Palestinian Youth Lead Dialogue with Donors and International Community on International Youth Day 2025

The event brought together Palestinian youth leaders, government partners, donor representatives, and UN agencies for an intergenerational dialogue on the urgent realities and future priorities of young people in Palestine.

Youth Opening: A Generation that Refuses to Give Up

The roundtable was opened by Younes Jaafreh, a member of the Youth Advisory Panel and a young journalist from Hebron, who spoke on behalf of Palestinian youth:

“We are not just a demographic group, and we are not mere beneficiaries of programs. We are true partners, storytellers, and builders of hope. This dialogue is a platform for truth-telling and a message to the world that Palestinian youth, despite destruction, hunger, and daily violence, continue to dream and shape a better future.”

He introduced a diverse programme of testimonies from young leaders across Gaza, West Bank, and Jerusalem, highlighting themes of resilience, education, disability inclusion, youth-led recovery, women’s participation, and economic innovation.

The dialogue was attended by representatives from Egypt, Japan, Switzerland, Australia, the European Union, Italy, and Sweden, alongside Palestinian government institutions including the Higher Council for Youth and Sports (HCYS), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). UN agencies present included UNFPA, UNESCO, UNDP, UNICEF, FAO, UNODC, OCHA, and OHCHR.

Opening the event, Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, emphasized the significance of the dialogue:

“Palestinian youth are not just beneficiaries of aid. They are leaders, innovators, and peacebuilders. Today’s dialogue is not the end. It is a call to action. We must invest in their skills, expand mental health support, and fund youth-led organizations. By doing so, we do not just support youth. We shape the future of Palestine.”

He called for concrete intergenerational commitments that respond to urgent youth realities while linking local priorities to global frameworks such as Youth2030, the Pact for the Future, and the SDGs.

Youth Calls to Action

The dialogue concluded with strong reflections and calls for action delivered by Majdoulene Kerish, a young economist from Jerusalem, summarized the collective recommendations of Palestinian youth:

• Invest in inclusive societies for youth with disabilities.
• Rebuild and protect schools, safeguard Palestinian identity in education, and expand community-based learning.
• Provide direct, flexible funding for youth-led initiatives. Expand livelihood opportunities, from start-ups in Gaza to economic anchoring in Jerusalem.
• Institutionalize youth voices in all recovery and planning processes.
• Establish a joint youth–government–international task force for agile responses.
• Update national data through a new youth survey to ensure evidence-based policies.

“Youth are not passive recipients of assistance,” Majdoulene affirmed. “We are active agents of resilience, recovery, and change. Every dollar invested in us yields 23 to 28 dollars in return. The smartest investment Palestine and the world can make is in its youth.”

The roundtable produced a set of recommendations that will inform national recovery frameworks and the upcoming High-Level Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Youth at the General Assembly in New York, held in conjunction with the UN 80th General Assembly.