BRICS Youth Forum on Sustainable Development Goals (archive event)

From December 14 to 16 the BRICS Youth Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals was held for the first time. Over the course of three days more than 100 participants including representatives of authorities and organizations in the field of youth policy, leaders of youth and student associations, students and young professionals from the five countries discussed topical issues of the role of youth in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations in various interaction formats. 

Participants were 140 people. They were:

• Representatives of authorities and organizations in the field of youth policy from BRICS, 
• Leaders of youth and student associations from BRICS, 
• Students and young professionals from BRICS. 

The geography of the event covered the BRICS countries and other regional partner organizations including the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and ASEAN.

The purpose was promoting youth participation in generating effective and innovative ideas in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Tasks:

• To discuss topical issues of the role of youth in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, 
• To analyze current topics related to the Sustainable Development Goals, 
• To identify key challenges faced by the BRICS countries, 
• To compile a list of sustainable solutions aimed at overcoming obstacles for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, 
• To develop regional “road maps” to involve young people in the process of transition to sustainable development of economic sectors.

Results:

On the first day of the Forum sessions “Unleashing the Potential of Youth and Strengthening BRICS Youth Cooperation to Ensure Accelerated Action for Sustainable Development” and “BRICS youth: shaping a Sustainable Future together” took place during which expert discussions were held with invited honored guests. Representatives of youth associations and activists in the field of SDGs from BRICS exchanged experience and practices of involving youth in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals at the national, regional and international levels.

On December 15 as a part of the business program of the Forum an interactive session #FromBRICSwithSDG “SDG-2021” was held under auspices of the BRICS Youth Energy Agency. In the format of working groups participants accompanied by experts analyzed the most relevant topics related to the SDGs and adapted them to the #FromBRICSwithSDG campaign which is being implemented by the BRICS YEA. 

During an interactive session to support the launch of the BRICS Sustainable Ideas Bank participants learned how the first of its kind Sustainable Ideas Bank operates. They worked in teams to identify key challenges faced by the BRICS countries and compile a list of sustainable solutions aimed at overcoming barriers to achieving the SDGs. A valuable expert contribution to the work of the interactive sessions was made by the SDG Youth Ambassadors in Russia. 

On December 16 the last day of the Forum was dedicated to the topic “UN SDGs and BRICS Plus”. A foresight session “Young people’s view of the future of energy in Northeast Eurasia in the context of current trends in achieving SDG No. 7” was held. During the program of the session participants developed regional “road maps” to involve young people in the process of transition to sustainable development of economic sectors incl. energy sector as it is the pursuit of SDG 7 that presents a unique opportunity for the development of the region.

Within the framework of the final plenary session of the Forum “Enhanced Youth Cooperation to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals” leaders of the largest international and regional youth associations exchanged experience and views on cooperation at the macro-regional level in interests of Sustainable Development.

Participants and experts of the BRICS Youth Forum on SDGs noted the huge potential and importance of developing youth cooperation through BRICS and BRICS Plus in the field of sustainable development and expressed interest in holding the Forum on an annual basis.