Port-au-Prince -- President Jocelerme Privert and several government ministers participated, on 10 August 2016, in the official launch, in Haiti, of the celebration of the International Youth Day (IYD), around the national theme "Youth, we are the future, we commit ourselves to developing our country. "

The Head of State stressed the need to "continue on the path of peace and stability to attract domestic and international investors, which will allow us to guarantee the education of our youth."

In addition to government officials, the launch took place in the presence of many young people, members of various associations.

The President of the Youth Government, Amos Cincir, has, inter alia, called for the reactivation and validation of the Youth national policy document, developed in 2011. The Minister of Youth, Sports and Civic Action, Abel Nazaire, envisions to respond favorably to such a claim.

The commemoration of the International Youth Day 2016, is organized by the Youth Ministry and the United Nations, mainly UNESCO (United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture) and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in collaboration with the United Nations Volunteers and the Volunteering Promotion Network (VPN).

The Representatives of UNESCO and UNFPA said that Youth is a very high priority in the current and future action of the entire United Nations family in Haiti.

Paul Gomis and Marielle Sander invited the Government and United Nations partners to "support youth initiatives, give them a voice, let them flourish, in order to shape together the future of dignity that we erect today ".

"Offering sexual and reproductive health opportunities, education and decent work for young girls is crucial for the sustainable development of Haiti," they added.

57% of the Haitian population is under 24 years. The employment rate among young people aged 20-24 is 37.6%, while the enrollment rate among young people aged 18-24 is 51.4%.

The commemorative activities of the IYD will culminate with, inter alia, an artistic and cultural fair, followed by educational discussions on youth engagement regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the International theme of the IYD "The route for 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production ". These activities will take place at the Gymnasium Vincent, Port-au-Prince, on 12 August 2016.

The International Youth Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 17 December 1999.