Youth at Heart - International Newsletter May 2024 | Latest

Welcome to the first edition of the Youth at Heart - International Newsletter! This newsletter covers anything relating to the Youth at Heart strategy of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; both in the Netherlands and abroad.

The Youth at Heart strategy puts young people at the heart of development work. The strategy has been developed by approximately 1200 young people from East- and Horn of Africa, Middle East and North Africa and the Sahel Regions.

The principles of Youth at Heart are a call to action for governments, civil society, private and public sector, bi- and multilaterals and knowledge institutions to invest in the prospects of young people and to work in partnership with young people.

What happened last month?

Over the last months, we've collected some of the best stories from our Youth Focal Points in the Hague (where the Ministry is located) and abroad.
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Investing in Tunisia’s hidden potential | Youth at Heart

Despite economic challenges and democratic decline, Tunisia’s vulnerable youth hold immense potential. Read the update from our embassy in Tunis!

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Launch ‘Green Skills for Youth on the Move’ | Youth at Heart

Partially funded under the PROSPECTS partnership, this report presents best practices and solutions for supporting youth on the move. Read the update from our Department for Stabilisation and Humanitarian Aid!

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Equipping girls as role models and change makers | Youth at Heart

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Mozambique is a dedicated advocate for gender equality, empowerment, and meaningful participation of young people, including women and adolescent girls. Read the update from our embassy in Mozambique!

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The Netherlands welcomes back the International Youth Advisory Committee during the Meet-Up Week of January 2024 | Youth at Heart

In January, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs had the privilege to host the second cohort of the International Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) in person. Read the update from our National Youth Council!

An update from team Youth, Education and Work

The coordination of the Youth at Heart strategy is handled by the team Youth, Education and Work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague. Besides the Ambassador for Youth, Education and Work, the team works on any policy by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs relating to the Youth at Heart agenda.

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Launching the Africa-Europe Youth Academy at the Global Gateway Event in Brussels | News item | Youthatheart

On the 11^th of April, the EU held a conference on the education aspect of the Global Gateway strategy. Here, the Africa-Europe Youth Academy was launched: a new European collaboration providing opportunities for formal and informal education to young people.

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Entrepreneurship, Peace, and Food Security: The Ambassador’s Trip to South-Sudan | News item | Youthatheart

Between 19-23th of February, the Dutch ambassador for Youth, Education and Work visited South-Sudan. Here, he participated, spoke and listened with locals in a series of events. Amongst others: the launch of Orange Corners. Read the report through the link above!

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Democracy, safety, and diaspora: the Ambassador’s trip to Somalia and Somaliland | News item | Youthatheart

Between the 25-29th of February, the Dutch Ambassador for Youth, Education and Work visited Somalia and Somaliland. Curious about his trip? Read the article above!

Interview with Daisy Kandole

This interview series gives a spotlight to relevant youth leaders across the world. What are their experiences, their recent thoughts, and their future plans?

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Interview with Daisy Kandole, former member of the Youth Advisory Committee | News item | Youthatheart

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The first interview in this series is with Daisy Kandole, a former member of the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). She touches on her tenure with the YAC; how she was able to integrate the perceptions of her local community in her work; and how she will carry her experience with the YAC into her future plans.

“I cannot downplay it, two years is quite some time. While it’s sad we’re leaving, it’s also a good thing. Anyone who wants to create change also has to focus on creating space for new people to draw on your previous efforts.

What's on the agenda?

After a busy month, next month also brings lots of exciting and new activities from all over the world! What's on the agenda?

**Agenda Youth at Heart May-June 2024**
Date	Place	Activity
15th of May	Online	World Bank Stakeholders event for Meaningful Youth Participation
Week May 13th	Nairobi, Kenya	Farewell Ambassador with events surrounding Youth & Innovation in the agrispace
Week May 20th	Lagos, Nigeria	Challenge Fund for Youth Learning Event with sessions by local YAC members
22nd and 23th of May	Kigali, Rwanda	Global Conference of Decent Jobs for Youth
28th of May	Kampala, Uganda	Farewell ceremony local Youth Advisory Committee
2nd till 8th of June	The Hague, Netherlands	Orange Corners Connect Days