ensuring diverse voices, concerns, and insights shape the conversations and outcomes.
- Innovative Solutions: Facilitate the development of groundbreaking ideas and strategies to further global cooperation and sustainable development goals.
- Global Collaboration: Cultivate partnerships between young individuals, governmental bodies, NGOs, and private sectors to synergize efforts towards shared principles and goals.
- Strengthening Alliance for the Future: Strengthening the Alliance for the Future (AFF) to empower global youth in contributing to the United Nations mechanism and framework.
Outcomes
- Youth Declaration: A synthesis of discussions, insights, and recommendations, presented to the United Nations and other stakeholders.
- Progress Report: A comprehensive document detailing advancements and challenges in achieving sustainable development goals.
- Innovative Strategies: A compilation of youth-developed strategies and solutions for sustainable development.
The International Youth Conference (IYC) Achievement
IYC 1
May 30 – 31, 2020
Theme: Regeneration: Youth Leadership In Rebuilding A Post COVID19 Sustainable world with SDGs
Online Viewership: 13,078 (Facebook only)
Registered Participants: 1,609
Geographical Reach: 77 countries across 503 cities
IYC 2
September 26 – 27, 2020
Theme: Youth Lead Build Back Sustainable
Viewership: 18,251
Registered Participants: 2,700
Geographical Reach: 119 countries across 664 cities
IYC 3
January 30 – 31, 2021
Theme: New Normal, New Beginning
Viewership: 19,943
Registered Participants: 3,573
Geographical Reach: 160 countries across 1,252 cities
IYC 4
June 25 – 27, 2021
Theme: Synergize, Act, Impact: Youth Together for a Sustainable Future
Viewership: 54,810
Registered Participants: 4,394
Geographical Reach: 172 countries across 1,274 cities
Special Note: Both online and in-person events took place in Lake George, NY.
IYC 5
IYC 6
IYC 7
IYC 8
March 25 – 27, 2022
Theme: For Planet and People
Viewership: 394,608
Registered Participants: 12,631
Engagement: 1.2M interactions
Geographical Reach: 172 countries
Sessions: 49 sessions with 120 speakers
Special Note: A 36-hour global conference held live from Cambridge, MA, and broadcasted online across 7 cities.
September 22 – 25, 2022 & September 30 – October 1, 2022
Theme: Serve, Lead, Innovate: Youth for A Sustainable Future
Viewership: 391,419
Registered Participants: 14,467
Engagement: 1.3M interactions
Sessions: 52 sessions with 90 speakers
Special Note: In-person events were held in New York City, Cambridge, MA, and broadcasted online across various platforms.
April 27 – 30, 2023
Theme: Inclusion and Development through Innovation
Viewership: 654,268
Registered Participants: 8,400
Engagement: 1.9M interactions
Sessions: 30 sessions with 84 speakers
Special Note: Events were held live from Silicon Valley and San Francisco.
September 21 – 24, 2023
Theme: Empowering Youth to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: From Discussions to Innovation, Inclusion, and Action.
Viewership: 581,668
Registered Participants: 17,456
Sessions: 43 sessions with 246 speakers
Geographical Reach: 174 countries
Special Note: 401 attendees participated in-person in New York City.
