ECOSOC YOUTH FORUM 2019

1. The President
of the
Economic and Social Council
25 January 2019
Dear Ms. Cherif,
I have the honour to invite you to attend the 2019 United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth
Forum, to be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 8-9 April 2019 on the theme, “Empowered,
Included and Equal”.
2019 is a milestone year, when the international community will assess the state of implementation of the
historic agreements of 2015. The 2019 Youth Forum will provide a platform for young leaders from around the
world to engage in a dialogue among themselves and with United Nations Member States and to share ideas for
advancing the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate
Agreement. The Forum will serve as a unique space for young people to share their vision and elaborate their
substantive contributions to United Nations upcoming meetings, including the 2019 ECOSOC Substantive Session,
the 2019 high-level political forum on sustainable development (HLPF) and the high-level events taking place on
the margins of the opening of the opening of the General Assembly, including the Climate Summit, the High-level
Meeting on Financing for Development and the SDG Summit. The outcomes of these high-level meetings will help
accelerate the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Over the past years, the ECOSOC Youth Forum has evolved to become an apex Forum, where outcomes of
other global and regional youth initiatives and events are captured and distilled for Member States. Today, the
Forum represents the most institutionalised avenue for youth participation in the work of the United Nations. As
such, it is an important vehicle giving young people voice and to mobilize their support for the implementation of
the 2030 Agenda. We are inviting young people from all countries Members of the United Nations, including youth
delegates, young Parliamentarians and other youth leaders as well as Ministers of Youth, to help the Council
reinforce the message that global solutions, such as the 2030 Agenda, can help to create an inclusive, sustainable
and prosperous future for all.
The ECOSOC Youth Forum is jointly organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(DESA) and the Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, in collaboration with the United Nations Inter-
Agency Network on Youth Development, in particular its Working Group on Youth and SDGs.
The background note outlining the objectives and format of the meeting is attached. Should you have any
question, you may wish to contact Mr. Paul Simon in the Office for Intergovernmental Support and Coordination in
DESA (e-mail: simonp@un.org or telephone +1 (917) 367-5027).
I look forward to your participation and valuable contribution to the 2019 Youth Forum.
Inga Rhonda King
President of the Economic and Social Council
Ms. Fatoumata Cherif
Member
Selfie Déchets Campaign
fatiiche@gmail.com
Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development, Room S-2571, United Nations
Secretariat, NY, NY 10017; Tel: +1-212-963-8415 Fax: + 1-212-963-4005 email: barthelemy1@un.org