There are some two billion children and another one billion young people in the world today. Their population grows by 130 million every year. In other words, more than half of the world's population is young.
Youths are the future of humanity. Upon them rests the well-being of human society. Our religious and civil authorities have to nurture young people and teach them of virtues and ideals if we are to create a world better than what we have today.
In the aftermath of the World Youth Conference held recently in Toronto, Canada, led by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth recommended that August 12 be declared International Youth Day to concretely bring to the public's consciousness the World Program of Action for Youth.
The celebration of International Youth Day in our country is led by the United Nations Association of the Philippines (UNAP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization-Associated Schools Project (UNESCO-ASP), and Philippine Normal University (PNU).
"Youth Leadership for Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development" is the theme of this year's celebration. The activities lined up include a conference to be held at PNU highlighting the programs and policies of non-government and government agencies dealing with youth development.
Success in implementing programs for youth hinges on our religious and civil leaders. They play a crucial role in realizing these programs and policies, with them serving as the living examples of the virtues and ideals they expect the youth of the land to have.
We congratulate the organizers of the International Youth Day in our country.
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