UNAOC and International Youth Day: Advancing Intercultural Dialogue
International Youth Day message connects young leaders with dialogue and peacebuilding
August 25th, 2026
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) marked International Youth Day on 12 August 2026 with a message from Under-Secretary-General Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for UNAOC and UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. Under the theme “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations”, the message placed young people at the centre of efforts to advance intercultural and interreligious dialogue, mutual respect and more inclusive societies.
UNAOC linked the occasion to several youth-focused programmes already operating across its work. The Youth Solidarity Fund supports grassroots initiatives led by young people, while the Young Peacebuilders programme provides practical tools, mentorship and networks for dialogue and social cohesion. PLURAL+ gives young filmmakers a platform to address prejudice and xenophobia, and News Generation Against Hate works with young people confronting misinformation, hate speech and stereotypes through multicultural and interreligious understanding.
Together, these initiatives illustrate how youth participation can become part of cultural diplomacy beyond formal diplomatic institutions. By involving filmmakers, community organisers and young peacebuilders, UNAOC creates channels for people-to-people exchange alongside institutional cooperation. The programmes also connect education, storytelling and dialogue with wider efforts to strengthen understanding across cultural and religious differences, giving young participants opportunities to contribute directly to discussions traditionally associated with international organisations and political leaders.
The same approach has extended to UNAOC’s wider international activities. Its “A Call for Peace, the End of Wars and Respect for International Law” initiative has involved young people alongside political leaders, faith actors, civil society representatives and other stakeholders. The Youth Forum held during the 11th UNAOC Global Forum in Riyadh also brought together more than 70 young leaders from 47 countries, who presented community-based solutions and exchanged experiences across national and cultural boundaries.
UNAOC’s International Youth Day message therefore reflects a broader effort to make youth participation a continuing element of intercultural cooperation. Through established programmes, international forums and community initiatives, young people are positioned not only as participants in dialogue but as contributors to it. Their involvement in filmmaking, education, community work and peacebuilding demonstrates how cultural diplomacy can develop through sustained contact between institutions, communities and individuals across borders.
