Dear AIESEC, I have browsed your website and came across the Youth Speak Forum page. Since I am interested in social issues but cannot afford to go on an exchange to contribute directly, the Youth Speak Forum might be a good alternative for now. Please tell me more about it!

– a 20-something-year-old

Thanks for the question. Sure, we can tell you more about it.

The Youth Speak Forum is arguably the event of the year you don’t want to miss out on. Let us tell you why.

Earlier this month, we reminded you about the Sustainable Development Goals. In case you missed the blog, it’s here!

In 2015, the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of 17 goals to be achieved by 2030, invited the whole world to collaborate in achieving them.

AIESEC committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the same year. Ever since, we have reached over 300 million people through our campaigns to promote awareness of the SDGs.

Through our initiatives, such as the World’s Largest Lesson, we have activated over 100.000 youth to volunteer in social projects, locally or globally.

We have engaged over 250.000 youth through our Youth Speak Forum.

Alone in 2016, we had 56.000+ delegates across 200 locations.

Ok, but enough about numbers…
Let’s tell you more about its purpose.

We want the youth to understand how the Sustainable Development Goals are embedded in their everyday lives and choices.

And that’s how we started Youth Speak Forum.

It is an event that brings together NGOs, corporate representatives, government officials, and youth to discuss pressing issues and create an action plan to overcome them.
When you join Youth Speak Forum, you will attend a vast agenda of workshops and keynotes to learn more about how you can collaborate with government, companies, and NGOs to make a difference in the world.

But that is not all. It takes action to make a change, right?

As a first step, therefore, participants are asked to create or improve projects based on the issues that are most important to them or the problems in line with the theme of the Youth Speak Forum of that edition.

Once finalized, the projects are then pitched to a panel of industry leaders, and the best of them have the potential to become Global Volunteer projects or local AIESEC volunteer projects.

At the end of the day, Youth Speak Forum is the place to be if you want to meet like-minded people, interested in the global issues you are interested as well.

It is the place where for a brief moment, so much can be created and initiated!

Let’s not forget all the friendships you can make along the way and all the fun you can have during this event. It for sure can boost your friend circle, especially if you are not studying in your hometown.

Most importantly, you can make an impact. All in just one event.

Ok, one more thing.

Where to sign up?

Look out on the social media of your local AIESEC branch and press follow! Once the event is promoted, you’ll be informed.

You can also write to the local AIESEC branch directly and receive all the details about the upcoming event in your area.

Happy impact creating!