UNFPA to promote youth leadership in Belt and Road nations

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) announced a new project in Shanghai to promote youth leadership in countries along the Belt and Road on Tuesday.

In partnership with Beifang International Education Group (BIEG), a platform for sharing resources and promoting internationalization in higher education, UNFPA will support the exchange of knowledge, facilitate mutual learning among young people, and promote dialogue between youth and decision makers in areas of critical importance to youth.

"We believe that when empowered, young people become effective drivers of change. UNFPA works across the world in more than 150 countries, including China, to ensure that all young people have the information and services to guarantee their healthy development, and are availed opportunities and capacities to lead and participate in the development process and its benefits," said Babatunde Ahonsi, UNFPA Representative in China.

Through the two-year project, young people will be able to participate in training on leadership, youth health and communication skills, decision making, and understand global development issues including the Sustainable Development Goals.

The youth leadership project will carry out related demonstration activities with an aim to replicate them in other cities and countries along the Belt and Road.

A youth-friendly club will be also established in Shanghai Lida University to support the project.

"It will provide young people with an international platform to communicate and learn from each other, strengthen youth leadership and promote youth participation in international affairs, the globalization and internationalization of higher education," said Wu Baode, vice president of Beifang International Education Group.