This year, we put hope at the centre of the story, to celebrate connecting people for an inclusive planet. 

We invited young people, youth workers, volunteers, youth leaders, managers, educators, and the broader youth sector to explore what a sustainable future means for us all through the Sustainable Development Goals.   

The Sustainable Development Goals offer a way to address inequality, improve health and education, tackle climate change, preserve our oceans, forests, and build strong community.  They provide a framework to look at issues from personal, local, national, and global angles. For this OWW, we delved inside the Sustainable Development Goals and brought them to life to empower participants with the tools and inspiration to tackle inequality.

1. Youth Summit: Exploring Connections

This event values young people and recognises the importance of young people having spaces to learn together, through facilitated discussion, problem solving workshops and fun! Local and global issues are increasingly complex, this event gave young people an opportunity to navigate challenging topics arising in their lives that require a nuanced view and patience for one another. 

Contributors:

Ashley Chadamoyo Makombe (The GALPAL Collective and Euro Bug International), Kelvin Akpaloo (Young Voices of Africa and Euro Bug International), Alex Duffy (ECO-UNESCO), Oisín Ó Dubhshláine (Feachtas, Euro Bug International and YOUTH 2030 Young Peoples Committee Member 23’-24), Natasha Maimba (United Nations Youth Delegate 24’-25’), Lauren Jones Brennan (United Nations Youth Delegate 24’-25’) and musicians from the Young Voices of Africa Diaspora Group. 

Workshops with an SDG focus:
All participants engaged in workshops which engaged in different aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) namely ‘Your Climate, Your Community’ (climate justice/climate action: SDG 13), ‘Prioritise Under Pressure’ (no poverty: SDG 1), ‘Debate The Vote’ (reduced inequality: SDG 10). All participants came together for The Island Games (affordable and clean energy: SDG 7, sustainable cities and communities: SDG 11) where they drew on skills, knowledge and understanding gathered throughout the day to put what they had learned into practice. 

Youth Summit Photo Gallery:

Graphic Harvests by Hazel Hurley:

2. ‘Stop! Wait a Minute’ Young People’s Committee: Critical Reflection Tool for Media Discussion & Launch

The Young People’s Committee (YPC) co-hosted an online discussion with the YOUTH2030 Global Youth Work Team which included guest speakers from the ‘People vs Big Tech’ ongoing international campaign. This event focused on bringing the new ‘Stop! Wait a Minute!’ resource to life. A resource that builds critical reflection and well-being skills for engaging with social media. There is a wider focus on asking questions of the attention-grabbing, algorithmic machine that is the industry that surrounds social media.  

Contributors:

Guest Speakers, Molly Hickey (People vs Big Tech Youth Representative) and Aisha Betro (People vs Big Tech Youth Representative). Special thanks to Youth 2030 Young Peoples Committee Member 23’-24: Lea, Oisín, Louisa, Katelyn led the online session and activities.  

Workshops with an SDG focus:
All participants engaged in various aspects of the resource through activities which engaged in different aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) namely Good Health & Well-Being SDG 3, Quality Education SDG 4 and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions SDG 16. 

Youth Worker Quest Photo Gallery:

3. SDG Youth Worker Fest

The heart of this festival was about coming together! So that we can bring the SDGs to life and find our voice in addressing inequality. Importantly too, this was a space to cherish youth workers, in which we reflected on our own personal ‘Mind and Body First Aid Kit’, we made time for a healing music experience, and we reflected on the role of nature, as an ally in the work.

Watch Video Here >>

Contributors:

Hernán Tena Cortes (Youthwork Ireland Tipperary), Deirbhile Craven Trócaire), Jacob Sosinsky (Fóroige volunteer), Chris O’Donoghue (Friends of Africa, Belfast), April Tambling (Scouting Ireland), Fiona Creedon (KWETB) and Farah Elle.

Workshops on the day included an SDG focus:
‘What does hunger say?’ (zero hunger), ‘My bedroom was a Lake’ (climate change and gender equality), ‘Walking on Water’ (clean water), ‘The Uneven Chocolate Bar Game’ (decent work and responsible production and consumption), ‘Say What?’ (reduced inequalities).

Youth Worker Quest Photo Gallery:

Graphic Harvests by Hazel Hurley:

4. Youth Voice: Advancing the Youth Development Agenda

An inspiring online session celebrating the transformative work of youth workers and activists from the Global South. It challenged stereotypes, showcasing these regions as sources of leadership, resilience, and innovation. From grassroots climate action to youth-led advocacy influencing sustainable development policies, the event underscored how trusting youth to lead can deliver systemic change.

Watch Video Here >>

Contributors:

Thanks to Diana Mercy – The Resilient 40 Movement (Pan-African); Hermis Maunda – Save the Children, Zambia; Nafula Wafula-Gitonga – Ushindi, Kenya; and Benjamin Mwape – Africa Union-European Union Cooperation Hub, Zambia.

Workshops on the day included an SDG focus:
All speakers consistently echoed the SDGs’ vision of “leaving no one behind,” with a strong focus on Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10). The event highlighted young voices have created, community-driven initiatives in the Global South which are challenging systemic inequalities, supporting and empowering both older and younger generations

Graphic Harvests by Hazel Hurley: