中国人民大学国家发展与战略研究院研究员

The Strategic significance of youth in global peace-building

By making a core appeal – "transcend national divides and ideological differences, replacing confrontation with collaboration" – the message reflects a pragmatic response to contemporary global challenges. Youth, as the most digitally connected and socially mobile demographic, possess unique advantages in fostering cross-cultural dialogue. For instance, the 2023 Global Youth Summit on Climate Change in New York demonstrated how young activists from the world leveraged social media to pressure governments into accelerating net-zero commitments, proving that youth-led movements can make systemic change.

Themed "Together for Peace," the congress resonated deeply with the international community's urgent call for peace amid escalating regional conflicts and economic inequality. According to the data published by the UN Refugee Agency, as of the end of 2024, an estimated 123.2 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence and events seriously disturbing public order. Simultaneously, the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) report reveals that global poverty reduction has stalled, with youth unemployment rates in developing nations reaching 13.8 percent – even higher than the adult average.

Overcoming challenges: From idealism to action

Thus, in order to address these gaps, the Congress proposed a multi-pronged approach. In terms of institutional inclusion, it advocates for youth quotas in national legislatures and UN agencies. In terms of digital empowerment, it leverages AI and blockchain to create transparent platforms for youth-led initiatives, such as Kenya's M-Pesa mobile payment system, which enabled grassroots fundraising during droughts. In terms of education reform, it proposes to integrate peace studies into global curricula, as done by UNESCO's Global Citizenship Education program.

The significance of the World Youth Peace Congress lies in its dual role as a multilateral platform for dialogue and a springboard for collective action. When younger generations from diverse backgrounds unite under the banner of "Together for Peace," they challenge zero-sum mentalities and model cooperative governance. As stated in the message, "Peace requires not just the absence of war, but the presence of justice" – a principle that youth are uniquely equipped to uphold through their idealism, innovation and moral courage.

文章来源：CGTN

人大国发院是中国人民大学集全校之力重点打造的中国特色新型高校智库，现任理事长为学校党委书记张东刚，现任院长为校长林尚立。2015年入选全国首批“国家高端智库”建设试点单位，并入选全球智库百强，2018年初在“中国大学智库机构百强排行榜”中名列第一。2019年在国家高端智库综合评估中入选第一档次梯队，是唯一入选第一档次梯队的高校智库。

人大国发院积极打造“新平台、大网络，跨学科、重交叉，促创新、高产出”的高端智库平台。围绕经济治理与经济发展、政治治理与法治建设、社会治理与社会创新、公共外交与国际关系四大研究领域，汇聚全校一流学科优质资源，在基础建设、决策咨询、公共外交、理论创新、舆论引导和内部治理等方面取得了显著成效。人大国发院以“中国特色新型高校智库的引领者”为目标，扎根中国大地，坚守国家战略，秉承时代使命，致力于建设成为具有全球影响力的世界一流大学智库。