By Lawal Sale
On July 29, 2025 in Beijing, young activists, students, entrepreneurs, and leaders of social movements from all corners of the world from 130 countries flocked to Beijing to lend their voice for world peace. This year’s World Youth Conference for Peace was held at Peking University under the theme “Together for Peace.”
The Conference was jointly organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries [CPAFFC} and the All-China Youth Federation [ACYF}. The event brought together around 3,000 participants, including youth representatives from all five continents, leaders of international youth organizations, and international students in China. Thus, Beijing Unites Global Youth for Peace and bright Future
Ultimately, Beijing became a centre for young people of the world as all the participants united by the vision of peace and cooperation.# Delegations from all corners of world assembled; from Latin America, North America, Africa, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Nearly 3,000 representatives attended the World Youth Conference for Peace, held at the Khao Teck Paut Gymnasium at Peking University.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message to the Conference. He noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Xi said that the Chinese people, together with people around the world, completely defeated fascism and secured a hard-won peace through bloody battles 80 years ago.
Xi stressed that the future of peace lies with the youth, voicing the hope that young friends from all countries will take this event as an opportunity to exchange ideas, enhance mutual understanding and build friendships.
In a world where conflicts, climate crises, and social challenges demand immediate solutions, youth are becoming a driving force for change. The World Youth Festival in Beijing is not just an event; it’s an opportunity for a new generation to make its voice heard. He emphasized.
During the conference, Peking University’s stadium turned into a spring of genuine peace and harmony. The festival’s atmosphere vividly demonstrated to the whole world what a world based on the pursuit of mutual understanding and the diplomacy of kindness would look like.
Each speaker representing their country was asked to select a word that, in their opinion, expressed the main condition for achieving peace. Velimyrad Ovezov, head of the Turkmen delegation, chose the word – “Friendship” as Voice for Peace.
The youth at the conference unanimously adopted the World Youth Initiative for Peace, affirming that this is the voice of the future global community.
A collective appeal from youth of 130 countries issued at the end of the conference reads as follows:
-World Youth Peace Initiative-
“ This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. Eighty years ago, in face of the dark and evil forces of fascism, people from different countries, nations, social systems, and ideologies united together and, through tremendous sacrifice, secured the triumph of justice and peace, marking the beginning of a new chapter in rebuilding post-war world order and the pursuit of lasting peace for humanity”.
Over the past 80 years, under the themes of peace and development and propelled by waves of scientific and technological innovation, human civilization has enjoyed unprecedented prosperity, the world has become more interconnected than ever before, and humanity has increasingly become a community with a shared future that shares weal and woe.
Today, 80 years on, transformations of the world unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace. Changes of the world, of our times, and of the historical trajectory are taking place in ways like never before. Once again, humanity has come to a crossroads of unity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win cooperation or zero-sum games.
As representatives of the youth from around the world, we deeply cherish peace and understand the responsibilities borne by our generation.
Only by treasuring peace and upholding unity can humanity embrace a brighter future. To this end, we solemnly issue this World Youth Peace Initiative, calling on young people across the globe to unite in safeguarding peace, promoting development, and shaping our shared future.
* We call on youth to defend world peace. History must not be distorted; justice must be upheld and peace be safeguarded. Young people of all nations should draw wisdom from history and take concrete actions to defend peace, oppose all forms of war and violence, and reject unilateralism, hegemonism, and protectionism. Together, we should defend the hard-won outcomes of the victory in World War II, safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, and put true multilateralism into practice, to contribute youthful strength to the cause of global peace.
* We call on youth to pioneer mutual learning among civilizations. To safeguard world peace, we should first construct defenses of peace in our minds. Young people of all nations should uphold the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and coexistence transcend feelings of superiority, to contribute youthful wisdom to fostering harmony among civilizations and deepening friendship among peoples.
* We call on youth to advocate win-win cooperation. Development is the cornerstone of peace. Young people of all nations should adhere to the philosophy of win-win cooperation and common development. By making full use of multilateral and regional mechanisms and platforms, we should deepen and expand youth cooperation, actively participate in the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the outcomes of the Summit of the Future, to inject fresh momentum into bridging global development divides and promoting inclusive, equitable global growth.
* We call on youth to tackle climate change. Climate change poses a threat to our shared home on Earth. Young people of all nations should act on the spirit of “promoting global solidarity” and actively engage in global climate actions, to demonstrate commitment of the youth in delivering innovative solutions to the climate crisis, improving global ecological governance, and addressing international challenges hand in hand.
* We call on youth to promote “technologies for social good.” While technological advances bring opportunities for peace, they also pose new challenges. Young people of all nations should stand at the forefront of emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, shoulder responsibilities, and work for the goal that technological advances benefit the entire humanity, and that digital development remain inclusive, to contribute youthful solutions to improving global tech governance and building an inclusive, fair, and sustainable global future.
Eighty years ago, our predecessors illuminated darkness with unity. Eighty years later, it is up to us—the youth—to define the future through action. Let us take the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations as a new starting point, unite for peace and work hand in hand for the shared future of mankind!”
The Conference thus urged the young people from all countries to join hands to advocate peace and promote the harmonious coexistance of different civilizations and mutual under standing among all peoples. Now the countries of the world must deepen the friendship, enhance collaboration and strive together to build a bright shared future for humanity.
— Lawal Sale is Global South Affairs Analyst
