Chinese President Xi Jinping called for cross-border youth collaboration to address global challenges during his congratulatory message to the World Youth Congress for Peace in Beijing. The event comes as UN data shows over 123 million people displaced by conflict and climate crises, with youth unemployment in developing nations reaching 13.8%.
Youth as Catalysts for Change
President Xi emphasized that young people's digital connectivity and social mobility position them uniquely to drive cross-cultural dialogue. The congress highlighted successful models like Kenya's M-Pesa system, which enabled youth-led drought relief through blockchain technology, and UNESCO's peace education programs operating in 78 countries.
Bridging Idealism and Action
While youth-led movements like the 2023 Global Climate Summit have influenced policy, systemic barriers persist. Only 2.6% of parliamentarians worldwide are under 30, and 40% of Latin American youth work informal jobs. The congress proposed legislative youth quotas and vocational training through China's Belt and Road Initiative, which has funded 1,300 education projects in Asia and Africa.
Multilateral Solutions for Shared Challenges
The event aligned with China's Global Development Initiative, advocating technology transfers and equitable resource allocation. President Xi's message stressed that true peace requires "not just the absence of war, but the presence of justice" – a principle delegates aim to advance through AI-driven collaboration platforms and intergenerational policy reforms.
