On October 15, the Asia-Pacific Youth Development Forum (APYDF) 2024 opened at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. Youth affairs officials, leaders of youth organizations, and representatives from various sectors across the Asia-Pacific region gathered to engage in dialogues on the theme "Youth Innovation for Green Tansition to Build Sustainable Cities and Resilient Food Systems." The All-China Youth Federation sent a delegation to participate in the event.

Mr. Hu Baijing, the Vice President of All-China Youth Federation, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. He emphasized that achieving stronger, greener, and healthier global development requires the joint efforts of young people from all countries. Chinese youth have actively contributed to the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development and have taken significant steps to address climate change and promote green and low-carbon development. Young people should to be advocates for green development, actors of green innovation, and companions for sustainable development, gathering youth power to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr. Sangmin Nam, the Director of Environment and Development Division of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), pointed out that green development and digital innovation are two major opportunities of our time, with youth at the forefront of these transformations. The Asia-Pacific Youth Development Forum provides an open platform for cooperation, and he urged all parties to recognize the critical role and innovative capabilities of youth in sustainable development, using scientific planning, innovative approaches, collaborative efforts, and precise investment to turn the voices of youth into tangible impact.

Ms. Jatuporn Rojanapanich, the Deputy Permanent secretary of Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) Thailand, emphasized that the innovative ideas and action power of youth are crucial during this critical period of green transformation. She shared a case where a Thai youth team promoted Bangkok's resilience through innovative planning, highlighting that youth are vital builders of society, and that government departments should work together to create broader opportunities for youth to engage in green development.

Mr. Gerd Trogemann, the Manager of the Regional Programme and Global Policy Network of the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, emphasized that the Asia-Pacific region boasts a significant youth population, whose advocacy and actions greatly impact various fields, particularly in green and low-carbon transformation. He encouraged all stakeholders to embrace innovative approaches and prioritize sustainable practices in technology to collaboratively support the goals of the Paris Agreement.

During the panel discussion, five experts from different fields shared their opinions and dialogued on the topic "The Future is Now: Empowering Youth to Lead the Green Transition". In Youth Talks, 5 youth leaders of the Action Plan for Global Youth Development, coming from Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Thailand, as well as youth representatives from China and Thailand, shared their practices and experiences of sustainable development.

During the two-day forum, youth representatives from various countries participated in in-depth discussions on topics such as green jobs and skills, sustainable entrepreneurship, sustainable cities and resilient food systems. They also dialogued with government officials and representatives from private sector, academia and other sectors, to jointly explore innovative solutions to advance the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

It is reported that the APYDF 2024 is aligned with the World Youth Development Forum (WYDF). It is also an associate event for the Eighth Session of the Committee on Environment and Development of UN ESCAP and the World Food Forum.