From 10th to the 12th of March 2025, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) hosted the Youth Forum 2025 on the sidelines of the 68th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). This annual gathering continued UNODC’s dedication to empowering youth in the global effort to address the world drug problem, in particular through evidence-based prevention efforts. The Youth Forum 2025 brought together 32 youth leaders from diverse backgrounds and regions, each passionate about shaping a healthier and safer environment for their communities. Over the course of three days, participants actively engaged in evidence-based discussions, shared best practices, and contributed their perspectives to ongoing international dialogues on drug policy.
As the CND convened policymakers and stakeholders from around the world to evaluate progress in international drug policy, youth voices played a pivotal role in advocating for science-based prevention strategies. The Youth Forum served as a platform for youth to amplify their insights, showcasing their leadership in drug prevention while reinforcing the importance of multilateral and inclusive approaches to addressing global drug challenges.
UNODC remained committed to supporting youth as key agents of change, equipping them to face future challenges and contribute to sustainable solutions. Through this Youth Forum, young leaders had the opportunity to learn about effective prevention, bring their voices to the forefront of policy-making, and be inspired to help in shaping more resilient and healthier communities future for generations to come.
Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,
As 32 youth from 25 countries, we gather here today as a unified voice to address the issue of substance use within our respective communities. This is not a new challenge, and has been tackled over the past decades. Despite efforts, everyday there are new substances that threaten not only individuals, but also society as a whole. It creates a ripple effect where individuals, families, communities are all directly and indirectly negatively affected. The consequences could lead to disruptive environments, higher rates of crime and violence, unemployment, economic challenges, and homelessness.
Therefore, prevention measures are essential to stop substance use before it takes hold. There are many risk factors that can lead to drug use, pushing a person to an extreme. Anyone could have these vulnerabilities, and thus none of them should be neglected. Effective prevention involves creating positive climates at school, home, and in the community to promote social, psychological and physical well-being. It cultivates opportunities, builds a brighter future, and represents a sustainable solution for a long-term problem. Moreover, it flourishes through collaboration among schools, families, communities, workplaces, the health sector, youth institutions, and social media – channels of communication which are closest to us. When prevention is a priority, resilience becomes a reality.
According to research, evidence-based prevention has proven to be, systematically, the most cost-effective. We urge Member States to prioritize funding to substance use prevention policies and solutions, and to invest in further research for drug prevention in aspects that do not have sufficient evidence, such as cultural, geographical, and demographical areas.
Our collective goal is to drive practical solutions, innovative strategies, and youth-led actions. Prevention efforts must not only be about us, but led by us. Why don’t we reflect: how many youth delegates do we have seated amongst us? How many youths have been directly involved in decision-making processes such as in this Commission? As youth, we are a key element of change: we urge you to actively involve young people in prevention efforts, and ensure that financial constraints do not exclude us. We have no political bias, we bring innovation and youth perspectives, and we care about our future. And this is not a one-time investment. Continuous engagement and co-creation can help us collectively reach our mission together.
Standing now in front of you, we ask you to help us have more access to capacity building, to voice our opinion, and to actively listen to us. Please be open to collaborating because we do want to create partnerships and evolve together. Every young person, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to reach our full potential and positively impact our communities.
Behind every statistic there is a story. If you want to change the statistics, listen to the stories. Recognize the vulnerability, don’t neglect it. Strengthen it. And the time to act is now, for the future begins with the choices made today.
Before delving into the substantive discussions and learnings on substance use prevention, the participants are actively engaging with one another. They're taking the time to introduce themselves, make connections, and explore common interests. This pre-forum period serves as the opportunity for youths to establish a sense of community and reflect why their participation in the Youth Forum is meaningful for them.
As we prepare for the upcoming UNODC Youth Forum 2025 in Vienna, we're excited to kickstart the conversations early on. Youths are sharing their thoughts and experiences through video messages. This pre-forum task serves as an opportunity for us to delve into the perspectives of the Youth Forum participants and pave the way for meaningful discussions in Vienna. Let's e-meet them and delve into their perspectives as we collectively strive for positive change.
The Youth Forum provides a platform for today's young leaders to exchange ideas, particularly on how to be more meaningfully engaged, share their accomplishments, and outline their future plans. The young leaders have shared their efforts towards drug prevention in their communities, highlighting challenges faced, strategies implemented, and outcomes achieved.
One of the primary highlights of participating in the Youth Forum is the opportunity to connect with fellow young leaders who share a commitment to positive change. Prior to the Youth Forum 2025, participants were invited to an online group get-together to engage in virtual ice-breaking activities to get to know each other before meeting in person in Vienna. Through networking and sharing experiences, youth not only exchange ideas but also cultivate supportive relationships that can contribute to personal and collective growth!
