To mark the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth, commemorated on 25 September 2025 during the high-level plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly, the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), convened a virtual regional and intergenerational dialogue on 22 September 2025. The event brought together more than 120 participants, primarily youth leaders from across the Great Lakes region.

The dialogue offered an inclusive platform for young leaders to reflect on regional challenges, examine peace and security issues, exchange experiences and lessons learned, and formulate actionable recommendations aligned with regional priorities. These contributions advance the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2250 (2015) on Youth, Peace and Security and reaffirm the central role of young people in promoting peace, stability and sustainable development in the region.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Huang Xia, the UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, commended the courage and resilience of young people and encouraged them to harness their potential as agents of peace, thus contributing to a more inclusive and tolerant region at all levels.

Mr. Jacob Eyeru, President of the Regional Multifunctional Youth Forum of the ICGLR, highlighted transformative youth-led initiatives in the Great Lakes region, including community dialogues in eastern DRC, school reconstruction efforts in South Sudan, cross-border trade networks, and digital peace campaigns. He emphasized that today’s youth should be remembered not for inheriting the conflicts of the past, but for ending them.