By Matik Kueth
On Tuesday, South Sudanese youth gathered in Juba to commemorate International Youth Day 2025, under the theme: “Youth Innovation for a Sustainable Future,” in an impressive display of solidarity and shared purpose.
The event, organized by the Eden Foundation in partnership with Scenius Hub and Amatel Africa, brought together government representatives, students, civil society organizations, and young innovators to reflect on the challenges facing youth and explore pathways toward national unity, development, and sustainability.
Speaking at the event, Yar Telar Deng, Member of Parliament representing Yirol West County in the National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA), called on South Sudanese youth to look beyond tribal and political affiliations and work collectively to address the country’s pressing issues.
“The issues that we face as youth, hunger, are not related to any tribe. Poverty is not related to any tribe. Insecurity is also not related to any tribe. These are issues that we’re facing as youth. We are going to take this initiative to unite amongst ourselves, regardless of our tribes, regardless of our differences, regardless of our political affiliations. Because if we’re not united, we’re not able to move forward. And if there’s no unity, there’s no stability,” Yar said.
Education emerged as a key concern, particularly the persistent delays in releasing national examination results, an obstacle that has left many young people idle and vulnerable.
Peter Lemmy Noka, Program Manager at the Eve Organization for Women Development, underlined the need for the government to address these delays to ensure that students transition smoothly into higher education.
“This youth who finish Senior 4, stay for practically one full year because the Ministry of Education is saying we don’t have budget to mark the exams. Even when the exams are marked, there’s no money to process them. So, I think there’s a problem. We need to address that problem. Once they finish on time and then they have a short time to relax then apply to universities, they will not be idle and therefore they will not cause criminal activities around,” he stressed.
Dwatuka Ngoni, Representative of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, highlighted the urgent need to empower young people to take the lead in sustainability and environmental action.
“We are gathered to celebrate energy, innovation, and resilience of young people. But we are also here to confront the reality that our future and the future of the generations to come. In South Sudan, sustainability is not an abstract idea. It is about survival,” she stated.
However, Abul Majur, Executive Director of the Eden Foundation, emphasized the significance of the event as a platform for youth to reconnect, collaborate, and be inspired toward a common vision for peace and progress.
“My message to the youth is don’t wait for permission to leave. Leave where you are. Build where you stand. This is our country and it’s our responsibility to make sure that we create a pathway for the next generations to come. I ask all the youth to unite and please know that our struggles are not different. We all have shared struggles, we all have shared dreams. Let us stand together and build our country,” she noted.
The commemoration concluded with a call for investment in youth-led solutions, innovation hubs, and national frameworks that prioritise the role of young people in peace-building, governance, and sustainable development.
International Youth Day was founded in 1999 by the United Nations General Assembly. It was established following a recommendation from the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 1998). It’s observed every year on August 12 to raise awareness about issues affecting young people around the world and to celebrate their contributions to society