Celebrated 12 August, International Youth Day is an annual observance designated by the United Nations (UN) to celebrate and recognize young people worldwide. In addition, it also serves as a platform to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the youth population.

In the context of the world’s current climate crisis, this year’s theme, “Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World,” highlights the significance of transitioning towards a greener society. The catastrophic impacts of climate change disproportionately affect young people, who will bear the brunt of the environmental challenges left by previous generations.

According to the UN, 1.8 billion people are currently between the ages of 10-24, the largest youth generation to date. Soon, their voices will take center stage—no longer those who currently occupy public offices and Fortune 500 boardrooms. As the global temperature has already risen 1.1ºC above the pre-industrial level—the urgency highlighted by the is clear; it is imperative for global citizens to take action to safeguard the planet and the generation that will inherit it.

The Spotify playlist below features five songs that serve to inspire different generations to work “Better Together” — as Jack Johnson aptly puts it. With only seven years left until 2030, the to create a world without poverty, a just and peaceful society, and a planet that can sustain us, needs the soundtrack of a lifetime.

1. Anti-hero – Taylor Swift: “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.” While Taylor probably wasn’t writing about rising sea levels or single use plastics when she wrote this 2022 classic, these lyrics hit home. The only way to create sustainable development solutions to the world’s most pressing issues is to admit that we are all part of the problem and actively try and be a part of the solution.
2. ĚýIce, Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice: While the song title may be deceiving, this track hasn’t been included to highlight the crisis of melting glaciers. This one-hit-wonder with hundreds of millions of streams worldwide has a very memorable opening line that bears repeating, “Stop, collaborate, and listen.” The best ideas do not always come from those with years of wisdom. Or, as James Okina, a young social entrepreneur and strategic 51ˇçÁ÷corporate social responsibility consultant says, “If you can collaborate with the ‘next generation of young leaders’, consider yourself fortunate. They will inspire you with fresh ideas.”
3. Something About You – Roosevelt: “Wąđ all need to be brave, optimistic, and excited to try new things together. As DJ Roosevelt points out, there is something [incredible] about you—share it,” shares Natalie Gahre, an 51ˇçÁ÷sustainability product team member. Individuals who hope to share their unique expertise are invited to join a panel of professionals from Unilever, EY, Reckitt, and 51ˇçÁ÷on the , powered by MovingWorlds. This virtual pro bono consulting platform connects experienced professionals everywhere with young social innovators to expedite world-changing solutions.
4. Youth – Glass Animals: When it comes to encouraging business leaders to think about the future of their companies, Jess Teutonico, Executive Director of We Are Family Foundation has some sound advice. “Center intergenerational collaboration into everything you do.ĚýEngage young people to be a part of your organizations’ decision-making tables. This generation has the creativity, ingenuity,Ěýand tenacityĚýto move our planet forward more equitably and sustainably. Why are we waiting for them to ‘grow up’ when they have already proven they are solving our problems now?” Inviting young leaders to global events has the power to bring the right energy and connections together that can ultimately result in advancing solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. We Are Family Foundation is launching new research on the power of intergenerational leadership and they need assistance to support their efforts. Click to receive the survey when it launches on September 8.
5. Jerusalema – Master KG ftg. Nomcebo Zikode: After composing the hook for this track, Master KG encouraged Zikode that she had the talent to write the lyrics for this track in a single night, even though she may not have believed it herself. They met their deadline and in 2020, Jerusalema became one of the most songs in the world. This song serves as a reminder to have faith—trust one’s instincts and know that sometimes—it just takes two. Someone with a different perspective can have a profound impact on the outcome of a project (or a song).

According to Ferry’s Future of Work Findings, we can expect to see an estimated total talent deficit of workers in 2030, resulting in in unrealized revenue globally. In 2021 alone, Africa experienced more than 140 million unemployed youth between 15 – 35 years of age. Besides education, there is an overwhelming need to shift youths’ efforts from seeking conventional employment to creating opportunities for themselves via entrepreneurship.

“Help the World Run Better” is part of SAP’s DNA and the primary driver of what it does as a company. It is evident that the lack of basic education affects the acquisition of future skills. It limits the capability to find gainful employment or to come up with innovative business ideas. For instance, by empowering and supporting youth on International Youth Day and beyond, individuals and organizations can harness their energy, passion, and determination to create a more resilient and sustainable world.

The post Empowering Anthems: A Playlist for International Youth Day appeared first on 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 10 August 2020Ěý– In recognition of the United Nations’ĚýĚýthis week, a new-look 51ˇçÁ÷Africa Code Week (ACW) initiative officially kicks off across the continent with a number of exciting changes and developments all aimed at empowering Africa’s youth with digital skills learning. Now in its sixth year, ACW is the largest digital literacy initiative on the continent. Over the last five years, the initiative has positively impacted millions of youth and thousands of teachers.

Introduced by SAP, UNESCO and partners in 2015, ACW aims to spark interest in coding through fun and interactive community workshops for youngsters. From the 88,000 students who participated in the first year, to the 3.85 million children and 39,000 teachers who ran +55 000 coding workshops in 37 countries last year, the impact of the initiative has grown significantly.

2020 ACW efforts are shifting to a virtual model and this will allow expansion of the program’s reach to 54 African countries with all learning materials translated into Portuguese and French for the large Francophone and Lusophone African communities. A new ACW mobile app will also be introduced this year, providing easy access to smartphone material in support of all-inclusive learning. The ACW initiative will continue to work closely with Ministries of Education across the African continent, with a view to promoting sustainable digital skills development capacity.

Commenting on the 2020 initiative’s virtual kick-off, South African TV news anchor, female tech entrepreneur and Africa Code Week Ambassador, Faith Mangope says: “A big part of this year’s Africa Code Week efforts will be focused on engaging more women teachers and students. Globally, women hold only 24% of jobs in the ICT sector, and there are 250 million fewer women online than men. Our mission is to ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to attain the skills they need to contribute meaningfully to the future workforce.”

Another development for this year is the AfriCANCode Challenge which is a coding competition aimed at engaging participants through a number of fun and exciting activities. This ACW competition invites youth, aged 9 to 16 either individually or in teams, to use their skills and creativity to solve problems. Two competition themes have been identified: ‘Courageous Coders’, focused on how technology can change the world, and ‘Plugged-in Pupils’, which asks youngsters to imagine the potential related to tomorrow’s connected school.

Commenting on the AfriCANCode Challenge and the urgent need to prepare youth with digital skills learning, Moez Chakchouk, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at UNESCO adds: “More than 60% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under the age of 25, making it the most youthful region in the world. The continent’s working-age population is expected to swell by two-thirds reaching 600 million by 2030. It’s clearly critical to ensure Africa’s youth is fully equipped with 21^stĚýcentury digital skills. Harnessing the power of creativity, technology and innovation can also inspire us to unite and be ready to meet today’s challenges.”

In addition to the new virtual components of the 2020 ACW initiative, hundreds of 51ˇçÁ÷expert volunteers from across the globe will also play their part online by working with NGOs and other partner organisations to provide on-the-ground support during this year’s activities.ĚýClaudio Muruzabal, SAP’s President of EMEA South says, “Offering accessible, hands-on digital support to Africa’s youth and teachers helps put people in a position to meaningfully participate in today’s digital economy. This is vital and SAP’s commitment to Africa Code Week remains firm. Through invaluable partnerships with UNESCO, ADEA, Irish Aid, BMZ,Ěýand all the partner NGOs across Africa, the 2020 ACW initiative can effectively leverage the skillsets of networks and knowledgeable local ICT experts to ensure every workshop is a sound success.”

For more information about Africa Code Week or to get involved, visit the websiteĚý orĚýfollow 51ˇçÁ÷and ACW on Twitter atĚý andĚý

ENDS

About Africa Code Week

Since 2015, 51ˇçÁ÷Africa Code Week (ACW) has been creating free opportunities for young Africans to learn coding skills and for teachers to be trained on digital learning curricula. Strong partnerships with the public, private and civil society sectors across 54 countries are driving sustainable impact by building teaching capacity and supporting the adoption of coding into national curricula in support of UN Sustainable Development Goals 4, 5 and 17. In 2019 alone, the initiative saw 3.85M children participating in coding workshops. A deep-learning workshop also took place for 28 female teachers from 15 African countries with a goal to empower more African girls through coding skills. Join 51ˇçÁ÷and partners by visiting www.africacodeweek.org to find out more.

About SAP

As the Experience Company powered by the Intelligent Enterprise, 51ˇçÁ÷is the market leader in enterprise application software, helping companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world’s transaction revenue touches an SAPÂŽ system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers’ businesses into intelligent enterprises. 51ˇçÁ÷helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want – without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables more than 440,000 business and public customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, 51ˇçÁ÷helps the world run better and improve people’s lives. For more information, visit .

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The post 51ˇçÁ÷Africa Code Week Returns and it’s Fully Online appeared first on 51ˇçÁ÷Africa News Center.