International Youth Day was set by the UN General Assembly on 17 December 1999 (resolution 54/120) at the suggestion of the world conference of Ministers responsible for youth, held in Lisbon on 8-12 August 1998 and was celebrated on 12 August 2000 for the first time. While youth constitute a quarter of the global workforce, it accounts for half of the unemployed. Labor markets are experiencing difficulties with ensuring stable employment with good prospects for young people, with the exception of highly qualified specialists. Today, there are almost 3 billion people under the age of 25 years. More than half a billion of them live in poverty. Over 100 million children do not attend school. Every day about 30 thousand children die from poverty. UN Secretary-General called on the international community to recognize the interdependence of generations and to solve problems of different ages together, increasing youth awareness about the existing problems, risks and solutions.

Around the world today, more and more societies are recognizing the role that youth play as agents of change and as critical actors in preventing conflict and building peace. 1.2 billion of young people are also affected by the horrors of conflict and war. It is against this backdrop that the International Youth Day this year will be celebrated under the theme "Youth Building Peace", considering matters of youth, peace and security from a social developmental perspective.