Every year on 12 August, the United Nations invites us to pause and celebrate the energy, creativity and leadership of young people around the world. International Youth Day, first marked in 2000, was created to shine a light on youth voices and the issues they face and also to remind us that they’re not just leaders-in-waiting—they’re leaders now.
This year’s theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, points to something we often forget: world-changing action doesn’t have to happen on the world stage. Young people are turning global goals into practical change right where they are—in schools, neighbourhoods, workplaces and online spaces. (See: sdgs.un.org/goals to learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals).
From taking part in marches to make their feelings known, to protecting the environment, improving mental health, making sport more inclusive, and running local fundraisers, young people are proving that leadership starts in your own backyard.
At Leprosy Mission Australia, we see that same spirit in the young people who choose to stand with us and work to end leprosy transmission. Many of them have grown up seeing parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles supporting TLMA and that example has stuck. They’ve learned from the people they love that standing up for justice, compassion and dignity is part of what it means to live a meaningful life.
Whatever the motivation, their actions matter. They remind us that changing the world isn’t just for those with big titles or impressive CV. It’s for anyone who cares enough to start.
So, this International Youth Day, let’s cheer on the young people who are already making a difference and invite others to join. Whether it’s championing health and dignity for people affected by leprosy, or tackling another cause close to their heart, their voices and choices are shaping the kind of future we all want to live in.
Because when young hearts take up the cause, local change becomes global change. And that’s a future worth building together.
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