South Asian University and UNESCO MGIEP Open Two-Day International Youth Day Celebrations

South Asian University, in collaboration with the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (UNESCO MGIEP), inaugurated the two-day International Youth Day celebrations today, 11 August 2026, at Lecture Hall 1, PCM Building, South Asian University.

Dr. Moritz Bilagher, UNESCO MGIEP, welcomed the participants and guests and appreciated the meaningful collaboration with South Asian University. He highlighted the importance of creating platforms that empower young students to engage in dialogue and contribute to building peaceful and sustainable futures.

Professor Ramesh C Gaur, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Media and Design, South Asian University, welcomed the young participants who had gathered from across the SAARC Nations. He encouraged them to participate with enthusiasm, emphasising that the programme celebrates diversity, promotes inclusion, and provides a platform for young voices to be heard. He also expressed gratitude to the Hon’ble President of South Asian University, Prof. K.K. Aggarwal, for his vision and leadership in fostering such collaborations and supporting youth-led initiatives.

During the inaugural session, distinguished guests, including Ms. Sonal, Mr. Abhishek, Dr. Morris, Ms. Pallavi and Ms. Richa Bansal, were felicitated for their valuable contributions and participation.

The first day featured deliberations by eight participating teams on the theme “Peaceful and Sustainable Futures”, providing young participants with an opportunity to exchange perspectives, along with constructive dialogue, and explore innovative responses to contemporary societal challenges.

The programme has been curated by Prof. Ambrish Saxena, with active support from Dr Abinash Jha, Dr. Piyashi Dutta, Dr. Shruti Nagpal and Dr. Nipunika Shahid, along with the research scholars and students of the Faculty of Arts, Media and Design (FAMD). The faculty members are also serving as members of the Jury.

The programme will continue tomorrow with the final round of the National Youth Debate Competition, Nukkad Natak, film screening, cultural performances, an art exhibition, interactive discussions, and other youth-led activities.

The two-day celebration brings together young people from across the country to promote youth leadership, dialogue, creativity, diversity, and inclusion. It reaffirms the commitment of South Asian University and UNESCO MGIEP to creating meaningful platforms for young people to express themselves and contribute to building more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable societies.