"Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond"
An Expert Analysis of the International Seminar on UN/UNESCO International Youth Day 2025
This report presents a detailed and expert-level analysis of the International Seminar organized by the International Council for Education, Research and Training (ICERT) on August 12, 2025, in observance of UN/UNESCO International Youth Day. The seminar, with its central theme of “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” served as a critical platform for exploring the indispensable role of young people in translating global development goals into tangible, community-driven realities. The event successfully convened 866 delegates from 23 countries, fostering a multi-stakeholder dialogue led by esteemed academic and professional experts. The contributions of keynote speakers, Dr. Juliet F. Lalzarzoliani and Dr. Jocelyn Sagun-De Vera, provided intellectual rigor by bridging high-level academic research on health economics, gender studies, and community development with the practical application of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level. The program also featured a robust open house discussion facilitated by the Chief Patron, Dr. Navneet Kaur, and the Moderator, Ms. Parnit Tomar, culminating in the presentation of the Global Youth Icon Award 2025 to five dignitaries. This seminar stands out not merely as a symbolic observance but as a strategic convening that aligned with the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY), reinforcing ICERT’s position as a key actor in international education and youth empowerment.
1. Introduction: Setting the Global and Institutional Context
1.1. Purpose and Scope of the Report
This document provides a comprehensive account of the International Seminar held on August 12, 2025. Its purpose is to serve as a formal record, moving beyond a simple chronological summary to offer an analytical and interpretive commentary on the event’s significance, its intellectual underpinnings, and its strategic alignment with global initiatives. The analysis seeks to understand how the seminar contributed to the broader discourse on youth engagement in sustainable development, identifying key contributions, potential impacts, and areas for future action.
1.2. The Significance of International Youth Day 2025
International Youth Day (IYD), an annual global observance held on August 12, is dedicated to raising awareness and celebrating the potential of youth as essential partners in global development efforts. The 2025 theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond,” was a particularly deliberate and timely choice, reflecting a critical shift in development policy. With over 65% of the SDG targets directly linked to local governance, the theme underscores that youth engagement is not a mere option but a fundamental necessity for achieving the 2030 Agenda.
The year 2025 holds added significance as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY). The WPAY has long served as a foundational framework for national and international efforts to improve the situation of young people, emphasizing their role as key actors in sustainable development and participatory governance. The seminar’s theme directly echoes these principles, offering a timely opportunity to renew commitments to the WPAY and connect with emerging global frameworks such as the Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations. This strategic alignment suggests the seminar was designed to contribute substantively to a well-defined global policy discussion, leveraging the ICERT network to amplify this message.
1.3. Profile of the Organizing Body: ICERT
The International Council for Education, Research and Training (ICERT) is an autonomous, non-governmental organization dedicated to scientific and professional research and training with offices in multiple countries. The organization’s mission, which includes developing educational programs, managing learning institutes, and promoting global research and training, demonstrates a clear, pre-existing alignment with the seminar’s core themes of youth empowerment and sustainable development. ICERT’s history of organizing similar events, such as the “Indo-Global Multidisciplinary Conference 2024” on “Multidisciplinary Approaches to SDGs and Youth Empowerment,” further establishes its expertise and ongoing commitment to this subject area. This background provided a strong institutional foundation for the August 12, 2025, seminar, positioning ICERT as a credible and experienced host for an event of this magnitude.
2. Thematic Analysis: Localizing Global Goals for Community Impact
2.1. Deconstructing the 2025 IYD Theme
The central premise of “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond” is the transformative process of translating global ambitions into tangible, “community-driven realities”. This theme fundamentally reframes the role of young people, recognizing them not as passive beneficiaries of development but as “active agents of change, innovation, and leadership”. Young people contribute “creativity, insight, and deep community ties” that are essential for bridging the gap between high-level policy and on-the-ground practice.
This theme is also a forceful call to action, urging governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to move “beyond symbolic support” and “take concrete steps to empower young people as partners in development”. The seminar’s design, including the interactive open house discussion, served as a direct application of this principle, moving beyond traditional lecture formats to foster a true multi-directional dialogue.
2.2. The Role of Local Governance and Thematic Integration
A critical component of the theme is the emphasis on the essential role of local and regional governments. These entities are uniquely positioned to create inclusive policy environments, allocate resources, and establish mechanisms for youth participation in local planning and decision-making. By integrating youth priorities into local strategies, authorities can collaborate with young people to transform their ideas into impactful, lasting solutions. When local governments provide spaces for innovation and civic engagement, they not only accelerate SDG implementation but also nurture future community leaders and changemakers.
The seminar’s focus aligns with the broader UN agenda, including the 30th anniversary of the WPAY and preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development. The event was thus not an isolated occurrence but a strategic contribution to an ongoing, global conversation about the future of sustainable development. The sheer number of delegates, 866 from 23 countries, highlights the broad international engagement and the event’s stature as a key multi-stakeholder platform for policy and practice.
This focus on local action and youth engagement, coupled with the event’s global scale, demonstrates a powerful confluence of intellectual and practical efforts. The seminar, by its very nature, served as a microcosm of the global challenge—how to take a universal set of goals and make them relevant and actionable in diverse, local contexts. The structure of the event, bringing together delegates from a wide range of countries and cultural backgrounds, suggests an effort to facilitate this exchange of ideas and best practices across different local realities. The International Seminar at a Glance table below provides a quick, factual overview of the event’s key metrics.
3. Keynote Sessions: Bridging Academic Expertise with On-the-Ground Action
The selection of keynote speakers was a deliberate and strategic choice by ICERT, pairing academic experts whose research directly addresses the seminar’s core themes.
3.1. Dr. Juliet F. Lalzarzoliani: A Focus on Economics and Social Equity
Dr. Juliet F. Lalzarzoliani, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at ICFAI University Mizoram, holds a PhD from the University of Hyderabad. Her academic work provides a crucial economic perspective on the SDGs. Her research portfolio encompasses public health, gender equality, financial inclusion, rural economics, and environmental sustainability. Notably, her work on the financial implications of HIV/AIDS and the economic burden of the disease in India is directly relevant to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Similarly, her research on shifting cultivation in Mizoram provides valuable insights into the intersection of local economic practices and environmental sustainability, a central tenet of the seminar’s theme. By presenting her findings, she likely provided a macroeconomic framework for understanding the policy challenges and opportunities inherent in localizing the SDGs.
3.2. Dr. Jocelyn Sagun-De Vera: Community-Driven Development and Gender Roles
Dr. Jocelyn Sagun-De Vera, an Associate Professor at Pangasinan State University, Philippines, is a researcher, extensionist, and author whose work spans education, natural sciences, gender and development, and food security. Her publications provide practical, on-the-ground examples of “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs.” For instance, her research on gender roles in salt farming in Western Pangasinan and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women offers specific, actionable insights into how gender equality (SDG 5) is addressed at the local level. Furthermore, her work on community extension services and local livelihoods, such as salted egg production, directly showcases how academic institutions can empower communities and drive local economic development.
The pairing of these two speakers created a powerful intellectual synergy. Dr. Lalzarzoliani’s expertise in macro-level policy and health economics complemented Dr. Sagun-De Vera’s micro-level, community-focused research on livelihoods and gender roles. This combination allowed the seminar to move from the overarching policy challenges of the SDGs to their practical, ground-level implementation, providing a holistic and robust intellectual foundation for the day’s discussions. The following table provides a concise summary of their professional and academic contributions.
4. Leadership and Dialogue: Guiding the Discourse
4.1. The Role of the Chief Patron and Moderator
The event was collectively organized by Dr. Navneet Kaur and Ms. Parnit Tomar. Dr. Navneet Kaur, as the Chief Patron, led the open house discussion and also leads the Education & Learning Advancement Division (ICERT–Sophia). Ms. Parnit Tomar served as the Moderator and is an Assistant Professor at Gandhi Vidya Niketan College, Budhpur, Ramala, India.
4.2. The Open House Discussion: A Catalyst for Action
The open house format was a crucial design element of the seminar. By having Dr. Navneet Kaur lead this session, the organizers facilitated a dynamic and interactive dialogue among the 866 delegates. This method aligns directly with the IYD theme’s call for youth participation and civic engagement, creating a space for multi-directional communication rather than a top-down information cascade. The choice of an open house format was not accidental; it was a deliberate application of the seminar’s core principle—that young people are “key actors in sustainable development and participatory governance”. This structure served to reinforce the idea that meaningful change comes from a collaborative exchange of ideas and a collective pursuit of solutions. The role of a skilled moderator was critical in managing this diverse group and ensuring all voices could be heard.
5. Acknowledging Excellence: The Global Youth Icon Award 2025
5.1. The ICERT Global Youth Icon Award: History and Purpose
A key highlight of the seminar was the felicitation of five dignitaries with the Global Youth Icon Award 2025. This award is a central component of ICERT’s felicitation program, designed to recognize the significant contributions of individuals to youth empowerment. The award’s purpose extends beyond simple recognition; it aims to build global awareness of young people’s situations and promote their rights and aspirations. ICERT has a history of presenting this award on multiple occasions, with previous lists of awardees available for 2022, 2023, and 2024.
5.2. A Transparent Statement on the 2025 Awardees
The ICERT award is presented to dignitaries who have been carefully selected by a jury after a minute review of their profiles and contributions. This recognition serves as a powerful motivator for individuals working in youth empowerment. Beyond being a form of recognition, by honoring high-profile individuals for their work, ICERT reinforces its mission. The ceremony serves to attract prominent figures, build a network of influence, and generate positive public relations.
6. Synthesis and Recommendations
6.1. Key Takeaways and Broader Implications
The International Seminar on UN/UNESCO International Youth Day 2025 was a significant and well-structured event that successfully achieved its objectives of highlighting the role of youth in local SDG implementation. The seminar’s intellectual foundation, built on the complementary expertise of its keynote speakers, demonstrated that rigorous academic research is not just an abstract pursuit but a practical tool for informing and strengthening on-the-ground development initiatives. The event’s interactive format, a direct application of its theme, reinforced the idea that youth are active agents of change, not passive recipients of aid. The participation of delegates from a wide range of countries and the multi-stakeholder format underscore the importance of fostering a global ecosystem of youth, academics, policymakers, and private sector partners to create sustainable change. The seminar showcased the power of localization, proving that global goals can only be achieved through bottom-up, community-level action.
6.2. Recommendations for Future Action: A Call to Action for Policymakers and Partners
The International Seminar on “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond” underscored a critical truth: to achieve global goals, we must empower youth at the local level. The insights and discussions from this vital event highlight key recommendations for all stakeholders—from policymakers and governments to NGOs and other executing organizations—to work collectively in this direction.
Formalize Youth-Led Documentation: Organizations and government bodies must establish robust mechanisms for documenting and transparently disseminating the outcomes of youth-led initiatives. This is crucial for building credibility, showcasing impact, and creating a knowledge base that others can learn from and replicate. Timely and comprehensive reporting solidifies the contributions of young people as serious partners in development.
Facilitate Post-Project Collaboration: While a project or event may end, its legacy and impact depend on sustained engagement. Policymakers and organizations should create and invest in digital and physical platforms that foster ongoing collaboration and knowledge exchange among young people, community leaders, and stakeholders. This will ensure a continuous feedback loop between policy and practice, extending the influence of youth actions far beyond individual projects.
Advocate for Policy Integration: The intellectual contributions of young people must not remain confined to academic discussions. It is essential to leverage their insights and the outcomes of their work to produce concise policy briefs and advocacy materials. These should be shared with local and national governments to advocate for the formal integration of youth-led initiatives into development frameworks and policy formulation. Such an effort is necessary to translate the energy of youth movements into tangible, lasting policy change, strengthening their role in governance and sustainable development.