AAYC Joins Continental Partners to Mark International Youth Day in Angola
The AAYC International Executive Committee, in partnership with the Pan-African Youth Union (PYU) and the National Youth Council of Angola, joined thousands of young people in Luanda to celebrate International Youth Day 2025 under the theme: “Youth Advancing Multilateral Cooperation Through Technology and Partnerships.”
The gathering brought together youth leaders, policymakers, and development partners from across Africa to highlight the vital role of young people in building international cooperation through innovation, digital transformation, and strategic partnerships. The theme reflected the need for inclusive and technology-driven solutions to address global challenges, from climate change and geopolitical tensions to economic disruption.
In his address, the AAYC Secretary-General extended a rallying call to Africa’s youth to attend the AAYC Congress, set for 7–10 October 2025, urging them to unite and take the lead in shaping the continent’s future. “The struggle to liberate the youth continues, and nobody should rest,” he declared.
AU’s Chido Mpemba stressed that most youth projects in Africa lack dedicated budgets and formal participatory structures. She emphasized that the success of the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063 will be determined at the grassroots, in “communities, clinics, and councils where youth are already shaping the future.”
PYU Secretary-General Bening Ahmed Wiisichong played a key role in guiding discussions, sharing the strategic imperative of youth-led solutions and reinforcing continental solidarity. His presence reaffirmed the PYU’s mandate to serve as the voice of Africa’s youth, working alongside AU Member States and partners to achieve a peaceful, prosperous, and integrated Africa.
One of the key highlights of the celebrations was the reading of the Luanda Declaration, a joint commitment by youth leaders and stakeholders to strengthen multilateral cooperation, champion youth innovation, and enhance investment in youth structures across Africa. The declaration serves as a roadmap for coordinated action to empower young people and accelerate progress toward Agenda 2063 and the SDGs.
Delegates included: Hon.Dr Abbas Agaba - Secretary General AAYC, Amina Hilmi – AAYC Deputy Secretary-General; Ahmed Mogola – AAYC Executive Committee Member (Djibouti); Oladele John Nihi – Vice President, PYU; Marubini Muswede – Chairperson, African Youth Commission; Akoshile Mukhtar – AAYC West African Regional Coordinator & National Vice-President North Central Zone, National Youth Council of Nigeria; Olusola Oladoja – President, National Association of Nigerian Students; Onorio Antonio – President, Mozambique Student Union; Chido Mpemba – Advisor to the AU Chairperson & former AU Youth Envoy; Danila Bragança – Secretary of State for Youth of Angola; and representatives of SOS Children’s Village Angola.
The Luanda celebrations were more than a commemoration, they were a call to action, reaffirming that Africa’s future will be defined by the creativity, unity, and leadership of its youth.