World Youth Day, what is celebrated
There are many special dates in the calendar. From the birthdays of the family to other days marked as Christmas or anniversaries, in the case of couples. Another example is August 12, the date on which the World Youth Day, a point in the calendar that seeks to remember the 1,800 million young people living in the world.
A date that in this 2018 focuses on "Safe cities and safe public spaces"A reminder of the importance for this sector of the population of having areas where they can develop without any type of problem and without being affected by hazards.
Origin of this day
Since when is World Youth Day celebrated? It was in 1999 when the General Assembly of the UN decided that August 12 would be a day of annual celebration to promote the role of young people as essential partners in the processes of change and create an opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges and problems they face.
This importance is explained by the presence of 1,800 million young people among the 10 and 24 years old. It is the largest youth population in history, however this fundamental stage in the development of every person becomes a very hard time for many people of this age.
For this reason, in this 2018, World Youth Day focuses on the claim of safe spaces. Currently, young people spend their time in environments that do not fit the idea of civility, that give them the opportunity to participate in sports and other leisure activities in their community.
In addition, this claim for safe spaces also focuses on the digital environments where they can interact safely with other people and avoid problems such as cyberbullying or grooming. The idea proposed is that of a context that reinforces respect and self-esteem.
Youth and development
Youth is a crucial moment in the development of every person. In these years the individual goes from childhood to being an adult. For this reason it is important to convey good values at this stage to train them. From the Obra Social de la Caixa The following are indicated:
- Autonomy. As it has been said, youth is the stage in which the child prepares to be an adult. For this reason, inculcating the value of autonomy and self-reliance is very important.
- Reason and dialogue. To manage problems in an adult way it is always better to use reason instead of getting carried away by emotions.
- The money's value. Being an adult also means managing the family economy. Teaching the value of money will help the youngest can handle this field.
- Respect and tolerance. Being an adult means being integrated into a heterogeneous community where respect for others and tolerance are important for a good coexistence.
- The importance of the family. Youth supposes the distancing of the family. Adolescents begin to gain autonomy. Remembering the importance of this nucleus to lean on difficult times is vital.
Damián Montero
