Today, on United Nations Day, the Youth Charter is calling for renewed international commitment to harness the power of sport, art, culture, and digital engagement as essential tools in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing global peace, equality, and opportunity for young people.

For over three decades, the Youth Charter has championed the use of sport and culture as vehicles for social change, empowering young people, transforming communities, and building bridges across social, racial, and economic divides. As the world faces increasing conflict, inequality, and environmental challenge, the organisation warns that the global community must act now to reimagine how sport can contribute to peacebuilding and sustainable development.

“The founding principles of the United Nations - ‘peace, human rights, and social justice, must be lived out through practical action at the community level,” said Prof Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA, Founder and Chair of the Youth Charter.

“Sport remains one of the most powerful global languages. It can unite where politics divides, inspire where hope is lost, and engage where traditional systems fail. On this United Nations Day, we call on governments, institutions, and youth movements to reaffirm their commitment to Sport for Development and Peace.”

Aligned with the UN Youth 2030 Strategy, UNESCO’s Fit for Life, and the IOC’s Olympism 365 framework, the Youth Charter’s Community Campus Model demonstrates how local, national, and international collaboration can deliver measurable social impact, promoting education, health, employment, and citizenship outcomes through sport and creative activity.

As part of its ongoing “Global Call 2 Action”, the Youth Charter is urging policymakers, funders, and international agencies to:

Reinvest in youth development programmes using sport, art, and culture as catalysts for peace and social cohesion.

Recognise the role of community-led initiatives in achieving the UN’s 2030 Agenda.

Create inclusive pathways for young people to participate in leadership, volunteering, and civic engagement through sport.

Support cross-sector partnerships that connect education, health, and justice outcomes to sport-based interventions.

“The next five years to 2030 are critical,” added Thompson. “The United Nations and all its partners must ensure that no young person is left behind and that sport continues to be a universal platform for peace, purpose, and progress.”

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