The world's youth are unsettled by fear of unemployment, social dysfunction, bad behaviour from civic leaders and irrelevant school curricula, according to an evaluation of UNESCO's youth-related activities recently completed by a University of Queensland academic.
The University's director of the Centre for Public Administration and chair of the Australian National Commission for the United Nations Education Scientific Cultural and Communication Organisation (UNESCO), Professor Ken Wiltshire surveyed 10,000 young people aged between 15 and 24 throughout the world for the evaluation commissioned by UNESCO.
His report, which was debated yesterday in Paris, will help UNESCO plan its medium-term (next six years) youth strategy. The final strategy will be unveiled at UNESCO's next conference in Paris in October this year.
The report found in every country, young people shared similar concerns and felt alienated as a result.
"Their role models come mainly from pop music, film and video with the values they receive from the small and large screen clashing with traditional values in most societies and those taught at home. This alienation is reflected in the fact that suicide is the largest cause of death among young people in most countries," Professor Wiltshire said.
"Unemployment along with (in descending order): education and training; the environment, heritage and cultural preservation; health, drugs and AIDS; and rights were the main issues preoccupying youth."
Professor Wiltshire said his report stressed youth and youth affairs must be UNESCO's "priority of priorities" with "peace in the minds of youth" its prime objective.
"In the year 2000, there will be nearly 1.1 billion young people in the world or 17 percent of the population. We need to know more about their attitudes and values if we are to hand the world to them. We can't assume they have the same values as we do," Professor Wiltshire said.
"UNESCO and society in general must find a whole new set of ways of relating to young people as equal partners. The survey showed they are suspicious of people who talk down to them. They said they want to be regarded as a part of the solution not the problem.
"They also said they wanted older people to 'visit them on their planets', in other words communicate to them through preferred media such as videos, pop music and magazines and meetings where they are equal partners."
Professor Wiltshire said one of the key recommendations of the report was that a special youth commission considering the recommendations be held as part of the October conference and that a structure be set up within the organisation concentrating on youth programs, priorities and projects.
"The commission could be empowered to make recommendations in the Plenary with other UNESCO representatives," he said.
"There should be a greater magnitude and quality of youth involvement in the formulation, implementation and follow-up of UNESCO's youth activities. Youth activities should be given much higher visibility within UNESCO."
UNESCO's youth-related activities centre on volunteer programs, world heritage and biosphere sites, school peace and exchange programs, human rights, citizenship, cultural exchanges, youth leadership training and exchanges of information about youth.
For more information, contact Professor Ken Wiltshire (telephone 07 3365 2733 or mobile 0418 713 593).
