MANILA, Philippines – In celebration of this year’s International Youth Day, Youth Co:Lab Philippines, co-led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation, held the second "The World We Want Philippines" from 8 to 12 August 2022. With the overall goal of engaging and capacitating young Filipinos with  21^st century skills and entrepreneurship, the event also highlighted inclusion and leaving no one behind by targeting participants from underrepresented sectors such as out-of-school, affected by crises, LGBTQIA+, women, persons with disabilities, and religious/ethnic minorities.

The week-long event featured 15 community activities, youth performances, and a Design Thinking Session, in collaboration with 15 community partners. Over 370 participants all over the Philippines joined the celebration.

Dr. Selva Ramachandran, Resident Representative of UNDP Philippines, emphasized how "this year's International Youth Day theme - Inter-generational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages - encapsulates what the youth of today need in order to create the future they want – a future that is inclusive, progressive, and supported by strong institutions.”

“It sends a strong message that in order to create a path for a sustainable future, we need the commitment and collaboration of both old and young. After all, our mandate calls for us to leave no one behind." he added.

The World We Want Philippines gave spotlight to the Movers Programme Skills Grant Phase 2 and the Climate Action Grantees. Nine youth-serving organizations facilitated different Movers Workshops for the Filipino Youth, meant to promote youth awareness on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), entrepreneurial mindsets, and 21^st century skills. These nine grantees will continue their work to further introduce the Movers Programme to young Filipinos across the country. Currently, the Movers Programme has reached over 4,000 Filipino participants through its interactive training-of-trainer workshops.

Aside from the community activities, Youth Co:Lab Philippines launched the World We Want Report, which consolidates the outcome of the youth consultations held in 2021. The report centers on the world the Filipino youth envisions by 2030 and the commitments of UNDP Philippines and other youth supporters in creating a safer, more inclusive, and impactful space for young Filipino change-makers to thrive.

On the last day of the World We Want Philippines, Youth Co:Lab gave a special session on Design Thinking and officially opened the Call for Applications to the Youth Social Innovation Lab (YSIL) 2022. The upcoming YSIL will commence in October and is open to young and innovative Filipinos who are eager to co-create sustainable solutions for pressing challenges in their communities. More information can be found in the YSIL 2022 Primer. Applications are open until 17 September 2022 through this link: https://bit.ly/YSIL2022Application.

The World We Want Philippines 2022 once again championed young people to “turn the world (they) have into the world (they) want." It has become a platform for ecosystem players and the Filipino youth to come together, share experiences, expand networks, and encourage one another to teach their fellow youth about the SDGs. [E]

About Youth Co:Lab 

Youth Co:Lab positions young people front and center in order to solve the region’s most pressing challenges. Co-created in 2017 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Citi Foundation, Youth Co:Lab aims to establish a common agenda for countries in the Asia-Pacific region to empower and invest in youth, so that they can accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation and entrepreneurship. Youth Co:Lab has been implemented in 28 countries and territories across the Asia Pacific. https://www.youthcolab.org/ 

About Citi Foundation  

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy'' approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.  

About UNDP  

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet.