The Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF) on behalf of its member institutions representing the youth in the OIC Member States joins the international community in observing one of the most important international days in the United Nations’ calendar, the one dedicated to youth. This year’s theme, “Safe Spaces for Youth”, is a well-chosen one as the ICYF backs the UN understanding that youth neIn fact, today, the world should see itself celebrating the limitless potential of young people. Those to whom ideas and inspirations are put into spotlight as a potential powerful tool change the world. Their courage, passion, and the positive change they make every day has inspired the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to decide in its 44th Council of Foreign Ministers (Abidjan, Ivory Coast, July 2017) to adopt the 3rd of September of each year as the OIC Youth Day.
The ICYF is therefore committed to providing opportunity for youth to ensure that they are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also hope lights of today. Whether it is ensuring boys and girls have equal access to education, improving abilities to strengthen youth leadership in civil society, business and academia, or providing a young entrepreneur with the capital and network to grow a start-up. The ICYF understands such projects and activities as investing in the potential of the young people within the needs of OIC Member States towards their young people as underlined in the recently adopted OIC Youth Strategy by the 4th Islamic Conference of Youth and Sports Ministers (Baku, Azerbaijan, April 2018).
The ICYF, in this regards, congratulates all youth around the world, especially those in the OIC geography with the message for them to always remember that they are energetic, hopeful, fearless, smart and determined while being the future of a country and those that are close of making the impossible possible. Happy International Youth Day!
Istanbul, 12 August 2018
