The 8th edition of the International Youth Conference is set to take place in New York City from 21 to 24 September 2023, coinciding with the United Nations High-Level Week. This year’s conference, #IYC8, will be closely linked with the 2023 SDG Summit. It will provide a platform for young people to discuss the progress made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and explore ways young people can contribute to this effort.

Through capacity-building workshops, the conference aims to empower youth with the necessary resources to play an active role in making the world a better place. Key issues such as environmental protection, peace-building, youth engagement in politics and policy-making, countering violent extremism, accessible technology, AI for inclusion, equitable access to education, economic development, inclusion, gender equality, health, children’s rights, mental health, and drug abuse prevention will be discussed.

The conference prioritizes the inclusion of marginalized youth, with a particular focus on youth from the global south and indigenous communities. It aims to reach out to populations that have not been heard by the UN before, ensuring that their voices are heard and included in the conversation. Equal representation is a core value of the conference, ensuring that all voices are heard and included in the discussion and action on the ground.