Sopport to Establishment of a UN Permanent Forum on Youth. Letter to share within our movements. | Page 2

himself recognizes that youth must play a central role in the work of the UN, that youth are no longer just a fringe concern of international policymakers. “Youth” as a thematic area is now a central aspect of the work plan of the Secretary General and as a result, it is critical that the rest of the world follows the lead of the SG by putting the concerns of young people first. A UN Permanent Forum on Youth can be the structure that helps provides young people with a reliable process through which tokenism can be brushed aside in favour of effective participation and evaluation of the World Programme of Action for Youth. Young people are already mobilizing on many fronts to promote change at all levels of society and give life to a Post-2015 Development Agenda. As a result, there can be no good excuse for preventing these youth organisations that represent engaged, and energetic human beings from taking centre stage in the establishment of a mechanism that truly leaves nobody behind. A Permanent Forum on Youth would not undermine the intergovernmental nature of the UN, but rather strengthen the UN through partnership, allowing advice to flow from the Permanent Forum to ECOSOC and the General Assembly (3rd Committee) and allow for the assessment of commitments Governments have made. It is similar to models that work effectively in the African Union, Council of Europe and Ibero-American Youth Organisation. The time is now to promote the creation of a UN Permanent Forum on Youth and the organisations of ICMYO are ready to do what is necessary to bring this about. You may contact our representatives in New York during the 3rd Committee at any time to discuss these matters: Christopher Dekki (International Movement of Catholic Students – Pax Romana on [email protected] or [phone]) or Jerry Den Haan (European Youth Forum on [email protected] or [phone]). Yours faithfully, European Youth Forum (YFJ) www.youthforum.org Global Young Greens (GYG) www.globalyounggreens.org International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) www.iusy.org International Falcon Movement – Socialist Education International www.ifm-sei.org International Federation of Medical Student Associations (IFMSA) www.ifmsa.org International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) www.iflry.org The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) www.scout.org International Movement of Catholic Students – Pax Romana (IMCS) www.imcs-miec.org Task Force Members on behalf of the ICMYO network