All of the world's current crises - conflict, HIV/AIDS, unemployment - have one thing in common: they all involve young people who are burdened by the despair of these problems, but who are also a largely untapped source of change.
To many of us, the world may seem like an old place. Yet there are 2.8 billion people under the age of 25 out of a world population of six billion. Nine out of 10 of these young people live in developing countries. They are not just the future, but also the present.
That is why 170 youth leaders from 82 countries are gathering this week in Sarajevo, at the invitation of the World Bank, the European Youth Forum, and the Scout Movement. This is not just another meeting, it is a gathering of a group that is most at risk, and one that is key to meeting the world's development challenges.
All of the world's current crises - conflict, HIV/AIDS, unemployment - have one thing in common: they all involve young people who are burdened by the despair of these problems, but who are also a largely untapped source of change.
To many of us, the world may seem like an old place. Yet there are 2.8 billion people under the age of 25 out of a world population of six billion. Nine out of 10 of these young people live in developing countries. They are not just the future, but also the present.
That is why 170 youth leaders from 82 countries are gathering this week in Sarajevo, at the invitation of the World Bank, the European Youth Forum, and the Scout Movement. This is not just another meeting, it is a gathering of a group that is most at risk, and one that is key to meeting the world's development challenges.