Opening of the Youth Forum

Young people can play a major role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2023 Youth Forum will be held as part of the World Investment Forum under the theme Investing in Sustainable Development. Youth will gather to participate in Youth o’Clocks and interactive sessions and workshops with a focus on the role they can play in maximizing the contribution of investment and enterprise to sustainable development. The Forum will also offer an opportunity for youth to present several youth-led initiatives.

The first UNCTAD Youth Forum took place in 2016 during the fourteenth Ministerial Conference (UNCTAD 14) in Nairobi, where 250 young game changers from over 70 countries participated in the Forum and prepared a Youth Declaration that became an integral part of the UNCTAD 14 outcome documents. Since then, UNCTAD has continuously reached out to youth worldwide and created a Youth Network which provides them with a platform where they can interact, voice their concerns, share their ideas, and collaborate and contribute to major United Nations events and discussions.

The 4th UNCTAD Youth Forum will provide young people from all over the world a platform to discuss topics such as transforming industries, technological developments, and reimagining education. It will also help them develop soft skills so they can work together effectively in a digital future and contribute to the realization of the SDGs in their local communities and beyond. 

Session themes:

• Green industries are crucial in creating sustainable and environmentally friendly economic growth.
• Technology and innovation help solve some of the most pressing challenges facing society.
• Education is the foundation for future success.

Programme 

9:30 - 10:00 World Investment Forum Opening 

10:00 - 10:30 Youth Forum Opening, including photo-op

10:30 - 12:30 WIF Grand Opening and Global leaders Investment Summit 

13:30 - 14:30 Deep Dive - Green Innovations 

As the world faces major challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss and we live in the middle of an energy transition, the call for innovative solutions that steer greener industries has never been more critical. Innovation plays a key role in building green global value chains and transitioning towards more sustainable economic sectors, with businesses taking the lead as key players in driving these innovations. 

The session will address the fostering of a culture of green innovation within existing industries and the mechanisms that can incentivize and support entrepreneurial initiatives towards adopting green practices. 

14:30 - 15:30 Deep Dive – Education for the Future 

Education 4.0 represents the transformation of the traditional learning system to meet the demands of the new digital age. It is a forward-looking approach that leverages advanced technologies such as data analytics, AI and personalized coaching to create innovative and student-centric learning experiences. It aims to equip students with the necessary skills and competences for success in a rapidly changing and technology driven world. With this new teaching method, classrooms become interactive spaces and it breaks down geographic barriers online. Education 4.0 is a transformative paradigm shift that embraces technologies and innovation to prepare students for the next challenges and opportunities. 

15:45 - 17:00 Youth Declaration Preparation 

Through breakout groups, youth will be working on the preparation of a youth declaration that will be handed over to UNCTAD on 20 October 2023.

17:00 - 17:30 Youth Presenting 

Pathways to Prosperity: Assessing the influence of remittances and diaspora investments on entrepreneurship development in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

17:30 - 18:00 Skills Development – Negotiate your way (part 1) 

A guest speaker will give insights on understanding negotiations processes, how to prepare for them, the skills of listening and how to get to a win-win situation.