International Youth Year

International Youth Year
Name	International Youth Year
Year	1985
Proclaimed by	United Nations General Assembly
Theme	"Participation, Development, Peace"
Launched	1985
Key events	United Nations Decade for Women; World Conference on Youth; United Nations Youth Fund (UNYF)
Related	International Youth Day; International Year of Disabled Persons (1981); International Year of the Child (1979)

Contents

International Youth Year International Youth Year was a United Nations-designated observance in 1985 promoting youth participation, development and peace through global programs and events. The observance mobilized agencies such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) alongside regional bodies like the European Community and the Organization of African Unity. Major conferences, national campaigns and partnerships involved non-governmental organizations including World YWCA, World YMCA, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Amnesty International and Greenpeace.

Background

The observance was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly following advocacy by youth organizations such as International Union of Students and World Assembly of Youth. The decision drew on earlier UN years and decades including the International Year of the Child (1979), the United Nations Decade for Women and the International Year of Disabled Persons (1981), reflecting continuity with initiatives led by agencies like UNESCO, UNICEF and the World Health Organization. Preparatory commissions included representatives from the League of Arab States, the Organization of American States, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Commonwealth Secretariat, coordinating with national ministries from countries such as France, India, Brazil, Kenya and Australia.

Core objectives emphasized youth employment and vocational training promoted by the International Labour Organization and partnerships with the International Labour Office. Education-related initiatives were coordinated with UNESCO and the World Bank to expand access in regions including Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Peace-oriented activities drew on mechanisms linked to the United Nations Department of Political Affairs and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, engaging actors from the Non-Aligned Movement and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Themes were advanced through policy dialogues at fora such as the World Conference on Youth and through collaborations with institutions like Harvard University, University of Oxford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and think tanks including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

A calendar of events featured regional youth conferences convened by bodies like the Economic Commission for Europe, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. National programmes included campaigns in Japan partnering with the Asia Foundation and in Sweden involving the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Cultural exchanges ran through networks such as Soros Foundation-supported projects and the British Council, while sports initiatives engaged organizations like the International Olympic Committee and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Health campaigns involved the World Health Organization and the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and labour projects linked to the European Trade Union Confederation and the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Countries across all UN regional groups held commemorative activities: state-led programs in United Kingdom, United States, China, Soviet Union, Nigeria and Mexico; civil-society actions by Friends of the Earth, Rotary International and Médecins Sans Frontières; youth delegations from Cuba, South Africa (anti-apartheid activists), Egypt and Indonesia participated in regional summits. International media coverage came from outlets such as the BBC, Voice of America, Agence France-Presse and Associated Press. High-level endorsements included statements by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and commentaries published in journals like The Economist, Foreign Affairs and International Affairs.

The observance influenced subsequent initiatives including establishment of youth policy units in national cabinets, increased youth programming at UNDP and the later institution of International Youth Day by the United Nations. It catalyzed research at universities such as Columbia University, Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley and spawned NGOs later prominent in youth development like Ashoka and regional networks tied to the African Union. Policy legacies affected legislation in jurisdictions including Canada, Germany and India relating to youth employment and civic participation. The year also intersected with broader movements, contributing to dialogues at events like the World Summit for Children and influencing frameworks later referenced by the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Several institutions created archives and oral histories housed at the United Nations Archives and university collections at Yale University and the London School of Economics.