Celebrating the International Youth Day 2025 in Nairobi

On 12 August 2025, the United Nations Complex in Nairobi, Kenya, hosted International Youth Day 2025 under the global theme “Youth Localising the SDGs.” The event, convened by UNFPA, UNDP, UNDESA and key development partners, highlighted the essential role of young people in driving grassroots action towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Representing the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab, Lina Mkoji and Shawn Kyle Mwakio actively participated in the session “Empowering Youth-Led SDG Implementation: Grants for Financing Youth-Led Action”.

During the session, Lina and Shawn engaged with peers from the Youth Sounding Board, and youth-led groups such as Bright Future Kenya. The discussions identified pressing gaps in civic education on the SDGs, limited political prioritisation, and the disconnect between national and county-level implementation. Lina and Shawn contributed to recommendations that included simplifying grant application processes and strengthening youth–government collaboration. The conversations also centred on expanding opportunities through the AU–EU Youth Voices Lab App, a new digital tool designed to improve youth access to funding and partnerships.

The event helped raise awareness of the SDGs at the community level, stronger recognition of youth as development partners, and more effective platforms for youth to access resources. Quoting Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, the day underscored that: “Youth are at the centre of possibility.”