ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would hold its 7th Asian Youth Forum (AYF7) 2019 from August 12 at its headquarters in Manila, Philippines with an aim to build youth capacity in policy advocacy and implementation of youth-led projects supporting development issues.

The ADB’s Asian Youth Forum annually celebrates young people’s role to identify, demonstrate, and establish their unique and valuable role in advancing development throughout Asia and the Pacific.

The 7th Asian Youth Forum is scheduled to be held from 12-14 August with theme “Establish, Equip, Engage: Youth for 2030 and beyond”, according to ADB event calendar.

The forum would bring together around 350 youth from civil society organizations, educational institutions, and representatives from government institutions and regional bodies in Asia and the Pacific.

The three-day event will feature a series of keynotes, panel discussions, and capacity-building workshops for delegates to work with ADB staff.

The delegates would also have the opportunity to network with ADB staff and project officers, experts from think-tanks, government, private sector, civil society organizations, and fellow youth peers from youth-driven organizations.

The forum would help build youth capacity in policy advocacy and implementation of youth-led projects supporting development issues; co-design youth components in ADB projects using ADB and Youth for Asia-researched youth engagement methods and tools.

In addition, it would also introduce Youth for Asia’s Youth Employment Solutions, and the next steps for the Incheon Youth Declaration on the Future of Work; share best practices on youth engagement with stakeholders such as international financial institutions (IFIs), governments, private sector, and civil society organizations, and strengthen existing systems and frameworks for engaging youth organizations.