2024 World Youth Development Forum brings together global youth to share views on major issues

The 2024 World Youth Development Forum opened in Beijing on Monday, coinciding with the International Youth Day, with over 2,000 young people from more than 130 countries and 20 international organizations brought together online or in person to discuss major global issues.

More than 500 young leaders and youth representatives gathered for the forum's opening ceremony and plenary meeting. In the coming days, the attendees will visit other Chinese cities, including Nanning in the south and Hangzhou in the east, where they will engage in discussions on green development, digital innovation, cultural heritage, and youth-oriented urban development.

At the opening ceremony, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, in a video message, emphasized that young people are the driving force behind the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and urged efforts to amplify their voices and empower them through education and skills.

"I'm so excited, I'm so happy, because I met a lot of people here," said Muhamad Solahudin Al Ayubi, founder of Sakola Kita, an Indonesian youth-led initiative focused on inclusive empowerment and quality education at both national and international levels.

"Amazing, there are so many nice people, so much cool stuff happening," said Christian Bogelund, curator of Global Shapers Copenhagen, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, created to empower young leaders and give them access to decision makers.

The World Youth Development Forum, a major initiative announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2022, offers a unique platform for vibrant, energetic young voices. During Monday’s opening ceremony, the attendees engaged in discussions with high-level international officials and U.N. representatives.

As a key supporter of the event, the U.N. views youth as essential in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"We are not going to be able to solve the issues of today without bringing young voices to the table. We are not going to be able to solve the challenges for our grandchildren with a system that was designed for our grandparents," said Felipe Paullier, United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs.

A proposal from young people for the upcoming U.N. Summit of the Future was released at the event, alongside the launch of an international cooperation program on youth skills and entrepreneurship training.

"I am very interested in having young people get their first chance into entrepreneurship. Young people can do much more than we think. And we just need to give them a chance to try things out," said Bogelund.

"I'm particularly interested in SDG Point 4, the quality of education. I see that quality of education is something that should be given to all human beings," said Al Ayubi.

The World Youth Development Forum, themed "Together for a Better Future," aims to harness youth power to implement the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Development Initiative.

The forum will run until Aug 17, with collected opinions from the youth to be presented at the U.N. Summit of the Future in September, ensuring that their voices are not only heard but also have a tangible impact.

2024 World Youth Development Forum brings together global youth to share views on major issues

The recent weeks have seen several major earthquakes around the world including the 7.9 magnitude quake striking Myanmar on Friday that have killed over 2,000 people.

These seismic events trigger worries among the public over the frequency of the earthquakes while an expert in southwest China's Chengdu City said the recent earthquakes across globe fall within normal range.

"The recent earthquakes, whether in Myanmar, Tonga, or parts of China like Xinjiang or Yunnan, all occurred in well-known seismic zones. These regions are generally expected to experience quakes, and even magnitude 7 or above events fall within the normal range. Statistically, the frequency and strength of earthquakes we've seen so far this year are consistent with previous years," said Wang Yun, director of the Natural Disaster Early Warning Research Center at Sichuan University in a video interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).

Wang said the reason why people perceive an increase in earthquake frequency recently is they are exposed to earthquake-related news especially when the devastating Myanmar earthquake have already caught their attentions.

"Nowadays, people are more exposed to news of disasters, especially when a deadly quake like Myanmar's makes headlines. People's increased awareness also makes them more sensitive to seismic news," he said.

According to Xu Xiwei, a professor from the Beijing-based China University of Geosciences, whether earthquakes are frequent or whether the earth has entered a seismically active period cannot be determined by human perception or the number of small to moderate earthquakes.

The frequency of earthquakes should be assessed by comparing it to the normal average value of earthquake frequency and energy release in a specific region or globally over a certain period, Xu said in a phone interview with China Central Television (CCTV).

Citing earthquake statistics since 1900, Xu noted that over the past century, the world has experienced an average of 150 earthquakes of magnitude six or above, 18 earthquakes of magnitude seven or above, and one earthquake of magnitude eight per year.

From a statistical perspective, the 17 earthquakes of magnitude six or above recorded worldwide so far this year are insufficient to indicate that the world has entered a seismically active or frequent period, he added.

Recent earthquakes across globe fall within normal range: expert

Recent earthquakes across globe fall within normal range: expert