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On World Youth Skills Day, we celebrate the talent, mindset, and lived wisdom of youth across the globe who are building a better world. Today’s youth are showing how meaningful change happens when we embrace skills such as empathy, dialogue and trust in a better world together with the knowledge and practical skills that youth are equipping themselves with as part of the essential toolkit for changemaking.
Along with every cohort of the Youth Ambassador Programme, there is a core team - the Youth Committee - helping to ideate and take the Programme forward. For this passionate group of young leaders from the first Youth Ambassador cohort of 2025, changemaking is found in self-belief, community-building and the courage to make a difference. Who better to guide and inspire others than young changemakers themselves?
"The first step of change making is observing. The world around you, the struggles people face, and the gaps that need filling. True impact starts with deep awareness, followed by the courage to act. Change doesn’t begin with having all the answers; it begins with asking the right questions" - Raquel, México.
Their collective wisdom echoes a powerful truth: you don’t need to have all the answers to get started. As Ángel, from Peru, put it,
“You don’t need all the answers to create change, just the courage to start. Every action, no matter how small, has the power to inspire others.”
Across borders and backgrounds, the Youth Committee emphasizes taking initiative, dreaming big, and staying hopeful even when results aren’t immediate.
Rishabh, from the UAE, asserts: “Social change takes time, and the results may not be immediate, but don't lose hope. Your dedication and hard work will eventually make a difference.”
"No problem is too small to matter, and no problem is too big to conquer. Start your journey!"
From classic inspirations like “Be the change you wish to see in the world” and “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door,” to personal reflections about learning through action, these messages all point to the same core belief: Young people are not just future leaders - they are leading now. They are building community, uplifting one another and changing systems from within. They are addressing skills such as emotional regulation, intercultural dialogue, holding space, learning to pause, to think critically, to express themselves in multiple ways. And in the Youth Ambassador Programme, many are creating different projects from their passions to address different SDGs: “Turn your passion into a project. Don’t just keep it as an idea — bring it to life by working directly with the people you aim to help. Feel their needs, create meaningful solutions, and experience the true joy of making a real impact.”-Alp, Türkiye.
For those who feel too young, too uncertain, or too alone to begin, the advice is clear:
“You are never too young to change the world.”
“Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.”
“Be a voice, not an echo.”
So today, on World Youth Skills Day, we celebrate the vision and the energy young people bring into the world, and invite everyone in our community to ensure that youth are not only listened to, but that they have a sit on the table where decisions are made.
And as Ashraf, from Bangladesh, beautifully summed it up:
“Change begins when young people dare to dream, learn, and take action.”
Get involved! Celebrate and uplift youth-led initiatives in your school, workplace, or community
