International Youth Year
International Youth Year (
IYY) was held in
1985, to focus attention on issues of concern to and relating to youth. The proclamation was signed on
January 1,
1985 by
United Nations Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar.
Throughout the year, activities took place all over the world. These activities were coordinated by the Youth Secretariat within the
Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, at the time based at the UN offices in
Vienna,
Austria. The Secretariat's director,
Mohammad Sharif, was also the Executive Secretary for IYY. The President of IYY was
Nicu Ceauşescu , son of the former dictator of
Romania Nicolae CeauşescuWhile not organising any specific events itself, under the year's slogan of "Participation, Development, Peace", the IYY Secretariat helped facilitate numerous events helping to make IYY a success.
The main UN event for IYY was the
World Congress on Youth (
in Spanish:
Congresso Mundial Sobre La Juventud) organised by
UNESCO and held in
Barcelona,
Spain July 8-15, 1985. It issued the "Barcelona Declaration" on youth.
Other international events mentioned in the Secretary General's report (October 11, 1985 A/40/701):
*
International Youth Conference and World Youth Festival (
Kingston, Jamaica, April 6-10, 1985). Issued the "Kingston Declaration" on youth.
*
Friendly Gathering of Youth, (
Beijing, China, May 10-24, 1985)
*
12th World Festival of Youth and Students, (
Moscow, USSR, July 27-August 3, 1985)
*
International Youth Year Conference on Law (
Montreal, August 5-9, 1985)
*
United Nations International Years*
General Assembly resolution declaring IYY*
General Assembly resolution to continue work of IYY
