13 November 1981

57th plenary meeting

International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 34/151 of 17 December 1979 and 35/126 of 11 December 1980, by which it decided to designate and observe 1985 as International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace,

Recalling also its decision 35/318 of 11 December 1980 on the appointment of the members of the Advisory Committee for the International Youth Year,

Recognizing the profound importance of the direct participation of youth in shaping the future of mankind and the valuable contribution that youth can make in the implementation of the new international economic order based on equity and justice,

Considering it necessary to disseminate among youth the ideals of peace, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, human solidarity and dedication to the objectives of progress and development,

Convinced of the imperative need to harness the energies, enthusiasms and creative abilities of youth to the tasks of nation-building, the struggle for self-determination and national independence, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and against foreign domination and occupation, for the economic, social and cultural advancement of peoples, the implementation of the new international economic order, the preservation of world peace and the promotion of international co-operation and understanding,

Emphasizing again that the United Nations should give more attention to the role of young people in the world of today and to their demands for the world of tomorrow,

Recalling the topicality of assessing the needs and aspirations of youth, and reaffirming the importance of current and projected United Nations activities designed to increase the opportunities for youth and for its active participation in national development activities,

Believing that it is urgently desirable to consolidate the efforts of all States in carrying out specific programmes concerning youth and to improve the activities of the United Nations and the specialized agencies in the field of youth, including youth exchanges in the cultural, sporting and other fields,

Reaffirming the necessity for better co-ordination of efforts in dealing with specific problems confronting young people and in examining the manner in which those problems are being treated by the specialized agencies and by various United Nations bodies,

Convinced that the preparation and observance in 1985 of the International Youth Year under the motto "Participation, Development, Peace" will offer a useful and significant opportunity for drawing attention to the situation and specific needs and aspirations of youth, for increasing co-operation at all levels in dealing with youth issues, for undertaking concerted action programmes in favour of youth and for involving young people in the study and resolution of major national, regional and international problems,

Confident that the International Youth Year will serve to mobilize efforts at the local, national, regional and international levels in order to promote the best educational, professional and living conditions for young people, to ensure their active participation in the over-all development of society and to encourage the preparation of new national and local policies and programmes in accordance with each country's experience, conditions and priorities,

Recognizing that the preparation and observance of the International Youth Year will contribute to the reaffirmation of the goals of the new international economic order and to the implementation of the International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade,

Recalling also in this connexion its decision 35/424 of 5 December 1980 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 on the question of guidelines for international years and anniversaries,

Aware that, for the International Youth Year to be successful and to maximize its impact and practical efficiency, adequate preparation and the widespread support of Governments, all specialized agencies, international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and the public will be required,

Noting with great satisfaction the interest of Member States, various United Nations bodies and specialized agencies as well as youth organizations in the decision to designate and observe 1985 as International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace,

Taking note of the report of the Advisory Committee for the International Youth Year on its first session, held at Vienna from 30 March to 7 April 1981,

1. Endorses the specific Programme of Measures and Activities to be undertaken prior to and during the International Youth Year, as adopted by the Advisory Committee for the International Youth Year and contained in the report of the Secretary-General, bearing in mind that continued review and revision of the Programme should be carried out in the coming years;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the specific Programme of Measures and Activities to all States, United Nations bodies, specialized agencies and regional commissions as well as to the international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned with a view to its early implementation;

3. Invites all States, all United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, regional commissions and the international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned, as well as youth organizations, to exert all possible efforts for the implementation of the specific Programme of Measures and Activities, in accordance with their experience, conditions and priorities;

4. Stresses the importance of active and direct participation of youth organizations in the activities organized at the local, national, regional and international levels for the preparation and observance of the International Youth Year;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures to ensure the proper co-ordination of the implementation and follow-up of the specific Programme of Measures and Activities, including the provision of information;

6. Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with Governments of Member States, specialized agencies and all the international bodies and organizations concerned, to prepare for submission to the General Assembly at its thirty-seventh session, through the Advisory Committee, a progress report on the implementation of the specific Programme of Measures and Activities;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to convene the second session of the Advisory Committee during the second half of 1982, prior to the thirty-seventh session of the General Assembly, to provide it with all necessary assistance and to submit to it a progress report on the implementation of the specific Programme of Measures and Activities;

8. Invites the Advisory Committee to pay particular attention to the implementation of the specific Programme of Measures and Activities and, to this end, to submit adequate recommendations to the General Assembly;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take concrete measures, through all the communications media at his disposal, to give widespread publicity to the activities of the United Nations system in the field of youth and to increase the dissemination of information on youth;

10. Further requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary measures in order to enable the Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs of the Secretariat to perform its tasks and responsibilities for the adequate preparation and observance of the International Youth Year;

11. Again appeals to all States, to international governmental and non-governmental organizations and to the public to make in due time generous voluntary contributions to supplement funds provided under the regular budget of the United Nations for the costs of the specific Programme of Measures and Activities and requests the Secretary-General to take all appropriate measures for obtaining such voluntary contributions;

12. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-seventh session the item entitled "International Youth Year:

Participation, Development, Peace" and to grant it high priority.