UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Message on International Youth Day 2010
12 August, 2010


联合国秘书长潘基文2010国际青年日致辞
2010年8月12日


This year’s commemoration of International Youth Day also marks the launch of the International Year of Youth, under the theme “Dialogue and Mutual Understanding”.


今年的国际青年日纪念活动还包括发起主题为“对话和相互了解”的国际青年年。


Today’s challenging social and economic environment warrants a special focus on youth.  Eighty-seven per cent of people aged 15 to 24 live in developing countries.  The global economic crisis has had a disproportionate impact on young people; they have lost jobs, struggled to find even low-wage employment and seen access to education curtailed.  As economies slowly begin to stabilize, the needs of young people should be paramount.


在充满挑战的当今社会和经济环境，对青年必须给予格外关注。87%的15岁至24岁的年轻人生活在发展中国家。全球经济危机对年轻人的影响尤其严重；他们失去工作，即使低工资的工作都很难找到，接受教育的机会减少。随着经济开始慢慢稳定，应将年轻人的需要放在首位。


This is a moral imperative and a developmental necessity. But it is also an opportunity: the energy of youth can ignite faltering economies.  I am regularly inspired by the good will, talent and idealism of the young people I meet across the world. They are making important contributions to our work to eradicate poverty, contain the spread disease, combat climate change and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.  I call on Member States to increase their investments in young people so they can do even more.


这既是道义的需要，也是发展的需要。而且，这也是一个机会：因为年轻人朝气蓬勃，可以激活疲软的经济。我经常从我在世界各地遇到的年轻人表现出的善意、才华和理想主义中受到启发。年轻人正在为我们消除贫困、遏制疾病蔓延、应对气候变化以及实现千年发展目标的工作作出重要贡献。我呼吁会员国增加对年轻人的投资，以使他们能够作出更多的贡献。


During the International Year, the United Nations and its youth organization partners will focus on the need to encourage dialogue and understanding across generations, cultures and religions.  In a world in which different peoples and traditions are coming into closer, more frequent contact than ever before, it is crucial that young people learn how to listen intently, empathize with others, acknowledge divergent opinions, and be able to resolve conflicts.  Few endeavours are more important than nurturing these skills, and educating young people about human rights, for in them we not only see the next generation of leaders, but also crucial stakeholders of today.  Let us also recognize that older generations themselves stand to learn a great deal from the experiences and examples of young people as they come of age in a world of accelerating interconnectedness.


在国际青年年期间，联合国和作为其合作伙伴的青年组织的重点将是鼓励不同代际、不同文化及宗教之间的对话和了解。如今，不同民族和不同传统之间的接触比以往任何时候都更密切、更频繁，在这样一个世界中，年轻人必须学会如何认真倾听、同情他人、认可不同意见并有能力解决冲突。没有什么工作比培养上述技能和对年轻人进行人权教育更重要，因为我们在年轻人身上看到的不仅是下一代领导人，而且是当今时代的重要利益攸关者。我们还必须承认，老一辈人也可以从年轻人的经历和榜样中学到很多东西，因为年轻人是在一个相互联系速度不断加快的世界中成长起来的。


As we launch this International Year, let us acknowledge and celebrate what youth can do to build a safer, more just world.  Let us strengthen our efforts to include young people in policies, programmes and decision-making processes that benefit their futures and ours.


在发起国际青年年之际，让我们承认并庆祝年轻人为建设一个更安全、更公正的世界所能作出的贡献。让我们加强努力，让年轻人参与有利于他们的未来和我们的未来的政策、方案和决策进程。 QQREADER27E618713630FEA3