Int’l Youth Day calls for cross-generational dialogue to meet SDGs

AMMAN — On International Youth Day, young Jordanians of diverse backgrounds say they will attempt to raise awareness of the variety of challenges that they face, prompting solidarity between generations.

Celebrated annually on August 12, International Youth Day 2022 seeks to emphasise the necessity of cross-generational cooperation in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the United Nations (UN).

“Interaction and solidarity between generations is very important and helps in building more inclusive societies,” Baraa Ahmad, a young Jordanian environmentalist and founder of a local initiative, told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

Ahmad noted that the concept of intergenerational solidarity and cohesion matters now more than ever, because communal effort is needed to address the successive challenges facing Jordan and the world.

According to the UN, half of world’s population is 30 years old or younger. This figure is expected to reach 57 per cent by the end of 2030.

In Jordan, 63 per cent of the population is under the age of 30, making it one of the youngest populations in the world.

Speaking on the importance of intergenerational dialogue, Celina Varouqa, a young Jordanian computer scientist, said that dialogues, such as those planned for International Youth Day 2022, bring together young people and governmental representatives, experts and educationalists, amplifying the importance of youth-related issues.

Unfortunately, young Jordanians are still not “meaningfully engaged” despite being key agents for innovation and development in the country, she said.

“The majority of Jordan’s population is young, which is a powerful tool a lot of countries wish to have,” according to Varouqa, who added that the government should invest in leveraging the full potential of young Jordanians.