A letter from the UN Programme on Youth

Dear Members of Youth‐Led Organizations:

A High‐level Meeting of the General Assembly on Youth will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 25 and 26 July 2011 (as per General Assembly Resolution 65/L.63). The High‐level Meeting on Youth will result in a concise action oriented outcome document. In the run‐up to the High‐level Meeting, the President of the General Assembly will produce a draft text of the outcome document, in consultation with Member States, taking into account input from “youth‐led organizations”.

In this context, Member States held the first consultation on the draft outcome document on 19 April 2011. This meeting gave Member States an opportunity to consider how to further implement existing commitments on youth development, and to reflect upon the elements that could be addressed in the draft text of the outcome document. Member States are considering the theme of the ongoing International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding, as well as topics of youth development and elements concerning youth and their well‐being, youth and the global economy including social development, and youth participation.

In parallel, the formal process for receiving inputs from youth‐led organizations for the outcome document has begun. We are pleased to have this opportunity to hear directly from youth‐led organizations regarding your priorities. In brief, this is the time for you to share your views and let your voice be heard!

We suggest that you provide ideas in the context of the theme of the year as well as the youth and their well‐being, youth and the global economy including social development, and youth participation. Your ideas and views will be presented to Member States as they produce a draft of the outcome document in the coming weeks. For those organizations that have already submitted their inputs in the preliminary “brainstorming” phase of this process, please be assured that your contributions will concurrently be shared with Member States.

Given the concise nature of the outcome document, we request that the input of each organization be limited to a maximum of 1000 words. In addition, as the input is specifically being requested from “youth‐led organizations,” please ensure that your contribution is accompanied by the name and contact information of your organization, the number of youth your organization represents, and a brief 100 word description of your organization.

Please send your written inputs via e‐mail with the subject line “High‐level Meeting inputs” to youth@un.org no later than May 15, 2011.

We look forward to receiving your contributions as we move forward in this process.

United Nations Programme on Youth