INTERCULTURAL

LEADERS

The United Nations Youth Office invites applications from young people who wish to attend The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, taking place from 15 to 17 April 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum is convened by the President of ECOSOC and organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) in close collaboration with the UN Youth Office, the United Nations Inter Agency Network on Youth Development (IANYD) and co-convened by the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) and the International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organizations (ICMYO), with technical input from youth organizations relevant to the theme of the forum.

The Forum provides a platform for young people to engage in a dialogue with Member States and other stakeholders to share their views and concerns as well as galvanize actions and recommendations to transform the world into a fairer, greener and more sustainable place led by the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The ECOSOC Youth Forum will be guided by the 2025 theme of ECOSOC and the High-level Political Forum (HLPF): “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind”.

The three-day event will feature plenary sessions as well as interactive thematic and regional breakout sessions to facilitate deeper discussions on advancing the 2030 Agenda, implementing the Pact for the Future and contributing to different intergovernmental processes in 2025 such as the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development and the Second World Summit for Social Development – WSSD2. Young people are also invited to share best practices, lessons learned, solutions as well as creative and innovative ideas with Member States, other youth participants and stakeholders on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the sustainable development goals under review at the Economic and Social Council and the High-level Political Forum in July 2025.

Side events will be encouraged, taking place virtually and in-person from 15 to 17 April 2025.

The United Nations Youth Office will support up to 15 young persons (18-35 years old) to participate in person at the ECOSOC Youth Forum.

Selection of eligible young persons will be made by the UN Youth Office with support of partners, including its Youth Reference group. Selection will consider gender balance, geographical representation and other under-represented youth. Preference will be given to applicants with limited or no prior engagement with the UN. Additionally, please note that we are unable to sponsor youth who are currently under contract with the UN.

Before applying, please make sure you review the applications’ guidance that can be found here.

Please complete this form by Wednesday 12 February by midnight ET.

All applicants will be notified of the final decision regarding their application up to four weeks after the deadline.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the UN Youth Office: Romeral Ortiz Quintilla, Youth Engagement Lead, gracia.ortizquintilla@un.org.

For more information about the ECOSOC Youth Forum, please visit: https://ecosoc.un.org/en/what-we-do/ecosoc-youth-forum/about-youth-forum/ecosoc-youth-forum-2025