essay about youth day

Why We Celebrate Youth Day on 16 June

Jun 1, 2021 | History and Politics

First published: June 2018. Updated 01 June 2021.

On June 16 each year, South Africans celebrate Youth Day . Youth Day commemorates the Soweto Uprising , which took place on 16 June 1976, where thousands of students were ambushed by the apartheid regime.

On Youth Day, South Africans pay tribute to the lives of these students and recognises the role of the youth in the liberation of South Africa from the apartheid regime.

The Bantu Education Act and the Soweto Uprising

Let’s rewind a little further to January of 1954, when the Bantu Education Act came into effect, making it compulsory for black children to attend government schools and learn specific subjects in English and Afrikaans. Prior to this, most black children only had access to schools run by missions that were understaffed and poorly attended.   

The Bantu Education system wasn’t much better. It featured separate Black schools and universities, poor facilities, overcrowded classrooms and inadequately trained teachers, resulting in a lack of quality education for black children. T he Bantu Education Policy was designed to ‘train’ Africans for their role in the new apartheid society. This African role was one of the worker, labourer and servant only.

In January of 1976, the government mandated that all school subjects be taught in Afrikaans. The Afrikaner -dominated government recognised only English and Afrikaans as official languages, and all indigenous languages were banned. 

The decision caused an uproar amongst parents, teachers and students, so on the morning of June 16 1976, 16-year-old Antoinette Sithole and an estimated 20,000 students from Soweto and the surrounding secondary and high schools, planned to peacefully protest Afrikaans as the primary teaching language in schools.

If you want a well-rounded picture of what happened during the Soweto Uprising, why not take a half-day Soweto tour ?

The protest was planned by the Soweto Students Representative (SSRC), with support from the wider Black Consciousness Movement. Teachers and parents joined the march after the SSRC emphasised peaceful action. Little did they know this student protest would go on to become one of the most tragic, yet pivotal, protests in all of South Africa’s history.  

The students began the march to Orlando Stadium, only to find out that police had barricaded the road along their intended route. The leader of the SSRC asked the crowd not to provoke the police, and the march continued on another route. The students sang and waved placards with slogans such as, “Down with Afrikaans” and “Viva Azania “. 

The police responded to the protest by firing teargas and later live ammunition on demonstrating students. The police began to shoot at the protesters and in the confusion and chaos, Sithole’s 13-year-old brother, Hector Pieterson was fatally shot.

Photojournalist, the late Sam Nzima , was covering the protest for The World, a Johannesburg newspaper when he captured the iconic image of Pieterson’s lifeless body being carried through the streets with Sithole crying hysterically by his side. The photograph was published across the globe and Pieterson came to symbolise the uprising, giving the world a shocking glimpse into the sheer brutality of apartheid.

At least 176 Black students, many of them children, including Hector Pieterson, lost their lives on 16 June 1976.

The uprising resulted in a widespread revolt that spread across the country and carried on until the following year. The aftermath of June 16, 1976, had severe consequences for the Apartheid government. Pictures of the police firing on peacefully demonstrating students led to an international uproar against South Africa and its Apartheid system.  

The students’ brave efforts resulted in international pressure and sanctions against the South African government to make changes to its educational policies.

Read more about the history of Youth Day and the Soweto Uprising

If you’re interested in learning more about the history of Youth Day and the Soweto Uprising in 1976, here are a few book recommendations:

• The Soweto Uprising (Ohio Short Histories of Africa) by Noor Nieftagodien.
• The Road to Soweto: Resistance and the Uprising of 16 June 1976 by Julian Brown.
• The Soweto Uprisings: Counter Memories of June 1976 by Sifiso Ndlovu
• Students Must Rise: Youth Struggle in South Africa before and beyond Soweto ’76 by Ann Heffernan

When did Youth Day become a holiday?

In 1995 , the newly-elected democratic government declared that June 16 would be Youth Day – to serve as a reminder of the progress our country has made regarding equality and equal opportunity for all youth and to honor the youth who lost their lives during the Soweto Uprising. It is now a National Holiday in South Africa.

Soweto has come a long way since the uprising of 1976. The name Soweto is an abbreviation for South Western Townships . The township itself was built around the informal settlements of the first mine workers who came to the area during the gold rush of the late-1800s.

It has become popular with travellers from around the world who come to visit Vilakazi Street , which is one of the stops on the Johannesburg Political and Historical Tour . This famous street was home to two Nobel peace prize winners; Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the late former president Nelson Mandela.

Not far from here is the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum , which you can visit on the Soweto and Apartheid Museum Tour . It was established in the early 1990s and commemorates the role of the students who took part in the protest march of 1976 and the people who died in the aftermath, fighting for freedom, democracy and peace.

How is Youth Day celebrated in South Africa

Last year in June 2020, we celebrated Youth Day in South Africa against the backdrop of yet another uprising driven by young people. The Black Lives Matter Movement had a resurgence after the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, earlier in 2020 during the heat of the Coronavirus pandemic. The response to Floyd’s murder caused a significant amount of protests and uprisings all around the world, calling an end to discrimination, systemic racism and police brutality.

In South Africa, we can celebrate Youth Day by commemorating and honouring those who spoke out and took action against the oppressive Apartheid system. We also honour the lives lost in the face of brutalist political systems and all forms of oppression – then and now. Youth Day is used by schools, colleges, and university students in South Africa to hold discussions on educational issues.

Due to COVID-19, there are currently no big events that celebrate Youth Day,  but what we can do is educate ourselves and learn from the events that took place on June 16.

Apart from educating themselves, many South Africans also spend Youth Day helping underprivileged children in schools or orphanages across the country – either by donating their time or resources to aid in their education. 

As visitors to South Africa, you can celebrate Youth Day by visiting Soweto and Vilakazi Street .

Visit Soweto and Vilakazi Street

Due to its rich political history, Soweto has become a popular destination for tourists and travellers looking to learn more about South Africa’s Apartheid past. 

Vilakazi Street in Soweto is famous for being home to two Nobel peace prize winners; Archbishop Desmond Tutu and late president Nelson Mandela. Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s house is not open for viewing, however, Mandela House has become a museum for the public. 

The Nelson Mandela National Museum  or Mandela House was the house where Nelson Mandela lived from 1946 to 1962. Mandela donated the house, and it was declared a National Heritage Site in 1999. 

Another popular activity to celebrate Youth Day is the  June 16 Trail . This walkway takes guests along the exact route that the students marched on in 1976, during the Soweto Uprising. The trail ends at the  Hector Pieterson memorial  where travellers can see the infamous image of Hector Pieterson being carried out of the crossfire after he was shot by the police. 

Here are our top Johannesburg and Soweto tours so that you can start brainstorming for your trip to South Africa. 

Here is a list of Johannesburg tours that have stops in Soweto and Vilakazi Street:

• The Johannesburg Political and Historical Tour . With this tour not only will you be able to experience the highlights of Soweto and Vilakazi Street, but you will also visit other prominent sites in Johannesburg such as  Liliesleaf Farm and Museum  (which was a safe-house for anti-Apartheid leaders and activists). 
• Soweto and Apartheid Museum Tour . This tour guides guests through the township of Soweto as well as a visit to the  Apartheid Museum  where travellers can learn about the history of the Apartheid regime through moving displays and exhibitions. 
• Footsteps of Mandela . This comprehensive tour takes travellers along the journey of Nelson Mandela’s life. The 13-day tour through South Africa begins in Johannesburg and travels through KwaZulu-Natal, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. It includes an inside look into Madiba’s life from his birth in the Eastern Cape through to his rise as a leader of the African National Congress, up until he was elected as president in 1994.

If you’re interested in visiting Soweto and Vilakazi Street, speak to one of our travel planners about booking a tour in South Africa.  Book a 30-minute complimentary call  with the African Travel Canvas founder to discuss your post-COVID travel plans. 

We hope that you enjoyed reading this post. If you have any questions or comments, please share them below.

Join our newsletter!

Sign up for travel tips and news from Africa delivered straight to your inbox! We won't send you spam or boring emails, we promise!

Thank you! Please check your inbox for a confirmation mail.

By joining our list, you agree to the terms of our privacy policy .

16 Comments

This is so inspirational but can you guys make it easier for my kids

how i can took a participant in youth day 2022 at Portugal. I am from India . Please guide me. Thanks

Hi Moes, Please mail [email protected] and one of our booking managers will assist you! Thanks!

Can you please assist me I want to organize an event for June 16 2020 in rusternbug I don’t know were to start

Hi Elizabeth, sure, please mail [email protected] and one of our booking team will be able to assist you! Thank you!

Can I aske what is cultural heritage

Myself i need the samathing…

What a thought provoking, in-depth, heart wrenching, informative piece of history that should never be forgotten…

I like this group and how different people give different opinions

I realize that I thought life now was cruel but in actual fact it was worse for people back in apartheid . I show no pity ,but great sadness to those who lost their loved ones in the past . They are true hero’s brave hearts these are the people who should be admired cause without them we will not be where are today I’m proud to be South African I’m proud to call SA my country ,we’ve come this far why not push further. I Lila Norris am humbly greatful to those who suffered so we can live greater lives today.

I am writing a piece and was inspired by this article, very informative.

Thank you so much Isaac. Please feel free to share the article with us, we’d love to read it!

What you did on youth day?

I love youth day! It’s a day to celebrate the progress that our young people have made and to look forward to the future.

Thank you for sharing this important piece of history. It’s so crucial that we remember and honor the sacrifices of the youth who fought for their rights and freedoms. The Soweto Uprising of 1976 was a pivotal moment in South African history, and it’s impact is still felt today. #YouthDay #SowetoUprising #RememberTheStruggle

Thank you for your comment, and yes, we 100% agree!

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

• Youth Day 2021: Commemorating what happened on 16 June | 1-grid - […] Day commemorates the 16 June youth uprisings that began in Soweto back in 1976. Thousands of South African youths…
• Mqeku Picnic Site: an ideal spot for family outings - […] Youth Day and Father’s Day both coming up in the next fortnight – families may be looking for interesting…
• Open Letter: Dear Amazon, why do you need to build on sacred land? – Yours *TrulyJuly* - […] South Africa’s Youth Day, which celebrates the role of the youth in the liberation of South Africa from the…
• Why We Celebrate Youth Day on 16 June | Soweto Uprising of … – Poster – 4 - […] Link: https://africantravelcanvas.com/experiences/history-and-politics/hector-pieterson-and-the-soweto-upr… […]
• South African Youth Day, 16 juni 2021 – Eye For Others | Touch People, Touch Hearts - […] https://africantravelcanvas.com/experiences/history-and-politics/hector-pieterson-and-the-soweto-upr… […]

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts

• Africa’s Big Five and Where You Can View Them March 7, 2024
• The 5 Most Endangered Animals in Africa | Rare African Animals February 6, 2024
• What to Wear on Safari in Southern Africa Packing Guide & Tips January 16, 2024
• The Top 10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Cape Town November 20, 2023
• Top 10 Activities You Can Do on a Beach and Island Vacation in Southern Africa November 12, 2023

Pin It on Pinterest

Essays About Youth: Top 5 Essay Examples Plus 10 Prompts

Discover our guide with creative writing prompts and examples for essays about youth to help you get started on your next great essay!

Youth is that cusp between childhood and adulthood — a period filled with zest, adventure, and impulsiveness. Our future depends on the youth of today. As such, we are well-advised to equip ourselves with sufficient skills and knowledge to resolve future problems effectively. We must also train them to develop a moral compass, incredible determination, and deep compassion for others to serve well as future leaders.

5 Essay Examples

1. youth in revolt: five powerful movements fueled by young activist by erin blakemore, 2. what you can learn from a young ceo by elaine pofeldt, 3. advice to the youth by mark twain , 4. us youth are in a mental health crisis—we must invest in their care by mitchell j. prinstein, 5. young people are leaving their jobs in record numbers—and not going back by raisa bruner, 1. effects of social media on youth self-esteem, 2. youth’s learning crisis, 3. addressing youth obesity, 4. encouraging stem careers for youth, 5. engaging youth in community building, 6. why youth engage in cybercrime, 7. love for today’s youth, 8. national youth day, 9. substance abuse prevention for youth , 10. benefits of sex education to youth.

“Youth who participated in the civil rights movement embraced what one-time SNCC chairman Representative John Lewis called “good trouble”—fearless agitation designed to provoke, challenge, and move progress forward.”

Youth have always driven impactful social and political movements in whatever era and whichever part of the globe they are. This essay recounts some of history’s most powerful and meaningful protests mobilized by youth. Check out these essays about life lessons .

“Whether we needed to select a blogging platform or figure out how to keep costs down, we invariably found that younger CEOs were great sources of ideas.”

Gone are the days when one would purely seek older people for wisdom in business. With the competition in the digital age, youth are proving to bring in a wealth of ideas that can effectively support business strategies.

“Build your character thoughtfully and painstakingly upon these precepts, and by and by, when you have got it built, you will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else’s. ”

The American writer shows his humor and sarcasm by teaching youth the art of lying and handling firearms carelessly. Ultimately, he tells those who would succeed that they would be no different than the rest of society. 

“We have an opportunity to make a serious commitment to youth mental health, just as we did 70 years ago to help adults. This is a chance for parents, teachers, and youth to stop whispering about their mental health needs and begin shouting for our country to invest in its future and end our children’s suffering.”

As youth suicides have increased over the years, data shows that it is now the second leading cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds. The situation demands urgent action and a rethink of the overall mental health system.

“For some, it’s burnout. For others, the timing was ripe to refocus on side projects as the stresses of the pandemic started to wane. And for many, especially in a service sector dominated by “zillennials”… poor treatment and low wages became unsustainable.”

The pandemic burnout has driven the Great Resignation among youth, leaving over 10 million jobs in the US unoccupied. This triggers a sea change in the societal landscape, where young workers pursue their self-worth and can afford to do so.

10 Thought-Provoking Prompts On Essays About Youth

While we all tend to compare our qualities and achievements to those of others, social media has made this habit worse. To youth, the biggest market of social media platforms, this has resulted in lower self-esteem, especially for girls . In your essay, gather present research that studies the links between social media use and low confidence levels. Then, recommend ways for young readers to spend more time in the real world and rebuild their self-esteem.

In recent years, it has been recognized that the world is facing a learning crisis that even the wealthier G20 countries are not exempt from . But as the COVID-19 pandemic has halted face-to-face school interactions for prolonged periods, what does the future of education and skills-building look like for our youth? Answer this with the support of research studies and data, and surveys from reputed organizations and agencies. Finally, enumerate the best ways to invest in our youth’s education.

Many cases of obesity among youth are due to the lack of exercise. For this topic prompt, lay down the negative effects of obesity, such as the increased likelihood of diabetes, hypertension, lack of self-esteem, and depression. Then, with research on wellness experts’ advice, encourage readers to change their lifestyle one step at a time to address or prevent obesity. For example, walking for 10 minutes to take a break from work could be a powerful start in changing a routine. 

No industry gains as much from youth’s ingenuity as the innovation industry. First, elaborate on the importance of developing youth’s scientific and technical skills. Then, look at how schools incorporate science, technology, engineering, and math into the curriculum, starting with your school. To conclude your essay, look at how intensive your government’s programs are in unlocking the inner scientists of today’s youth. 

Youth have the vigor and passion for changing the world. Because of this, they are one of the best groups to tap into for building a better community. To start this essay, look at the ratio of young volunteers to the total number of volunteers in your community. You can check this ratio in other communities and see how active your youth are in volunteer community work compared to others. Then, enumerate interesting practices cities can adopt to attract youth to participate in their programs. 

The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency has reported a 107% annual increase in police reports of young students engaging in cyberattacks in 2020. Dig deeper into this report and find out the main motivations why young offenders would join the dark side in cyberspace. Is it for the millions of bucks or the sense of validation in the hacking community? Then identify some best practices law enforcement authorities and schools are implementing to thwart cybercrime among youth.

Young love has always been defined by its wild passions and adventures. Does this hold today in this digital age? How have relationships evolved in the age of social media? Mull over these questions and look at other modern trends in young love. For example, many claims that internet relationships, where couples meet and interact purely online, constitute true love. 

Celebrated every August 12, International Youth Day (IYD) aims to raise awareness of youth’s pressing challenges. Your essay can revolve around the focus of the last or upcoming celebration theme. Then, reflect on the issue’s relevance and what actions you think society can take to ease the problem. For example, the 2022 IYD is themed “Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages.” This expounds on fostering solidarity across generations to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevention is always better than cure. In this essay, search for data on youths reportedly battling drug abuse. Highlight an upward trend, if any. Then, highlight the risk factors that lead youth to drug or alcohol abuse and the consequences on health and overall well-being. You may also pay attention to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s 16 key principles for determining the most suitable prevention programs. 

A research study has found that aside from preventing early pregnancy and the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases, comprehensive sex education helps youth feel safe and achieve success in the long term. Examine these benefits and cite the negative effects of a lack of sex education during youth. Finally, it underscores schools’ critical roles in integrating sex education and protecting students. 

If you need further guidance, check out our essay writing tips . Finally, don’t forget to proofread your essay using the best grammar checkers .

Yna Lim is a communications specialist currently focused on policy advocacy. In her eight years of writing, she has been exposed to a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, web hosting, agriculture, marketing, intellectual property, data privacy and international trade. A former journalist in one of the top business papers in the Philippines, Yna is currently pursuing her master's degree in economics and business.

View all posts

• Search Search for:

Youth Day in South Africa: Understanding Our History

Youth Day on 16 June is a public holiday in South Africa and commemorates a protest which resulted in a wave of protests across the country known as the Soweto uprising of 1976.

South Africa (16 June 2018)  – It came in response to multiple issues with the Bantu Education Act and the government edict in 1974 that Afrikaans be used as a medium of instruction for certain subjects in black schools. The iconic picture of Hector Pieterson, a black schoolchild shot by the police, brought home to many people within and outside of South Africa the effect of the struggle during the Apartheid government’s reign.

The Soweto uprising was a series of demonstrations and protests led by black schoolchildren in South Africa that began on the morning of 16 June 1976.

Black South African high school students in Soweto protested against the Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974, which forced all-black schools to use Afrikaans and English in a 50–50 mix as languages of instruction. The Regional Director of Bantu Education (Northern Transvaal Region), J.G. Erasmus, told Circuit Inspectors and Principals of Schools that from 1 January 1975, Afrikaans had to be used for mathematics, arithmetic, and social studies from standard five (7th grade), according to the Afrikaans Medium Decree; English would be the medium of instruction for general science and practical subjects (home craft, needlework, woodwork, metalwork, art, agricultural science).

Indigenous languages would only be used for religious instruction, music, and physical culture.

On the morning of 16 June 1976, over 20,000 black students walked from their schools to Orlando Stadium for a rally to protest against having to learn through Afrikaans in school. Many students who later participated in the protest arrived at school that morning without prior knowledge of the protest, yet agreed to become involved. The protest was planned by the Soweto Students’ Representative Council’s (SSRC) Action Committee, with support from the wider Black Consciousness Movement (BCM). Teachers in Soweto also supported the march after the Action Committee emphasised good discipline and peaceful action.

Tsietsi Mashinini led students from Morris Isaacson High School to join up with others who walked from Naledi High School.

The students began the march only to find out that police had barricaded the road along their intended route. The leader of the action committee asked the crowd not to provoke the police, and the march continued on another route, eventually ending up near Orlando High School.

“The crowd of between 3,000 and 10,000 students made their way towards the area of the school. Students sang and waved placards with slogans such as, “Down with Afrikaans”, “Viva Azania” and “If we must do Afrikaans, Vorster must do Zulu”.” Related Story 30 Primary Schoolers Thoroughly Enjoy Outing to the Aquarium

The police set their dog on the protesters, who responded by killing it. The police then began to shoot directly at the children.

Among the first students to be shot dead were 15-year-old Hastings Ndlovu and 13-year-old Hector Pieterson, who were shot at Orlando West High School. The photographer Sam Nzima took a photograph of a dying Hector Pieterson as he was carried away by Mbuyisa Makhubo and accompanied by his sister, Antoinette Sithole. The photograph became the symbol of the Soweto uprising.

The police attacks on the demonstrators continued, and over 700 people died in Soweto. Among them was Dr Melville Edelstein, who had devoted his life to social welfare among blacks. He was stoned to death by the mob and left with a sign around his neck proclaiming “Beware Afrikaners”.

The violence escalated, as bottle stores and beer halls—seen as outposts of the apartheid government—were targeted, as were the official outposts of the state. The violence abated by nightfall. Police vans and armoured vehicles patrolled the streets throughout the night.

Emergency clinics were swamped with injured and bloody children. The police requested that the hospital provide a list of all victims with bullet wounds to prosecute them for rioting. The hospital administrator passed this request to the doctors, but the doctors refused to create the list. Doctors recorded bullet wounds as abscesses.

The 1,500 heavily armed police officers deployed to Soweto on 17 June carried weapons including automatic rifles, stun guns, and carbines. They drove around in armoured vehicles with helicopters monitoring the area from the sky. The South African Army was also ordered on standby as a tactical measure to show military force. Crowd control methods used by South African police at the time included mainly dispersment techniques.

“I remember on the 15 June 1976, just two months after my 16th birthday, when I woke up early in the morning, before the usual time, to prepare myself to go to school at Lofentse… as I was about to leave, I heard my mother from her bedroom saying, “Thabiso don’t forget to pay the rent before going to school”. I didn’t care about being punished for arriving late at school as I rushed to the office to pay rent. June 1976 was an extraordinary cold winter month, and the air was full of tension, when I went to school. Lofentse secondary was a school that should not have existed, I thought to myself, as I walked down the Mooki street in Orlando East, on my way to Lofentse to be taught Bantu education in Afrikaans… Little did I know that I’ll soon find myself caught between flying bullets from R4 assault rifles of the security forces of the Apartheid system, and their vicious police dogs, or becoming a victim of a stampede, caught up in grey dense clouds of suffocating teargas, accompanied by rattling sounds of helicopters above Soweto skies…

The aftermath of the uprising established the leading role of the ANC in the anti-apartheid struggle, as it was the body best able to channel and organise students seeking the end of apartheid. So, although the BCM’s ideas had been important in creating the climate that gave the students the confidence to strike out, it was the ANC’s non-racialism which came to dominate the discourse of the anti-apartheid movement amongst blacks.

The perspectives set out in Joe Slovo’s essay No Middle Road – written at just this time and predicting the apartheid government had only the choice between more repression and overthrow by the revolutionaries – were highly influential.

The clashes also occurred at a time when the South African Government was being forced to “transform” apartheid in international eyes towards a more “benign” form. In October 1976, Transkei, the first Bantustan, was proclaimed “independent” by the South African Government. This attempt to showcase supposed South African “commitment” to self-determination backfired, however, when Transkei was internationally derided as a puppet state.

For the state, the uprising marked the most fundamental challenge yet to apartheid and the economic and political instability it caused was heightened by the strengthening international boycott. It was a further 14 years before Nelson Mandela was released, but at no point was the state able to restore the relative peace and social stability of the early 1970s as black resistance grew.

“Many white South African citizens were outraged at the government’s actions in Soweto, and about 300 white students from the University of the Witwatersrand marched through Johannesburg’s city centre in protest of the killing of children. Black workers went on strike as well and joined them as the campaign progressed. Riots also broke out in the black townships of other cities in South Africa.”

Student organisations directed the energy and anger of the youth toward political resistance. Students in Thembisa organised a successful and non-violent solidarity march, but a similar protest held in Kagiso led to police stopping a group of participants and forcing them to retreat, before killing at least five people while waiting for reinforcements.

The violence only died down on 18 June.

The University of Zululand’s records and administration buildings were set ablaze, and 33 people died in incidents in Port Elizabeth in August. In Cape Town, 92 people died between August and September.

Most of the bloodshed had abated by the close of 1976, but by that time the death toll stood at more than 700.

The continued clashes in Soweto caused economic instability. The South African rand devalued fast, and the government was plunged into a crisis.

The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 392 which strongly condemned the incident and the apartheid government.

A week after the uprising began, Henry Kissinger, the United States Secretary of State, met the South African State President, B. J. Vorster in West Germany to discuss the situation in Rhodesia, but the Soweto uprising did not feature in their discussions. Kissinger and Vorster met again in Pretoria in September 1976, with students in Soweto and elsewhere protesting his visit, and being fired on by police.

African National Congress (ANC) exiles called for international action and more economic sanctions against South Africa.

The 16th of June 1976 started a revolution that would see the end of Apartheid and the beginning of a new South Africa.

“The time will come when our nation will honour the memory of all the sons, the daughters, the mothers, the fathers, the youth and the children who, by their thoughts and deeds, gave us the right to assert with pride that we are South Africans, that we are Africans, and that we are citizens of the world.” – Nelson Mandela

Sources: South Africa History | Youth Day 

Don’t ever miss the good things. download the good things guy app now on  apple  or  google . , have something to add to this story share it in the comments or follow goodthingsguy on  facebook  &  twitter  to keep up to date with good news as it happens or share your good news with us by  clicking here . , click the link below to listen to the good things guy podcast, with brent lindeque – south africa’s very own  good things guy . he’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes that there’s good news all around us. in the good things guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:, or watch an episode of good things tv below, a show created to offer south africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. we’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in south africa & we’ll hopefully leave you feeling a little more proudly south african..

Youth Day Youth Day Youth Day Youth Day Youth Day Youth Day

Facebook Comments

• 0 Shares Share

Brent Lindeque

Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy.

Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.

Related Stories

Maths Teacher Spent Holiday Giving Funda Nenja Youth’s Extra Lessons

Jordy Smith is Ready to Take the Next Step in His Career at the 2024 Olympics

Ndlovu Youth Choir Add Their Voices to the Country Scene with Jolene Cover

Sweetbike Community Project Helps Put High Schoolers on Bikes!

‘Small Town South Africa’ Celebrates Our Lesser Known Wonders

Winter Appeal to Support Animal Shelters in South Africa

You may also like.

30 Primary Schoolers Thoroughly Enjoy Outing to the Aquarium

South Africa’s National Parks are Growing!

SANCCOB Gqeberha Centre Achieves International Certification

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Society and Politics
• Art and Culture
• Biographies
• Publications

The June 16 Soweto Youth Uprising

Introduction

The June 16 1976 Uprising that began in Soweto and spread countrywide profoundly changed the socio-political landscape in South Africa. Events that triggered the uprising can be traced back to policies of the Apartheid government that resulted in the introduction of the Bantu Education Act in 1953. The rise of the Black Consciousness Movement  (BCM) and the formation of South African Students Organisation  (SASO) raised the political consciousness of many students while others joined the wave of anti-Apartheid sentiment within the student community. When the language of Afrikaans alongside English was made compulsory as a medium of instruction in schools in 1974, black students began mobilizing themselves. On 16 June 1976 between 3000 and 10 000 students mobilized by the South African Students Movement 's Action Committee supported by the BCM marched peacefully to demonstrate and protest against the government’s directive. The march was meant to culminate at a rally in Orlando Stadium.

On their pathway they were met by heavily armed police who fired teargas and later live ammunition on demonstrating students. This resulted in a widespread revolt that turned into an uprising against the government. While the uprising began in Soweto, it spread across the country and carried on until the following year.

The aftermath of the events of June 16 1976 had dire consequences for the Apartheid government. Images of the police firing on peacefully demonstrating students led an international revulsion against South Africa as its brutality was exposed. Meanwhile, the weakened and exiled liberation movements received new recruits fleeing political persecution at home giving impetus to the struggle against Apartheid. 

Bantu Education Policy

The word  ‘Bantu’ in the term Bantu education is highly charged politically and has derogatory connotations. The Bantu Educational system was designed to ‘train and fit’ Africans for their role in the newly (1948) evolving  apartheid society. Education was viewed as a part of the overall apartheid system including ‘homelands’, urban restrictions, pass laws and job reservation. This role was one of labourer, worker, and servant only. As H.F Verwoerd, the architect of the Bantu Education Act (1953) , conceived it:

“There is no place for [the African] in the European community above the level of certain forms of labour. It is of no avail for him to receive a training which has as its aim, absorption in the European community”

Pre-apartheid education of Africans

It is mistaken however, to understand that there was no pre-apartheid educational marginalization of black South Africans. Long before the historic 1948 white elections that gave the Nationalist Party power, there was a system of segregated and unequal education in the country. While white schooling was free, compulsory and expanding, black education was sorely neglected. Financial underprovision and an urban influx led to gravely insufficient schooling facilities, teachers and educational materials as well as student absenteeism or non-enrolment. A 1936 Inquiry identified problems, only to have almost nothing done about these needs.

Bantu education and the racist compartmentalizing of education.

In 1949 the government appointed the Eiselen Commission with the task of considering African education provision. The Commission recommended 'resorting to radical measures' for the 'effective reform of the Bantu school system'.

In 1953, prior to the apartheid government's Bantu Education Act, 90% of black South African schools were state-aided mission schools. The Act demanded that all such schools register with the state, and removed control of African education from the churches and provincial authorities. This control was centralized in the Bantu Education Department, a body dedicated to keeping it separate and inferior. Almost all the mission schools closed down. The Roman Catholic Church was largely alone in its attempt to keep its schools going without state aid. The 1953 Act also separated the financing of education for Africans from general state spending and linked it to direct tax paid by Africans themselves, with the result that far less was spent on black children than on white children.

In 1954--5 black teachers and students protested against Bantu Education. The African Education Movement was formed to provide alternative education. For a few years, cultural clubs operated as informal schools, but by 1960 they had closed down.

The Extension of University Education Act, Act 45 of 1959, put an end to black students attending white universities (mainly the universities of Cape Town and Witwatersrand). Separating tertiary institutions according to race, this Act set up separate 'tribal colleges' for black university students. The so-called 'bush' Universities such as Fort Hare, Vista, Venda, Western Cape were formed. Blacks could no longer freely attend white universities. Again, there were strong protests.

Expenditure on Bantu Education increased from the late 1960s, once the apartheid Nationalist government saw the need for a trained African labour force. Through this, more African children attended school than under the old missionary system of education, albeit grossly deprived of facilities in comparison with the education of other races, especially whites.

Nationally, pupil:teacher ratios went up from 46:1 in 1955 to 58:1 in 1967. Overcrowded classrooms were used on a rota basis. There was also a lack of teachers, and many of those who did teach were underqualified. In 1961, only 10 per cent of black teachers held a matriculation certificate [last year of high school]. Black education was essentially retrogressing, with teachers being less qualified than their students.

The Coloured Person's Education Act of 1963 put control of 'coloured' education under the Department of Coloured Affairs. 'Coloured' schools also had to be registered with the government. 'Coloured' education was made compulsory, but was now effectively separated from white schooling.

The 1965 Indian Education Act was passed to separate and control Indian education, which was placed under the Department of Indian Affairs. In 1976, the SAIC took over certain educational functions. Indian education was also made compulsory.

Because of the government's 'homelands' policy, no new high schools were built in Soweto between 1962 and 1971 -- students were meant to move to their relevant homeland to attend the newly built schools there. Then in 1972 the government gave in to pressure from business to improve the Bantu Education system to meet business's need for a better trained black workforce. 40 new schools were built in Soweto. Between 1972 and 1976 the number of pupils at secondary schools increased from 12,656 to 34,656. One in five Soweto children were attending secondary school.

Oppression through inferior education and the 1976 Soweto uprising

An increase in secondary school attendance had a significant effect on youth culture. Previously, many young people spent the time between leaving primary school and obtaining a job (if they were lucky) in gangs, which generally lacked any political consciousness. But now secondary school students were developing their own. In 1969 the black South African Student Organization (SASO) was formed.

Though Bantu Education was designed to deprive Africans and isolate them from 'subversive' ideas, indignation at being given such 'gutter' education became a major focus for resistance, most notably in the 1976 Soweto uprising. In the wake of this effective and clear protest, some reform attempts were made, but it was a case of too little, too late. Major disparities in racially separate education provision continued into the 1990s.

When high-school students in Soweto started protesting for better education on 16 June 1976, police responded with teargas and live bullets. It is commemorated today by a South African national holiday, Youth day, which honors all the young people who lost their lives in the struggle against Apartheid and Bantu Education.

In the 1980s very little education at all took place in the Bantu Education system, which was the target of almost continuous protest. The legacy of decades of inferior education (underdevelopment, poor self-image, economic depression, unemployment, crime, etc.) has lasted far beyond the introduction of a single educational system in 1994 with the first democratic elections, and the creation of the Government of National Unity.

Strikes in the Schools

Presumably, not all students of the earlier generation 'worshipped the school authorities'! The first, recorded stoppages of lessons, (always called strikes in the South African newspapers), and the first riots in African schools occurred in 1920. In February, students at the Kilnerton training centre went on a hunger strike 'for more food'... read on

Cape Schools Join the Revolt

The school students in Cape Town reacted to the news they heard of events in Soweto. A teacher at one of the Coloured schools was later to write: 'We haven't done much by way of teaching since the Soweto riots first began. Kids were restless, tense and confused. 'There is no similar record of what the African children thought, but it is known that they were aware of the extra police patrols that were set up in the townships following June 16. After the first shootings in Cape Town, a teacher at one of the schools recounted... read on

The NUSAS Issue

Throughout the 1960's black students campaigned for the right to affiliate to the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) and just as steadfastly, the move was vetoed by the campus authorities. NUSAS was also keen to welcome the colleges into their fold. Not only would this make it the largest student organisation in the country, but it would also bring into the liberal ''old all student opponents of the government's apartheid policy.... read on

Down with Afrikaans

Countdown to conflict: The main cause of the protests that started in African schools in the Transvaal at the beginning of 1975 was a directive from the Bantu Education Department that Afrikaans had to be used on an equal basis with English as one of the languages of instruction in the department's secondary schools... read on

The introduction of Afrikaans alongside English as a medium of instruction is considered the immediate cause of the Soweto uprising, but there are a various factors behind the 1976 student unrest. These factors can certainly be traced back to the Bantu Education Act introduced by the Apartheid government in 1953. The Act introduced a new Department of Bantu Education which was integrated into the Department of Native Affairs under Dr Hendrik F. Verwoerd. The provisions of the Bantu Education Act and some policy statements made by the Bantu Education Department were directly responsible for the uprisings. Dr Verwoerd, who engineered the Bantu Education Act, announced that “Natives (blacks) must be taught from an early age that equality with Europeans (whites) is not for them”.

Although the Bantu Education Act made it easier for more children to attend school in Soweto than it had been with the missionary system of education, there was a great deal of discontent about the lack of facilities. Throughout the country there was a dire shortage of classrooms for Black children. There was also a lack of teachers and many of the teachers were under-qualified. Nationally, pupil-to-teacher ratios went up from 46:1 in 1955 to 58:1 in 1967. Because of the lack of proper classrooms and the crippling government homeland policy, students were forced to return to “their homelands” to attend the newly built schools there.

The government was spending far more on White education than on Black education; R644 was spent annually for each White student, while only R42 was budgeted for a Black school child. In 1976 there were 257 505 pupils enrolled in Form 1 at high schools which had a capacity for only 38 000 students.

To alleviate the situation pupils who had passed their standard six examinations were requested to repeat the standard. This was met with great resentment by the students and their parents. Although the situation did not lead to an immediate revolt, it certainly served to build up tensions prior to the 1976 student uprising.

In 1975 the government was phasing out Standard Eight (or Junior Certificate (JC)). By then, Standard Six had already been phased out and many students graduating from Primary Schools were being sent to the emerging Junior Secondary Schools. It was in these Junior Secondary schools that the 50-50 language rule was to be applied.

The issue that caused massive discontent and made resentment boil over into the 1976 uprising was a decree issued by the Bantu Education Department. Deputy Minister Andries Treurnicht sent instructions to the School Boards, inspectors and principals to the effect that Afrikaans should be put on an equal basis with English as a medium of instruction in all schools. These instructions drew immediate negative reaction from various quarters of the community. The first body to react was the Tswana School Boards, which comprised school boards from Meadowlands, Dobsonville and other areas in Soweto. The minutes of the meeting of the Tswana School Board held on 20 January 1976 read:

 "The circuit inspector told the board that the Secretary for Bantu Education has stated that all direct taxes paid by the Black population of South Africa are being sent to the various homelands for educational purposes there. 

"In urban areas the education of a Black child is being paid for by the White population, that is English and Afrikaans speaking groups. Therefore the Secretary for Bantu Education has the responsibility of satisfying the English and Afrikaans-speaking people. Consequently, as the only way of satisfying both groups, the medium of instruction in all schools shall be on a 50-50 basis.... In future, if schools teach through a medium not prescribed by the department for a particular subject, examination question papers will only be set in the medium with no option of the other language".

Teachers also raised objections to the government announcement. Some Black teachers, who were members of the African Teachers Association of South Africa, complained that they were not fluent in Afrikaans. The students initially organised themselves into local cultural groups and youth clubs. At school there was a significant number of branches of the Students Christian Movements (SCMs), which were largely apolitical in character. SASM penetrated these formations between 1974 and 1976. And when conditions ripened for the outbreak of protests, SASM formed an Action Committee on 13 June 1976, which was later renamed the Soweto Student Representative Council (SSRC). They were conscientised and influenced by national organisations such as the Black Peoples' Convention (BPC), South African Student Organisations (SASO)and by the Black Consciousness philosophy. They rejected the idea of being taught in the language of the oppressor.

The uprising took place at a time when liberation movements were banned throughout the country and South Africa was in the grip of apartheid. The protest started off peacefully in Soweto but it turned violent when the police opened fire on unarmed students. By the third day the unrest had gained momentum and spread to townships around Soweto and other parts of the country. The class of 1976 bravely took to the streets and overturned the whole notion that workers were the only essential force to challenge the apartheid regime. Indeed, they succeeded where their parents had failed. They not only occupied city centres but also closed schools and alcohol outlets.

June 16 Soweto Youth Uprising

Timeline of June 16

It is hard to get a clear picture of what exactly happened on the day of June 16th. Most of the information comes from eyewitness accounts of students who participated, journalists who were on the scene, as well as the police reports on the events. As with all history, a lot depends on the perspective of the person telling the story as well as those who have subsequently written about it. Some accounts directly contradict each other. We are not endeavouring to write an objective account but are providing a platform for people to tell their own stories which we hope will form an accurate portrayal of events. Please send us an e-mail us and tell us if any of the information is factually incorrect.

Not all the children who were to participate in the march on June 16 knew about it on the morning of the 16th. For many it was an ordinary school day. But, by this time, students were feeling very frustrated and dissatisfied with the Bantu education system in general and the introduction of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction. It was exam time for the senior students and many were scared that they would fail the exams if they would have to write in Afrikaans.

Nonetheless the march that was planned by the Action Committee of the Soweto Students Representative Council (SSRC) was well organised and was to be conducted in a peaceful way. The leaders of the original march, mainly came from two high schools, Naledi High in Naledi and Morris Isaacson in Mofolo. Sfiso Ndlovo argues, however, that the main centre of organisational activity was Phefeni Junior Secondary , close to Vilakazi Street in Orlando. Phefeni was certainly close to the railway station from which many students got off their trains to join the march. The plan was that students from Naledi High were to march from their direction and pick up students from the schools on their way. The Morris Isaacson students were to march from their school doing the same until they met at a central point where they would proceed peacefully together to the Orlando Stadium. Other schools also were part of the original plan but it is not clear that the students at all those schools were fully aware of the march.

The first students to gather together were at Naledi High. The mood was high spirited and jovial. At assembly the principal gave support to the children and wished them good luck. The first chairperson of the Action Committee, Tepello Motopanyane addressed them and informed them that discipline and a peaceful march were to be the order of the day.

Meanwhile, at Morris Isaacson students also gathered. They were also addressed by one of the leaders of the Action Committee, Tsietsi Mashinini, and then set out.

On the way they passed by other schools, where some were waiting and those who were not were recruited on the spot to join.

- Dan Moyane Morris Isaacson High School

"The first time we heard of it was during our short break. Our leaders informed the principal that students from Morris Isaacson were marching. We then joined one of the groups and marched."

- Sam Khosa Ibhongo secondary School

In the end there were 11 columns of students marching to Orlando Stadium to meet at the central point of "Uncle Toms" Municipal hall. Before this point, there had been some minor skirmishes with police but it was here that police stopped them, barricading their path. Other schools had been stopped by the police earlier on and had dispersed but managed to join later. It is hard to determine how many students there were, estimates range from 1 000 to 10 000.

The march was halted and some people helped Tietsi Mashinini climb up onto a tractor so that everyone could see him when he addressed the crowd:

Brothers and Sisters, I appeal to you-keep calm and cool. We have just received a report that the police are coming. Don't taunt them, don't do anything to them. Be cool and calm. We are not fighting.

It was a tense moment for both the police and the students. Police reports stated that the situation was explosive and they retreated to await further reinforcements.

The students carried on marching until they got to what is now Hector Petersen Square, close to Orlando High School. The march came to a halt again. Different reports of what actually started the shooting have been put forward.

"Despite the tense atmosphere the students remained calm and well ordered. Suddenly a white policeman lobbed a teargas canister into the front of the crowd. People ran out of the smoke dazed and coughing. The crowd retreated slightly but remained facing the police, waving placards and singing. A white policeman drew his revolver. Black journalists standing by the police heard a shot: "Look at him. He's going to shoot at the kids". A single shot ran out. There was a split seconds silence and pandemonium broke out. Children screamed. More shots were fired. At least four students fell and others ran screaming in all directions." Brooks & Brickhill Whirlwind before the storm, 1980

After the first massacre, the students fled in different directions. Anger at the senseless killings inspired retaliatory action. West Rand Administrative Buildings (WRAB) vehicles and buildings were set alight and burned to the ground, a white WRAB official was pulled out of his car and beaten to death, bottlestores were burned and looted. Other encounters with the police occurred where more students were killed especially in the vicinity of the Regina Mhundi church in Orlando and the Esso garage in Chiawelo. As students were stopped by the police in one area they moved their protest action to others. By the end of the day most of Soweto, including Diepkloof, which was relatively quiet during the morning, had felt the impact of the protest. For the students at some schools, this was the first they heard or saw. Schools were closed early at about 12:00 and many students walked out of school to a township on fire.

"It was past twelve, past twelve to one. Sister Joseph allowed us to go home, because now it was chaos around. So when we went home we could see that now cars were burning, especially the company cars, those from town, those owned by whites".

As more students were let out of school they joined those protesters that were closest to them. Some accounts see the events of the afternoon to be chaos or a "free for all" especially on the basis that bottlestores and beerhalls were raided and looted. The apartheid press certainly tried to portray it that way. It was clear that the events of the afternoon were not organised and an atmosphere of panic and defiance existed. However, others argue that the students attacked targets for political reasons and were disciplined in who and what they attacked. A white university student who was sympathetic was actually taken to safety by the schoolchildren themselves. It was overwhelmingly, WRAB structures and cars that were razed. One black owned business was attacked, the shop of Richard Maponya but this was deliberate. Maponya was a wealthy businessman who was despised by most people because "he exploits us and is a sell out".

There probably was an element of free for all in the looting of bottlestores. Many students came home with booze and a lot of people enjoyed the results of the plunder. But people had long seen alcohol as a method used by the apartheid government to try and make black people apathetic. Most of the beerhalls were built by the municipality. People were shouting "less liquor, better education". There were probably different motivations at play in the raids of the bottlestores. In any political protest there are those that are more politically motivated and disciplined than others, to see it as one or the other is to misunderstand the nature of political mass action.

Fires continued blazing into the night. At 21:00 Armoured Police cars later known as Hippos started moving into Soweto. Official figures were that 23 people had been killed, but some reports estimated that it was at least 200. It is hard to know how many people had been killed because of police efforts to cover up the number of people who died.

Events on June 17

The second day... was marked by uncontrollable fury and burning hostility...Police also assumed another attitude. They shot at random, and at anyone who would raise a fist and shout "Power", into their face

Many others joined the original protesters. Not everyone had heard about Hector Petersen and the others who were killed yet, but the word was spreading.

The following day I pick up stones. I joined the struggle....On the 16th I just came home and stay...because we formed the slogan "an injury to one is an injury to all" So we were supposed to be there.

- Solomon Marikele Rhulane Senior Primary

The heavily biased Cilliers Report for this day sums up the events. Schools, trains, buses, delivery vehicles, West Rand Administrative Buildings (WRAB) buildings, cars of business people, all were targeted. The fury and frustration that had been simmering amongst township youth had free reign. There was enormous police presence on the morning of the 17th 1500 police armed with sten guns, automatic rifles, and hand machine carbines had taken up strategic positions in the township. Helicopters flew overhead. The army was on standby. The police force had never developed other methods of crowd control other than the use of live bullets. The police shot at people indiscriminately and casualties were even higher than the day before.

The violent reaction of the police only made the children angrier.

At a press conference Mr. Manie Mulder announced that nearly all the WRAB buildings in Soweto had been destroyed. This amounted to 21 offices being burnt down, 10 being plundered, 3 schools burnt as well as unknown numbers of municipal halls, beerhalls, bottlestores.

The Rand had lost value overnight. Thousands of workers had refused to go to work. It was indeed a crisis for the Apartheid government. It was also a serious loss of face in light of US Secretary of State, Henry Kissingers impending visit to South Africa.

To add to this, 300 predominantly white Wits students marched through the city centre to protest the killing of schoolchildren. As they marched through the streets they were joined by many black workers.

At this point the political leadership of the Soweto Students Representative Council (SSRC), SASM and other organisations were desperately trying to take leadership of the protest and to channel the anger of the youth and to give the movement political direction. The ANC in exile called for immediate international action and the intensification of economic sanctions. The protest action also spread to other townships around Soweto. In Thembisa, students organised a solidarity march, which, although heavily guarded did not result in violence. In Kagiso, police tried to stop a gathering of students and adults; the result was a forced retreat and the destruction of WRAB buildings, vehicles and schools. When the police returned with reinforcements, they shot indiscriminately into the crowd, killing at least five people.

Events on June 18

On the third day of the Uprising 18th June, the situation in Soweto was still volatile. Outside butchery in Moroka there were some fatalities. Fires were blazing in many Soweto townships, like Zola, Ikwezi, Moletsane, Naledi and Tladi. Administrative buildings, wine stores and beer halls, which were hated by the young people, were also set on fire. Buses and cars running through Soweto were burned. Police intensified their terror in trying to return the situation to normality in the township. However this angered the insurgents young people and brought them up against heavily armed police. They used stones to counter armoured police cars, helicopters and guns. At about 10 a.m the chairman of the West Rand Administrative Board (WRAB) Manie Mulder was in Soweto to asses the situation. He was escorted by a large police vans. All the WRAB owned cars that had escaped being burned were taken out of Soweto after Mulder's visit. The columns of cars drove past Orlando police station into the direction of Johannesburg.

But in general the action on this day had already moved to the East and West Rand and Alexandra townships as well as other parts of the country. The people in other parts of the country were not revolting to pledge their solidarity with the people of Soweto. They shared the same problem, the same sorrows and the same causes of resentment and rebellion. A general stawaway was organised in Alexandra Township and four people were killed when the police opened fire on marching residents. The government, which for the first time publicly addressed the issue, and justified the harsh measures taken by the police. There were some reports of students seizing weapons from police and using them to shoot back.

Response to the June 16 Soweto Youth Uprising by organisations in exile

June 16 marks the commemoration of National Youth Day in South Africa. This is the day the country reflects on the massacre of school children during the Soweto Uprising of 1976. The response of the organisations in exile can be understood in the context of the events that took place on the day. The students had organised a peaceful march against the Afrikaans Medium Decree, issued in 1974, which made it mandatory for Black schools to use the Afrikaans language as the medium of instruction in Mathematics, Social Sciences and Geography at the secondary school level. Punt Janson, the Deputy Minister of then Bantu Education, was quoted as saying: “I have not consulted the African people on the language issue and I’m not going to. An African might find that ‘the big boss’ spoke only Afrikaans or spoke only English. It would be to his advantage to know both languages.”

The policy was deeply unpopular since Afrikaans was regarded by some as the language of the oppressor. It was against this background that on 30 April 1976, students from the Orlando West Junior School in Soweto went on strike and boycotted classes. By 16 June, their rebellion spread to other schools in Soweto. Incidentally, the student-organised mass rally on this date turned violent, as the police responded with bullets to stones thrown by the angry students. Many students were shot. The official death toll was 23, but it could have been higher than 200 because the incident triggered widespread violence throughout South Africa, which claimed more lives. The first student to be shot on that fateful day was 15-year old Hastings Ndlovu. However, the killing in the same incident of Hector Pieterson, aged 12, and in particular the publication of his photograph taken by Sam Nzima, made him an international icon of the uprising. It became the major rallying point of the struggle against apartheid.

Military Response: Camps in exile

The incident triggered widespread violence not only in Soweto but also throughout South Africa. For the political organisations in exile, notably, the African National Congress(ANC) and Pan Africanist Congress(PAC), the Soweto unrest in June 1976 provided a golden opportunity both for recruitment and military training of young men and women. Many Black people felt in danger of being arrested by the police and further underground activities were launched as a result of this threat. Discreet recruitment operations culminated in many incensed students taking up arms against the government, and being sent for military training. Hence the mushrooming of military camps such as Mkhumbane in Temeke (Tanzania) outside the country, under the command and mentorship of Ntate Mashego and the Engineering camp in Angola. Recruits were advised on how to unlawfully cross the border(s) into Botswana, Swaziland, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania, where they received military training. It is essential to note that the accession to power of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) in Mozambique and the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in Angola in 1975, together with the exodus of thousands of young people in the months following the Soweto uprising, created favourable conditions for the resumption of sabotage activity in South Africa, especially after the collapse of the ANC/Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) joint operation (i.e. the Wankie Campaign ). These developments were followed by the infiltration of trained fighters back into South Africa, bombings of white installations and the subsequent arrest and trials of anti-apartheid activists.

Clearly, an issue that gave rise to a vast number of trials under security legislation was the massive recruitment of people and their transportation out of South Africa. While there is certainly some indication that this was already on the increase prior to June 1976, the revolts of 1976 gave an enormous boost to the activity of organisations recruiting members for military training. This is especially so in the case of the ANC, but there is also some evidence that PAC activity had been revitalised to some extent. As a result, there were many South Africans in ANC and PAC training camps. The period also witnessed a large number of trials against recruitment for military training. Those who were brought to trial for this offence seemed to reach a peak in 1977 and the first part of 1978. Many trained guerrilla fighters returned to South Africa, often wielding a large quantity of arms, explosives and ammunition. This group included the Black school children who fled or were recruited in the wake of the June 1976 rebellion. Their activities gave rise to a number of trials as exemplified by the case of Petrus Bushy Molefe, aged 22, who underwent training in East Germany, and was charged for sabotage and terrorism under the Sabotage and Terrorism Acts of June 1962 and June 1967 respectively. Related to this was the large quantity of arms and ammunition found by police in their attempts to uncover guerrillas in the urban areas and in clashes in the rural areas. It is important to note that most of the arms caches that were uncovered comprised weapons originating from the then Soviet Union, and the Eastern bloc countries, which suggests that the West was not prepared to lend similar support to the Southern African liberation movements.<

On 30 November 1976 a group of armed guerrillas clashed with the South African Police near Bordergate, on the Swaziland/South African border. A hand grenade was detonated by one of the guerrillas, injuring two policemen, and allowing the insurgents to escape. Shortly before this incident a railway line near Dikgale, in the Pietersburg district, was damaged in a successful sabotage attempt. From December 1976, in a series of raids covering Johannesburg, Soweto, Alexandra, Rustenburg, Odi, Nebo, Pietersburg and Sekhukhuniland, security police detained a number of ANC activists. Towards the middle of 1977 twelve accused activists, who included Mosima Gabriel “Tokyo” Sexwale, were charged under the Terrorism Act in the famous trial of the “Pretoria 12”. They were mainly accused of being members or active supporters of certain unlawful organisations in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Russia and China such as the ANC, the South African Communist Party(SACP) and Umkhonto we Sizwe(MK). They were also alternately charged with endangering, in various ways, the maintenance of law and order in South Africa; undergoing military and other training; possession of explosives, ammunition, firearms and weapons; harbouring and rendering assistance to guerrillas; as well as taking part in the activities of a banned organisation. On the whole, they were accused of conspiring to overthrow the white government and were all convicted on the main count of sedition.

Thus, the response of the political organisations operating in exile was one that was premised on mobilisation, recruitment of people and the organisation of the armed phase of the struggle from outside in order to topple the apartheid government. Clearly, the events of the Soweto revolt and the response from the liberation movement in exile are not isolated developments. They have their roots in the spirit of resistance to the growing crisis of apartheid. The collective resistance to oppression and exploitation in South Africa also fundamentally underpins the relationship that was forged between internal and external forms of organisation after this incident. It led to major transformations in the strategies of the various exiled liberation movements more in accordance with the changing conditions in the country. A militant approach, that found expression in the recruitment and subsequent training of the cadres in neighbouring as well as some European and Asian countries, was emphasised.

References to Youth and the National Liberation Struggle 1894-1994

• Brits, J. P. (1995). The Concise Dictionary of Historical and Political Terms , London: Penguin.
• Christie, P. (1991). The Right to Learn: The Struggle for Education in South Africa , Johannesburg: Sached Trust/Ravan Press.
• Cross, M. (1992). Resistance and Transformation: Education Culture and Reconstruction in South Africa , Johannesburg: Skotaville.
• Howcroft, P. unpublished South African Encyclopaedia papers.
• Kallaway, P. (ed) (1984). Apartheid and Education: The Education of Black South Africans , Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
• Saunders, C. & Southey, N. (1998). A Dictionary of South African History , Cape Town: David Philip.

Collections in the Archives

Know something about this topic.

Towards a people's history

Search the United Nations

• Secretary-General
• FAO Director-General
• UN Observances

Humanity depends on the boundless energy, ideas and contributions of youth everywhere. Today and every day, let’s support and stand with young people in shaping a just and sustainable world, for people and planet. " UN Secretary-General António Guterres

2023 Theme Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World

Today, the world is embarking on a green transition. The shift towards an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly world is critical not only for responding to the global climate crisis but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A successful transition towards a greener world will depend on the development of green skills in the population. Green skills are “knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society”.

These include technical knowledge and skills that enable the effective use of green technologies and processes in occupational settings, as well as transversal skills that draw on a range of knowledge, values and attitudes to facilitate environmentally sustainable decisions in work and in life. Due to their interdisciplinary nature, the essence of green skills is sometimes expressed, partly if not wholly, through other associated terms such as “skills for the future” and “skills for green jobs”. While green skills are relevant for people of all ages, they have heightened importance for younger people, who can contribute to the green transition for a longer period of time.

International Youth Day 2023 Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World

2023 commemoration.

For the official commemoration of International Youth Day 2023, DESA organizes a global webinar in collaboration with the UN Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth and Generation Unlimited. The webinar offers critical information and data, and promotes discussions, as well as an exchange of ideas on green skills for youth. It features perspectives from international organizations, national governments and young experts working in this area. Knowledge products are developed to support and encourage stakeholders to celebrate International Youth Day 2023 in their various contexts and roles.

Webinar agenda [PDF]

Office for Youth and Women

On the occasion of the 2023 International Youth Day, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyu, announced that FAO is planning to establish a new Office for Youth and Women , to strengthen institutional coordination, overall planning and service work, paving the way for future development.

2023 related events

This year, the International Day of Peace Youth event is livestreamed via UN Web TV and UN YouTube on 14 September from 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EST. The event provides a platform for young people to showcase the actions they have taken, or commit to an action they will take in their schools and communities to help accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs and thereby fostering peace.

• Press release [PDF]
• International Day of Peace Youth event
• International Day of Peace

Celebrating Ways #YouthLead

Follow along at @UNYouthEnvoy on  Twitter ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  TikTok . Creating your own #YouthLead content and sharing some of our key messages — which are all available in the  campaign communications toolkit .

Young people can participate in the takeover via public submission (beginning 22 July; link to be available in the master Trello board ) or partner nomination.

Please visit the UN Youth Envoy website to learn more about the campaign.

Did you know?

• Half of the people on our planet are 30 or younger, and this is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030.
• Survey shows that 67% of people believe in a better future, with 15 to 17 year-olds being the most optimistic about this.
• The majority of people agree that the age balance in politics is wrong. More than two thirds (69%) of people across all age groups agree that more opportunities for younger people to have a say in policy development/change would make political systems better.
• Globally, only 2.6% of parliamentarians are under 30 years old, and less than 1% of these young MPs are women.

Campaign Materials

• International Youth Day 2023 Infographic: 5 Things To Know About Green Skills For Youth. Download PDF version here .
• For those interested in organizing activities to celebrate 2023 IYD, logos in all 6 UN languages, both with and without the United Nations name are available here .

Please note, logos with the UN name may only be used by UN Entities. Member States, youth organizations, and other non-UN entities need to use the IYD logos without the UN name.

Related Observances

• International Day of Women and Girls in Science   (11 February)
• World Day Against Child Labour  (12 June)
• World Youth Skills Day  (15 July)
• International Day of the Girl Child  (11 October)
• World Children's Day (20 November)
• International Year of Youth  (2010)
• International Youth Year: Participation, Development and Peace  (1985)

Global Issues: Youth

Youth can be a positive force for development when provided with the knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive. Today, there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 years, accounting for 16 per cent of the global population . By 2030—the target date for the  Sustainable Development Goals  (SDGs) that make up the  2030 Agenda —the number of youth is projected to have grown by 7 per cent, to nearly 1.3 billion.

Youth Forum 2023

Get ready for a three-day event that's all about empowering the youth! From April 25-27, 2023, the highly-anticipated 2023 Annual Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum takes center stage at the UN headquarters. The forum's theme is "Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels" - a topic that resonates with all of us. The world is listening, and your voice matters! Follow it on UN Webtv !

Why do we mark International Days?

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances .

National Today

• Arts & Entertainment
• Food & Beverage
• Relationships
• Special Interest
• Create a Holiday

Gift Guides

Got an idea for a holiday send it to us.

International Youth Day – August 12, 2024

International Youth Day on August 12 focuses on the difficulties that some young people are experiencing throughout the world. Half the children between the age of six and 13 lack basic reading and math skills and childhood poverty is still a prevalent problem globally. International Youth Day was created by the UN to help draw awareness to these issues as we strive to find solutions. It’s a day for reflection but also a day for taking action so get involved. There’ll be many concerts, workshops and cultural events taking place so have a look at what is happening in your local area.

It’s an initiative that honors the traits of young people and that acknowledges the challenges that today’s fledging youth face. To support the elimination of these issues it is important that the youth is able to reach the right resources for education, wellbeing, medicine and more. Scholaroo is a platform that has centralized scholarships from around the world to help the youth of the world.

International Youth Day began in 2000 and was organized by the UN to recognize the input that young people make in education, community development, environmental groups, volunteering for different social projects.

International Youth Day 2021 is planned on August 12.

When is International Youth Day 2024?

Our young and carefree days don’t last forever. Unfortunately, many youngsters around the world face difficulties and have limited access to essential resources that can pave the way for a better future. These problems faced by youth are observed on International Youth Day on August 12.

History of International Youth Day

In 1965 the United Nations General Assembly began making a concerted effort to impact the youth. They endorsed the Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples. They began devoting time and resources to empower the youth by recognizing up-and-coming leaders and offering them resources to meet the needs of the world.

On December 17, 1999, the UN General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, and International Youth Day was formed. It was first celebrated on August 12, 2000, and ever since the day has been used to educate society. Mobilize the youth in politics, and manage resources to address global problems.

The day is often accompanied by major events. In 2013 an International Youth Conference was hosted by YOUTHINK, featuring many key speakers and an awards ceremony. More recent events have been hosted by the Indian Youth Cafe in Chennai. The theme for 2019 was “transforming education.”

Last year, the theme of International Youth Day 2020 was “Youth Engagement for Global Action”.

The aim of this theme was to call attention to the ways in which the participation of young people at the national and international levels is complimenting national and multilateral institutions and processes. Another important aim was to draw lessons on how their involvement in institutional politics can be increased.

International Youth Day timeline

The oldest youth organization, The Key Club, begins at Sacramento High School to contend against the negative effects of the fraternities and social clubs.

The U.N. endorses the first 'Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples,' which promotes the development of youth.

The first International Youth Day is celebrated on August 12 after it is designated by the United Nations General Assembly the previous year.

The theme for International Youth Day in 2019 was 'Transforming Education.'

International Youth Day related content

40 Gifts for 30-Year-Olds

Browse our edit of the best gifts to treat your particular 30-year-old person.

Traditions of the Day

International Youth Day gives a platform to the voices of the youth. It engages youngsters and aims to take initiatives and actions that will increase opportunities for them. 

The youth of the world faces different challenges and barriers to prosperity, depending on which part of the world they are living in. Young people living in developed and developing countries are more prone to facing mental- and social challenges, whereas young people living in underdeveloped countries face extreme problems rooted in a lack of more basic needs such as education, health, and employment. 

These issues and challenges are widely discussed on local, institutional, and governmental levels. Seminars, training sessions, debates, discussion forums featuring influential figures as key speakers, fundraisers, and the distribution of educational material for informing and creating awareness take place on International Youth Day. Through a better understanding of the problems that are hurdles for youth development, policy changes can be more easily implemented.

By The Numbers 

15–24 – the age group defined as ‘youth.’

⅙ – the human population consisting of the worlds’ youth. 

1991 – the year when the idea for International Youth Day was first proposed. 

77% – the percentage of youth informally employed.

4% – the percentage of the likelihood of women being less literate than males.

20% – the percentage of youngsters who experience mental health problems every year.

152 million – the number of young workers who live in households below the poverty line.

⅔ – the youth in developing countries not fulfilling their economic potential. 

126 million – the number of youth who cannot read or write a sentence in 2011. 

23 – the number of African countries implementing a national strategy on financial literacy. 

International Youth Day FAQ s

Who started international youth day.

The UN General Assembly started it in 1999.

What is the purpose of International Youth Day?

To raise awareness of any issues that may be facing the world’s youth to celebrate their achievements.

How do you join the UN Youth?

Write to your minister of foreign affairs with a list of your superlatives as a youth delegate and request further discussion.

What is the theme for International Youth Day 2021?

The theme for International Youth Day in 2021 is Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health

When is International Youth Day 2021?

International Youth Day 2021 will be celebrated on the 12th of August.

How To Celebrate International Youth Day

Attend an international youth day event.

Attend an International Youth Day. There are concerts, sporting events, parades, and mobile exhibitions that showcase young people's achievements. You'll feel inspired by their talent and entertained at the same time.

Lend a helping hand

The best thing that we can offer kids is education. Look into mentorship programs and discover what you can impart to the next generation. There are big brother and big sister programs, music programs, assisting with speech therapy, and more.

Have an intergenerational discussion

Get involved and start a round-table discussion between adults and young people. This can be between parents and children or students and teachers. Come up with topics revolving around the theme of the year and really listen to what the younger generation has to say.

Five Facts About International Youth Day

Youth health.

The World Health Organization is developing global standards for health within schools.

Childhood hunger

16 million kids in the US struggle with hunger each year.

Staying fit

Children and adolescents should do an hour or more of physical activity each day.

Music that matters

Youth Ambassador Mohammed Assaf is a Palestine refugee and uses his music to give messages of hope to young Palestine refugees.

Young entrepreneur

At 25 years old Rita Kimani of Kenya is the co-founder of FarmDrive which connects unbanked and underserved smallholder farmers to credit.

Why We Love International Youth Day

It focuses on building a better world for our children.

International Youth Day does more than simply encouraging kids directly. It also lays out a set of priorities to focus on creating tangible improvements in children’s lives. The fifteen priorities created by the UN include areas of focus like reducing cases of HIV/AIDS, fighting childhood hunger, and providing more access to education.

It raises awareness about poverty

Many children go to bed hungry each night, or head to school in the morning without a nutritious breakfast to help them stay focused in class. In the United States alone, 13.1 million kids live in food insecure-homes, which means that they and their families don’t have access to enough nutritious food to lead healthy lives. Children in other countries around the world face similar hardships, and many can find themselves trapped in a cycle of poverty that is difficult to break free from as they grow into adults. The more aware we are of these issues, the faster we can work together to help eradicate them.

It encourages creative thinking for a better future

International Youth Day’s list of actionable priorities encourages others to think about specific things they can do to make a tangible difference in kids’ lives. In recent writings about International Youth Day, the UN has put a strong focus on reducing pollution, sustainably using local products and services so they’ll remain available for the next generation and ensuring as many communities as possible will have access to resources. Naming such ambitious — but doable — goals serve as inspiration for all of us to think hard about efficient steps we can take to make them happen.

International Youth Day dates

International youth day related holidays.

National Youth Day

Absolutely Incredible Kid Day®

Celebration of Life Day

Here are some special hashtags for the day.

#InternationalYouthDay #YouthDay #YouthLife #CelebratingYouth #YouthFreedom #YouthAlive #31DaysOfYOUth #InternationalYouthDay2021

Holidays Straight to Your Inbox

Every day is a holiday! Receive fresh holidays directly to your inbox.

• 6,427 Days celebrated
• 19,281 Ways to celebrate
• 1,000,000+ Happy users
• Our Mission
• For Businesses
• For Journalists
• For Influencers
• Submit a Holiday
• Promote an Event
• Work With Us
• Submit an Error

Our Services

• Create A Holiday
• Sponsor A Holiday
• Data Licensing
• National Today Calendar
• Reviews and Gift Guides

Shopping Reviews

• Health & Fitness
• Home & Garden
• By Interest
• By Occasion
• By Recipient

Popular Holidays

• National Girlfriend Day
• Day of the Dead
• National Boyfriend Day
• National Sons Day
• Mexican Independence Day
• Pride Month
• National Best Friends Day
• National Daughter Day
• World Bicycle Day
• National Dog Day

About National Today

We keep track of fun holidays and special moments on the cultural calendar — giving you exciting activities, deals, local events, brand promotions, and other exciting ways to celebrate.

Follow us on

Essay on Youth for Students and Children

500+ words essay on youth.

Youth is a worthwhile phase of one’s life. The age where the age group is no longer of a child but yet to turn out to be a grown-up is the youth age. It is an age recognized by traits of heroism, toughness, muscle, stimulation, curiosity, judgmental attitude and even much more. At this stage, even though driven by fantasy or freedom and the power to choose his or her response, all must be cautiously exercised. It is a golden phase to accomplish the dual goals of intelligence and character.

A Period of Stress & Strain, Storm & Strife

Youth, in the present era, is a powerful asset of the nation possessing the abundant energy and the zeal considered necessary for the overall advancement of the same. Youth is a critical age of development, a period of uncertainty when everything is in ferment.

As a Youth is neither a child nor an adult, the personality possesses a mixture of both stages. He can be selfish at some times or turn out to be selfless the very next day. He may also turn out to be rebellious one day.

Youth develops a revolting personality and thus we can see conflicts in opinions between the family. It is also a major cause of worsening of family relations. Youth, being argumentative in nature, develop an attitude of apt rationale and judgment.

Thus, it denies accepting as true in anything without an appropriate cause following the same. It is not that there is no lack of moral awakening or his total refusal to adhere to ethical and moral standards. It is merely that he wants his every question to be answered and having his quest fulfilled, he accepts the same.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to channelize Youth Power in the right direction?

Youth is full of strength and intellectual capability, which if properly utilized could assist in turning the invisible into visible, the hardships to triumph and the hard work to success thus leading to the overall growth of an individual and the nation at large.

Following measures must be adapted to turn the youth into prolific individuals:

• Understanding child psychology by the parents at this stage.
• Proper guidance by the teachers
• Practical representation of best ideals and values to foster moral education in the schools. Sex education is a must for better emotional development.
• Minimizing the habit of excessive control and strict discipline so as to promote the expression of emotions, thus leading to suitable mental development.
• The organization of extra-curricular activities to channelize the imagination in youth towards creative activities.
• Preparing the youth for the cause of society by entrusting the responsibility so as to develop a feeling of responsibility in them.
• A right and rationale attitude towards democracy should be developed in the surroundings. This would lead to develop the philosophy of life.

  Conclusion

Youth is the golden period to cherish a big dream full of passion and energy. Although, the period is also full of adventures yet they have to be looked for with the eyes open. It is the time when we can provide shape to our ideas for the economic development of society. By encouraging to take an active part in the dramas, projects, sports and others are pretty good ways to control excessive fantasy. Also, it is the time to move towards the destination which can be made possible through vocational awareness and critical study of individual differences.

Mixed with responsibility and fun, new environs, excitement, thrill, applauses, and regrets, it has a huge significance in one’s life. It is time to achieve wisdom in addition to knowledge.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Essay on The Role of Youth Today

Students are often asked to write an essay on The Role of Youth Today in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on The Role of Youth Today

The importance of youth.

Youth is the foundation of a society. They are the future leaders, innovators, and change-makers. Their role is crucial for societal development.

Education and Youth

Education empowers the youth. It gives them the knowledge and skills to contribute positively to society.

Youth and Technology

Youth today are tech-savvy. They use technology to learn, communicate, and solve problems, which is beneficial for the modern world.

Youth and Social Change

Youth are often at the forefront of social change. They challenge old norms and fight for equality and justice.

The role of youth today is significant. They have the potential to shape a better future.

250 Words Essay on The Role of Youth Today

The catalysts of change.

Youth today are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today. They represent a dynamic, energetic, and innovative segment of the population. Their role in society is not confined to self-development and securing a future, but extends to shaping the present.

The Power of Innovation

The digital native generation is at the forefront of technological innovation. They are not just consumers, but creators, harnessing the power of technology to develop new solutions to old problems. From climate change to social justice, the youth are using their digital prowess to drive change.

Agents of Social Transformation

Youth today play a pivotal role in social transformation. They challenge traditional norms, advocate for equality, and strive for a more inclusive society. Their voices are loud and clear in movements against racial discrimination, gender inequality, and environmental degradation.

Driving Political Change

The role of youth in politics is increasingly significant. They are not just voters, but active participants, influencing policy and demanding accountability. The youth’s engagement in politics is redefining democracy, making it more participatory and representative.

The Challenges Ahead

However, the youth face numerous challenges, including unemployment, mental health issues, and a lack of access to quality education and healthcare. Addressing these challenges is crucial for harnessing the full potential of the youth.

In conclusion, the role of youth today is multifaceted and crucial. They are the catalysts of change, the drivers of innovation, and the agents of social and political transformation. The future lies in their hands, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure they are equipped to shape it.

500 Words Essay on The Role of Youth Today

The significance of youth in the contemporary world.

In today’s rapidly evolving society, the role of youth is more critical than ever. They are the torchbearers of change and progress, acting as catalysts in the transformation of society. They are the ones who question, challenge, and break the rigid structures of the past to pave the way for a more progressive future.

The Youth as Agents of Change

The youth of today are not just the leaders of tomorrow – they are also the leaders of today. They are at the forefront of social, political, and environmental movements, driving change in their communities and countries. From climate change activists like Greta Thunberg to social justice advocates like Malala Yousafzai, young people are making their voices heard on the global stage.

Their activism is not limited to public protests and speeches. They are leveraging technology and social media to amplify their voices, mobilize support, and effect change on a scale that was previously unimaginable. They are harnessing the power of digital platforms to challenge the status quo and push for reforms in various spheres of life.

The Youth as Innovators

In addition to being change-makers, the youth are also innovators. They are the ones pushing the boundaries of technology, science, and art, creating new possibilities for the future. They are not afraid to take risks and experiment, and this spirit of innovation is what drives societal progress.

Young entrepreneurs are disrupting traditional industries with innovative business models and technologies. They are creating jobs, driving economic growth, and contributing to societal development. Their innovations are not just about profit – they are also about solving pressing social and environmental problems.

The Youth as Builders of Peace

The youth also play a crucial role in peacebuilding. They are the ones who can bridge cultural, ethnic, and religious divides, fostering mutual understanding and respect. They can challenge divisive narratives and promote a culture of peace and tolerance.

In conflict-ridden societies, the youth can play a crucial role in reconciliation and healing. They can promote dialogue and understanding, helping to mend the social fabric and pave the way for a peaceful future.

The Challenges Facing the Youth

Despite their potential, the youth face numerous challenges. They are often marginalized and excluded from decision-making processes, their voices unheard and their needs unmet. They also face numerous socio-economic challenges, including unemployment, lack of access to quality education and healthcare, and discrimination.

These challenges are not insurmountable. With the right support and opportunities, the youth can overcome these obstacles and fulfill their potential as agents of change, innovators, and builders of peace.

In conclusion, the role of youth today is multifaceted and crucial. They are the agents of change, the innovators, and the peacebuilders. Their energy, creativity, and resilience make them a powerful force for progress. It is therefore essential that we recognize their potential, address their challenges, and provide them with the opportunities they need to thrive. After all, the future of our society depends on them.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on The Role of Youth in Nation Building
• Essay on Price Hike
• Essay on The Power of Words

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

A Ratna Sagar Blog on Education.

10 Lines And Short Essay on National Youth Day

Short essay on national youth day.

National Youth Day in India is celebrated on January 12th every year to honour the birth anniversary of the great philosopher and spiritual leader, Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda believed in the potential of the youth to bring positive change to society. Therefore, National Youth Day serves as a reminder for students to use their energy and education towards nation-building.  

On National Youth Day, educational organisations organise various activities like seminars, debates, and cultural events, centred around Vivekananda’s teachings. Students are encouraged to set goals, work hard, and aim for excellence, just like how Swami Vivekananda wished. 

National Youth Day also reminds us about the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and his values that are crucial for personal growth and social development. 

Ten Lines on National Youth Day

1. National Youth Day in India on 12 January every year to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

2. Swami Vivekananda believed in the power of youth for positive societal change.

3. The day encourages students to use their energy and education towards nation-building.

4. Educational organisations organise activities like seminars, debates, and cultural events on National Youth Day.

5. These events are centred around Vivekananda’s teachings and philosophy.

6. Students are motivated to set goals, work hard, and strive for excellence in alignment with Vivekananda’s vision.

7. National Youth Day serves as a reminder of the potential of youth to contribute to societal progress.

8. The day emphasises the importance of values taught by Swami Vivekananda for personal growth and social development.

9. It encourages reflection on Vivekananda’s teachings about tolerance, universal acceptance, and unity.

10. Overall, National Youth Day inspires the younger generation to embody Vivekananda’s ideals for a brighter future.

Know About Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda was a great Indian philosopher and spiritual leader who played a key role in introducing Hinduism to the Western world. He spoke about the universality of religions and believed in the transformative power of youth for positive societal change.

Full Name: Swami Vivekananda (Born as Narendranath Datta)

Parents: Vishwanath Datta (father) and Bhuvaneshwari Devi (mother).

Born: 12 January 1863.

Place of Birth: Kolkata, India.

Major Works: Founding the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, and promoting the ideals of Vedanta and yoga.

Teacher: Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.

Organisation: Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

10 Lines on Swami Vivekananda

• Swami Vivekananda was born as Narendra Nath Datta on 12 January 1863, in Kolkata, India.
• His birth anniversary is celebrated as National Youth Day in India. 
• He was a great Hindu monk and spread the Vedanta philosophy in the Western world.
• He was heavily influenced by the teachings of Ramakrishna Paramahansa.
• Swami Vivekananda travelled extensively across the world, delivering lectures to promote ancient spiritual culture and universal peace.
• He believed in the equality of all religions.
• In 1893, he represented India in the World Parliament of Religions and delivered impactful speeches in English on respecting all religions.
• He established the Ramakrishna Mission, an organisation that promotes education and helps the poor.
• Swami Vivekananda passed away at the age of 39 on 4 July 1902.
• Despite his early death, his legacy endures, inspiring millions worldwide.

Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of the World’s Religions

In 1893, Swami Vivekananda represented India and Hinduism in the Parliament of the World’s Religions. He nervously began his speech with the iconic greeting, “Sisters and brothers of America!” The crowd of seven thousand responded with a two-minute standing ovation.

Vivekananda, a member of the Vedic order of sannyasins, spoke about religious tolerance and universal acceptance. He was praised as the  “cyclonic monk from India”. American newspapers called him the “greatest figure in the Parliament of Religions.”.

Inspirational Quotes by Swami Vivekananda:

• You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.
• Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal is reached.
• You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.
• In a conflict between the heart and the brain, follow your heart.
• They alone live, who live for others.
• Neither seek nor avoid, take what comes.
• Comfort is no test of truth. Truth is often far from being comfortable
• The fire that warms us can also consume us; it is not the fault of the fire
• Ask nothing; want nothing in return. Give what you have to give; it will come back to you but do not think of that now.
• Do one thing at a Time, and while doing it put your whole Soul into it to the exclusion of all else .

Frequently Asked Questions on National Youth Day and Swami Vivekananda

1. When is National Youth Day celebrated?

Ans. National Youth Day is celebrated on January 12th every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

2 . What activities can be done on National Youth Day?

Ans. Activities like seminars, discussions and debates, sports and writing competitions can be organised on National Youth Day. 

3. Who was Swami Vivekananda?

Ans. Swami Vivekananda was a great Hindu monk and spiritual leader.

4. What were Swami Vivekananda’s main teachings?

Ans. Swami Vivekananda taught unity, human dignity, and the universality of religion. He believed in the potential of the youth to bring positive change to society and encouraged practical spirituality.

5. Did Swami Vivekananda travel outside India?

Ans. Yes, Swami Vivekananda travelled extensively, delivering lectures not only across India but also globally. He represented India at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

6. What is the Ramakrishna Mission?

Ans. The Ramakrishna Mission is an organisation founded by Swami Vivekananda. It is dedicated to serving the poor through various activities like education and healthcare.

Short Essay And 10 Lines on Mahatma Gandhi

10 Lines On My Best Friend With Short Essay

Essay And 10 Lines on Children’s Day 

By Ratna Sagar

Related post, short essay and 10 lines on gudi padwa, short essay and 10 lines on ugadi, short essay on national maritime day, 10 lines on cricket.

Youth Day Essay in English, Essay on Youth Day

Are you also looking for a  “Youth Day Essay in English”?  If yes, then you have fallen on the world’s best website essayduniya.com. If you are searching for Rashtriya Yuva diwas Essay, Yuva diwas nibandh, Short Essay on National Youth Day , Youth Day history, and Youth Day Essay in English then your wait ends here.

Youth Day Essay in English 100 words 

Every year on January 12th, India celebrates National Youth Day. Swami Vivekananda’s birthday is celebrated on this day. Swami Vivekananda is regarded as a role model for today’s youth . He was a Hindu monk and philosopher from India. He is well-known throughout the world for his positive ideas and ideals. He believed that the future of any country is determined by its youth.

“ National Youth Day ” inspires today’s youth to try something new. Swami Vivekananda is the ideal youth representative. The young generation of India can create a better future for themselves and their country by drawing inspiration from Swami Vivekananda’s lofty ideas.

Youth Day Essay in English 200 words 

Each year on January 12, India celebrates National Youth Day. Vivekananda Jayanti is another name for Yuva Diwas. The great philosopher and Hindu monk “Swami Vivekananda” celebrates his birthday on National Youth Day. In 1984, the Government of India declared this day to be National Youth Day. Since then, this day has been designated National Youth Day in India . National Youth Day is observed with great reverence and admiration throughout the country.

Various speeches, Youth conventions, Speech, Essay-Writing, Seminars, and Painting competitions are held in India on this day at schools, colleges, and universities. National Youth Day educates and informs people about their rights and responsibilities. This day is observed to raise awareness among young people about Swami Vivekananda’s teachings and philosophy . The main goal of celebrating National Youth Day is to inspire young people to make positive contributions to the nation’s future.

Lal Bahadur Shastri Essay Chaar Sahibzaade Essay Essay on My Child My Teacher Enabling Learning Environment Essay Essay on Importance of Fitness Essay on 5G Technology in English

Youth Day Essay in English 300 words 

Introduction.

Every year on January 12th, India celebrates National Youth Day . Swami Vivekananda’s birthday is observed on this day. Swami Vivekananda is regarded as a role model for today’s youth. He was a Hindu monk and philosopher from India. He is well-known throughout the world for his lofty ideas. He continued to believe that the future of any country is determined by the youth of that country. 

Announcement of National Youth Day

On January 12, 1984, the Government of India declared Swami Vivekananda Jayanti to be celebrated as “National Youth Day” every year. Since the announcement in 1985, the 12th of January has been designated as National Youth Day.

Significance and Purpose

The value and objective of celebrating National Youth Day are to inspire today’s youth to pursue their dreams and to make them proud of their country. The youth make up the majority of India’s population. The future of any country is dependent on its youth because only youth can properly represent the country. It is critical for the country’s development that the youth be educated and aware. The government encourages young people to come up with new ideas and schemes. The Government of India also recognizes deserving talents/candidates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch National Youth Day 

On January 12, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially launch the National Youth Festival in Karnataka. This would be India’s 26th National Youth Festival. PM Modi will start off the festival in the southern state’s Hubbali district.  Aside from that, schools and colleges all over India hold essay contests and parades, speeches, readings, songs, conferences, and seminars.

Conclusion 

Finally, “ National Youth Day ” inspires today’s youth to try something new. Swami Vivekananda is the ideal youth representative. The young generation of India can create a better future for themselves and their country by drawing inspiration from Swami Vivekananda’s lofty ideas.

Essay on Youth Day 500 words 

Introduction .

Each year on January 12, National Youth Day (Youth Day or Swami Vivekananda Birthday) is marked with great enthusiasm and joy throughout India. It commemorates the birthday of Swami Vivekananda, the father of modern India. The Indian government first declared Swami Vivekananda’s birthday as National Youth Day in 1984. Since then, it has been observed as National Youth Day across the country.

Date of National Youth Day 

Every year on January 12, National Youth Day is observed to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, a great Indian saint, religious guide, scholar, and one of the most influential figures in modern Indian history.

2023 National Youth Day Theme 

The theme of National Youth Day changes each year. The theme is usually chosen by the Government of India or organizations involved in organizing National Youth Day events and activities. The theme of National Youth Day 2023 has not yet been revealed. It will most likely be declared closer to the holiday. Themes for National Youth Day typically motivate youthful individuals to get involved in areas such as social service, education, and environmental protection. “Channeling Youth Power for Nation Building” was the theme of National Youth Day 2021 and “It’s all in the mind,” was the theme of National Youth Day 2022.

The Origins of National Youth Day 

The Government of India officially established National Youth Day on January 12, 1984. On January 12, 1985, the first National Youth Day was observed. To honor the contribution of youth to the nation, the day is honored on the birthday of one of the powerful spiritual leaders and intellectuals, Swami Vivekananda. As per the Government of India, Swamiji’s philosophy and the principles for which he lived and worked could be a great source of inspiration for Indian Youth Day. 

The Importance of National Youth Day 

National Youth Day is an important day in our society because it recognizes youth’s contributions to socialization and motivates them to keep working for the improvement of their communities. It is also an opportunity for young people to think about what role they can play in shaping India’s future and how they can make a contribution to the country’s development and progress. Various programs and activities organized by schools, universities, and other institutions, such as lectures, seminars, and cultural programs, mark the day. These activities provide youngsters with the chance to self-improve, learn more about Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings, and connect with other youth from across the country.

The message of National Youth Day is one of peace, love, empathy, and compassion. This is a lesson we should take away. We should strive to instill Swami Vivekananda’s values in ourselves. We must work for the betterment of the country. We owe it to the people to be kind and generous. That is National Youth Day’s message.

Do tell us in the comment box how you like  “Youth Day Essay in English”?  Next, on which topic do you want a speech or an essay, do tell us by commenting! We are waiting for your comments…!

Lal Bahadur Shastri Essay Chaar Sahibzaade Essay Essay on My Child My Teacher Enabling Learning Environment Essay Essay on Importance of Fitness Essay on 5G Technology in English Essay on the Our Culture, Our Pride Dangers of Drug Abuse Essay

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• Speech Writing /

Speech on National Youth Day For Students In English

• Updated on  
• Jan 13, 2024

Speech on National Youth Day: Youth is the future of every country. They are the source of energy, innovation, and catalysts of progress and change. To ensure the purpose and possibilities of the youth, the Government of India decided to celebrate January 12, 1984, as National Youth Day .

National Youth Day, or Rashtriya Yuva Divas, is celebrated every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand. Celebrating National Youth Day is to keep motivating youngsters around the country with the ideas and ideology of Swami Vivekananda . Also, through the celebration, the Government of India teaches the youngsters about their fundamental rights and duties. 

This Blog Includes:

1-minute speech on national youth day, 2-minute speech on national youth day, 10-lines speech on national youth day.

Also Read: World Youth Skills Day 2023

Also Read: Write a Letter to Your Friend About Your Pongal Holiday Plans

Greetings to all the teachers and students gathered here. Today, I stand before you to deliver a speech on National Youth Day. In this speech, I have covered reason, celebration, and message conveyed on National Youth Day. 

National Youth Day is a day dedicated to the youngsters of India. To ensure that 66 per cent of India’s population, composed of Indian youngsters, should lead inclusively and progressively, the Government of India has decided to celebrate January 12, 1984, as Youth Day in India. 

Vivekananda Jayanti, another name for National Youth Day, is celebrated every year on the birth anniversary of  Vivekananda Jayanti and aims to motivate youngsters with the philosophy and ideas of Swami Vivekananda. 

Several cultural activities, speeches, and many youth competitions are held in schools and colleges to boost youngsters’ skills and positive participation. Such activities aim to improve and encourage learning new techniques. Also, the Government of India conducts theme programs on the occasion of Rashtriya Yuva Diwas, providing exposure to the youth at state and national levels. 

Swami Vivekanand firmly believes that youth have the potential to bring change to society. His speeches aimed to motivate the children to educate themselves and learn how to serve.

Also, learn more about Swami Vivekananda: Early Life, Spiritual Awakening, Literary Work

National Youth Day, which is also known as Rashtriya Yuva Diwas, is celebrated all over India on January 12 every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand. The spiritual and inspirational leader, an iconic inspiration for many youths, firmly believed in the power of youth and rendering service to humanity. 

He aimed to encourage the young generation to fulfil their duty and responsibilities. He says the young age is full of motivation and new ideas. They need the right direction to shed their energy to take their country on a progressive path. He also boosts the young to work for the betterment and in nation-building activities. 

National Youth Day is celebrated in India to promote skills and give a national platform for showcasing their talent. Various competitions, sports, seminars, and many other extracurricular activities are held in schools and colleges. The main objective of these activities is to provide a platform for the youth to provide them a platform for letting their voice be heard. 

Many practices, such as volunteering at a local youth organization, being involved in social issues by joining marches or protests, and many more, are also performed by the rising generations to be involved in social issues. 

The youth of India and worldwide inspire Swami Vivekanand for his vision of the possible changes that young people can bring to society. 

Implementing Swami Vivekananda´s ideas of implementing values, the generations are breaking the stereotypes and conservative ideas so that they can celebrate and live Youth Day as per the dream of Swami Vivekananda. 

Learn more about Swami Vivekananda from here

Let us learn and understand Speech on National Youth Day in points:  

1. National Youth Day is celebrated in India on January 12. 

2. It is also known as Rashtriya Yuva Diwas. 

3. Celebrating National Youth Day aims to inspire the young generation with Swami Vivekanand’s ideas. 

4. Swami Vivekanand’s vision was to serve society with high moral character and values.

5. National Youth Day is celebrated in schools and colleges with great pomp and show. 

6. Various cultural programs and events occur at the state and national level to give the youth generation a broad platform to showcase their skills and talents.

7. Many students also participate in debates and rallies to raise their voices against the traditional odds. 

8. National Youth Day emphasizes academics, culture, and personal development of youth.

9. The day fills the gap between the youth of different age groups.

10. The idea of celebrating National Youth Day is to meet new ideas and people of the same age group to give society a new and innovative curb. 

National Youth Day is celebrated to celebrate the birth anniversary of the philosopher and social enthusiast, Swami Vivekanand. 

National Youth Day was first celebrated on 12 January 1984.

National Youth Day is celebrated on January 12th in India in honour of Swami Vivekanand´s birth anniversary. Its objective is to inspire the youth with his teachings of tolerance, universal brotherhood, and selfless service. The day encourages young minds to channel their energy towards nation-building, cultivating a spirit of leadership and social responsibility. 

Related Blogs

For more information on such interesting speech topics for your school, visit our speech writing page and follow Leverage Edu.

Deepika Joshi

Deepika Joshi is an experienced content writer with expertise in creating educational and informative content. She has a year of experience writing content for speeches, essays, NCERT, study abroad and EdTech SaaS. Her strengths lie in conducting thorough research and ananlysis to provide accurate and up-to-date information to readers. She enjoys staying updated on new skills and knowledge, particulary in education domain. In her free time, she loves to read articles, and blogs with related to her field to further expand her expertise. In personal life, she loves creative writing and aspire to connect with innovative people who have fresh ideas to offer.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Connect With Us

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today.

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2024

September 2024

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

TALK WITH SHIVI

Essay on National Youth Day | Swami Vivekananda Essay

Table of Contents

Essay on National Youth Day

National Youth Day in India is celebrated on January 12th each year to honor the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, a prominent spiritual leader, philosopher, and youth icon. This day holds immense significance as it aims to inspire and empower the youth, encouraging them to contribute positively to society. Swami Vivekananda’s teachings continue to resonate with the youth, emphasizing the importance of self-realization, education, and service to humanity.

Swami Vivekananda was born on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata, India. His birth name was Narendranath Datta. He played a crucial role in introducing Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world. Swami Vivekananda was deeply influenced by his guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, and became a key figure in the introduction of Indian philosophies and spirituality to the global audience.

The celebration of National Youth Day serves as a reminder of Swami Vivekananda’s vision for the youth and the role they play in building a strong and prosperous nation. This essay will explore the significance of National Youth Day, the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, and the impact of his philosophy on the youth of India.

Swami Vivekananda: A Beacon of Inspiration

Swami Vivekananda’s life was marked by his dedication to spirituality, education, and service to humanity. He firmly believed in the potential of the youth to bring about positive change in society. His famous speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893 brought India’s ancient wisdom and spirituality to the global stage. Swami Vivekananda’s address, which began with the words “Sisters and brothers of America,” garnered him widespread acclaim and recognition.

His teachings emphasized the unity of all religions and the importance of tolerance and acceptance. Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy encouraged individuals to go beyond mere rituals and dogmas, focusing on the essence of spirituality and self-realization. He believed that education was the key to social reform and empowerment, and he stressed the need for a scientific and rational approach to life.

National Youth Day: Commemorating Swami Vivekananda’s Legacy

The celebration of National Youth Day is an acknowledgment of Swami Vivekananda’s contributions to the upliftment of society, especially the youth. The day is marked by various events, seminars, discussions, and cultural programs across the country. Schools, colleges, and universities organize special activities to inspire and motivate the youth to follow the path of righteousness, knowledge, and selfless service.

The government, educational institutions, and youth organizations collaborate to create awareness about Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings. The day provides a platform for young people to reflect on their roles in nation-building and social transformation. It encourages them to embrace the values of Swami Vivekananda, such as fearlessness, truthfulness, and self-discipline.

Swami Vivekananda’s Teachings for the Youth

• Self-Realization and Character Building: Swami Vivekananda believed that true education should focus on character building and the development of virtues. He emphasized the importance of self-realization, encouraging individuals to understand their true nature and potential.
• Education for Empowerment: Education, according to Swami Vivekananda, was not just about acquiring knowledge but also about empowerment. He advocated for a holistic education system that nurtures both the intellect and character, enabling individuals to contribute meaningfully to society.
• Service to Humanity: Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy emphasized the concept of ‘Seva’ or selfless service. He believed that serving humanity was the highest form of worship. The youth are encouraged to engage in social service activities, contributing to the well-being of the less fortunate.
• Unity in Diversity: Swami Vivekananda promoted the idea of unity in diversity. He believed that all religions lead to the same ultimate truth and encouraged people to respect and appreciate the diversity of cultures, religions, and traditions.
• Fearlessness and Confidence: Swami Vivekananda encouraged the youth to be fearless and confident. He believed that with faith in oneself and determination, one could overcome any challenges. His famous quote, “Arise, awake, and stop not until the goal is reached,” serves as a powerful mantra for the youth.

Impact of National Youth Day Celebrations

The celebration of National Youth Day has had a positive impact on the youth of India in various ways:

• Inspiration and Motivation: National Youth Day serves as a source of inspiration for young people. Swami Vivekananda’s life and teachings motivate them to strive for excellence, both personally and professionally.
• Promotion of Values: The emphasis on Swami Vivekananda’s values, such as discipline, honesty, and compassion, helps in promoting a value-based approach to life among the youth.
• Awareness of Indian Culture and Philosophy: The celebrations contribute to creating awareness about India’s rich cultural and philosophical heritage. Young people are encouraged to explore and understand the profound wisdom embedded in their own traditions.
• Community Engagement: National Youth Day often involves community service activities. Youth organizations and volunteers engage in social welfare projects, contributing to the betterment of their communities.
• Educational Initiatives: Educational institutions use National Youth Day as an opportunity to introduce students to Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy. Seminars, workshops, and lectures are organized to delve deeper into his teachings.

National Youth Day in India holds a special place in the hearts of millions, as it commemorates the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda, a true visionary and spiritual leader. The day serves as a reminder for the youth to reflect on their responsibilities towards society, nation, and humanity. Swami Vivekananda’s emphasis on education, self-realization, and service to humanity continues to guide and inspire young minds across the country.

As India progresses in the 21st century, the relevance of Swami Vivekananda’s teachings becomes even more significant. The youth, armed with knowledge, values, and a sense of purpose, can contribute immensely to the nation’s growth and development. National Youth Day is not just a celebration; it is a call to action, urging the youth to embody the ideals of Swami Vivekananda and work towards a harmonious, just, and prosperous society.

Read More:  Essay on Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of the Indian Nation

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• IAS Preparation
• UPSC Preparation Strategy
• National Youth Day: Notes for Civil Services Examination

National Youth Day 2021 - Facts for UPSC

National Youth Day is celebrated every year on January 12 to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda . It was declared by the Government of India in 1984 in order to honour the contribution made by Swami Vivekananda towards the betterment of Indian Society.

It is also called the Yuwa Diwas . To mark this day, a National Youth Festival is arranged by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports every year between January 12 and 16. This article will elaborate on the purpose and importance of the National Youth Day within the context of the Civil Services Examination . 

Aspirants can also refer to the  important days, dates and events in the country, important from the UPSC Prelims perspective in the linked article.

Given below are a few other related links in line with the UPSC Syllabus . Candidates can refer to the same for exam preparation:

National Youth Festival 2021

The Indian Government (Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports) conducts National Youth Festival each year between 12th and 16th January. It is organised in collaboration with one of the State Governments. Thus, it is held in a different state each year during National Youth Week.

It was in 1995 that the National Youth Festival was celebrated for the first time under the programme of National Integration Camp (NIC). As a part of this festival, the National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF) is also being celebrated since 2019.

National Youth Day| National Youth Festival 2021 Update

In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic , the ministry celebrated the National Youth Day digitally with the involvement of all the states against its earlier custom of jointly organizing it with one of the states.

Significance of National Youth Festival

• The concept of national integration is propagated through the celebration.
• It gives an opportunity to the youth to showcase their cultural prowess.
• A spirit of communal harmony and brotherhood is fostered among youth coming from across the nation.

Theme of National Youth Festival 2021: ‘YUVAAH – Utsah Naye Bharat Ka’ (It signified the youthfulness of the youngsters and give them the platform to showcase their talent.)

Importance of National Youth Day

The main purpose of the National Youth Day is to propagate the ideals and philosophies of Swami Vivekananda in today’s youth, chief among them is rational thinking. As the youth is the future of the country, they are expected to live by such ideals and rise to the occasion should their nation require them to do so. Thus it can be said that they are indispensable assets to the overall growth and development of the nation.

National Youth Day – UPSC Notes:- Download PDF Here

National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF)

• The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the idea of the National Youth Parliament Festival in 2017 during one of his Mann ki Baat sessions
• Its objective is to hear the voice of youth between 18 and less than 25 years of age, encourage them to engage with public issues; develop and enhance decision-making abilities; develop in them a respect and tolerance for the views of others; and help them understand that respect for rules is essential
• 2021 was the second year for the celebration of the National Youth Parliament Festival. The registration for participation under the festival had begun in December 2020 and the final declaration of results was done on January 12, 2021, on the occasion of National Youth Day
• A total of 88,000 youth participated in the program in 2019 and the virtual inauguration of the program in 2020 was witnessed by more than 23 Lac youth and stakeholders across the country at district, state and national level

Themes of National Youth Day

The following are the themes of National Youth Day since 2011 (The themes were first introduced by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs at the beginning of 2011)

Find the list of Government Ministries, Department and Other Agencies for the UPSC Exam , by visiting the linked article.

Frequently Asked Questions related to National Youth Day

What is the theme for national youth day 2021, why do we celebrate national youth day, who started world youth day, what did swami vivekananda say about youth.

The table below contains a set of links that will be useful for candidates in their IAS Exam Preparation. Also, be sure to visit the IAS syllabus page for a thorough understanding of the exam.

Related Links

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

IAS 2024 - Your dream can come true!

Download the ultimate guide to upsc cse preparation.

• Share Share

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.

• Website Inauguration Function.
• Vocational Placement Cell Inauguration
• Media Coverage.
• Certificate & Recommendations
• Privacy Policy
• Science Project Metric
• Social Studies 8 Class
• Computer Fundamentals
• Introduction to C++
• Programming Methodology
• Programming in C++
• Data structures
• Boolean Algebra
• Object Oriented Concepts
• Database Management Systems
• Open Source Software
• Operating System
• PHP Tutorials
• Earth Science
• Physical Science
• Sets & Functions
• Coordinate Geometry
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Statics and Probability
• Accountancy
• Business Studies
• Political Science
• English (Sr. Secondary)

Hindi (Sr. Secondary)

• Punjab (Sr. Secondary)
• Accountancy and Auditing
• Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology
• Automobile Technology
• Electrical Technology
• Electronics Technology
• Hotel Management and Catering Technology
• IT Application
• Marketing and Salesmanship
• Office Secretaryship
• Stenography
• Hindi Essays
• English Essays

Letter Writing

• Shorthand Dictation

Essay on “National Youth Day-January 12” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

National Youth Day

(January 12)

Swami Vivekananda’s birth day, January 12 th is being celebrated as National Youth Day, every year. He was the chief disciple of  Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and the founder of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Vivekananda was the first known Hindu Swami to go to the West, where he introduced Eastern thought at the world Parliament of Religions, in connection with the world fair in Chicago in 1893.

He stands as a role model for generations in various respects. His works are the living models of ideas and his knowledge is an inspiration for the youth to achieve greater things in life. The objective of this day is to spread his knowledge and literature to society, to build good characters and true citizens of the Nation.

Biography of Swami Vivekananda

Narendranath Dutta (Vivekananda) was born is Shimla Pally, Kolkata, West Bengal, India on January 12 , 1863 as the son of Viswanath Dutta and Bhuvaneswari Devi. He showed a precocious mind and keen memory when he was young,. He practiced meditation at an early age. While at School, he was    good at studies, as well as at games of various kinds.

In 1879, Narendra entered the Presidency College, Kolkata for higher studies. After one year, he joined the Scottish Church College, Calcutta and had studied philosophy.  During the course, he studied western logic, philosophy and history of European nations.

He was the first Indian to be invited to accept the chair of Oriental Philosophy at Harvard University. Vivekananda Vidyapith Academy of Indian Phiulosophy and culture in NJ. USA, is named after him. The Swami Vivekananda international Convention Centre, inaugurated in April 2005 in Pailles, Mauritius, is also named after him. He died at the age of 39 on July 4 1902 at Belur Math near Kolkata.  

Vivekananda advice to Youth

“Supreme value of youth is incalculable and indescribable. Youth is the most precious part o human life. The way in which you utilize this period will decide the nature of the coming years that lie ahead of you. Your happiness, success, honor and good name all depend upon the way in which you like now, in the period.”

“This wonderful period of the first state of your life is related to you as the soft we t clay in the hands of a potter. Skillfully the potter gives it the right and correct shapes and forms, which he intends to give. You can wisely mould your life, character, physical health and strength; you make up your mind to do in any way.”

“When you talk of success with reference to life, it does not merely mean succeeding in everything that you undertake or do; it does not merely mean succeeding in fulfilling all wants or getting whatever you desire; it does not just mean acquiring a name or attaining a position or imitating fashionable ways, appearing modern  up-to date. The essence of true success is what you make of yourself. It is the conduct that you develop, it is the character that you cultivate and it is the type of person you become. This is the central meaning of successful living.”

Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports was originally set up as the Department of Sports in 1982 at the time of organization of the IX Asian Games in New Delhi. Its name was changed of the Department of Youth Affairs & Sports during celebration of the international Youth Year, 1985. It became a ministry on 27 May 2000.

 Aims and objectives

The youth, i.e., those falling within the age group of 15 years constitute nearly 40% of the total population of India. The population. , constitute potentially its most precious human recourse. To optimally tap their productive and innovative energies ministry pursue the twin objectives of personality building nation building, i.e., developing  the personality of your nation building, i.e., developing the personality of you  involving them in a range of nation – building activates.     

The role of the Government is to create the infrastructure at sponsor capacity building for broad- basing sports as well as  achieving excellence in various competitive events at the and international levels. The ministry ‘s schemes are geared tower achieving these objectives.

Details of Services

The ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports provides help at assistance to the following under various schemes;

1.The Youth and the adolescents, Non- Government Organizations / Voluntary Organizations/ Association

2.Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKS)  and the youth club/ mahi mandals affiliated to National Service Scheme (NSS) Volunteers and it’s various Regional centers.

• State / UT Government
• Sports persons, their coaches and supporting personnel
• Sports Authority of India
• India Olympic Association
• Commonwealth Games and Asian Games
• National Sports Federations / State Sports Association Bodies/ international Sport Bodies
• Various Ministries/ Departments of Central / State Governments

National Youth Policy

The Youth in India have always been in the forefront. Be it in our struggle for freedom or our quest for development, youth have played a fundamental role. The National Youth Policy was adopted in 1988 and various schemes were introduced to  cater to the needs of youth. These schemes aimed not only on the personality and skill development of youth, but also endeavoured to involve  them in community based nation- building activities so that they could become catalysts of change and development.

The New National Youth Policy recognizes four thrust areas namely,  Youth Empowerment, Gender Justice, a Multi Sectoral Approach and emphasis on information and Research Networks. It has identified the key areas of youth concern like education, training and employment, health , environment, recreation and sports, art and culture, civics and citizenship, science and technology so that attention could be focused on these areas. The new Youth Policy also endeavors to attach precedence to the needs of the underprivileged and marginalized.

Youth Empowerment

Youth empowerment is an attitudinal, structural , and cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority , and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives and in the lives of other people , including youth and adults.

The major thrust of our new National Youth Policy is Youth Empowerment. This is being achieved through various initiatives taken by both the Government and Non- Governmental Organizations.

The reduction of the minimum voting age from 21 to 18 in the year 1989 and a legislative measure taken in 1992 providing for reservation of one third of the seats to women in the village administrative units called Panchayats have enabled young men and women to influence the decision – making process in the country. Youth Participation in the decision – making bodies has been considerably enhanced by these decisions.

It has been rightly recognized that access to education and training has to be amplified so that youth can develop their competencies. The National Policy of Education (NPE) 1986, has provided for designing both formal and non- formal education programmes involving youth.

Objectives of the Policy

The objectives of the National Youth Policy are:

1.to instill in youth, the secular principles and values enshrined in the Constitution of India, with unswerving commitment to patriotism, National Security, National integration, Non- violence and Social Justice;

• to develop Qualities of Citizenship and dedication to community Service amongst6 all sections of the youth;
• to promote awareness amongst the youth, in the fields of Indian history and heritage, arts and culture; to provide the youth with proper educational and training opportunities and to facilitate access to information in respect of employment opportunities and to other servies.
• to facilitate access, for all sections of the youth, to health information and services and to promote a social environment.
• to create an international perspective in the youth and to involve them in promoting peace and understanding and the establishment of a just global economic order;

Responsibilities of Youth

The Policy exhorts the youth to fulfill their responsibilities, as are enumerated below:

1. To contribute to sectoral, family and self development and to promote social and inter- generation understanding and gender equality. 

2. To extend respect to teachers and elders, parents and the family in consonance with our cultural norms and traditions.

3. To uphold the unity and integrity of the Nation, maintain peace and harmony, observe Fundamental Duties and respect the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution to all sections of the people. 

4. To respect others faiths and beliefs in the religious, cultural and social spheres and to different schools of thought and to neither exploit nor be instrumental in the exploitation of fellow citizens and other persons, especially women.

5. To promote appropriate standards of ethical conduct in individual and social life, to maintain honesty and integrity of character and be committed to fight against all forms of corruption, social evils and practices.

Opportunities for Youth

Efforts are being made to provide youth with many opportunities to develop their skills, capabilities, personality and become good citizens of the country. Youth in India today, are much more sensitized than before and there is a growing demand for recognition of their rights.

Students are encouraged to take up programmes on education, health, community   services etc. on a voluntary basis through their participation in  schemes like the National Service Scheme, National Cadet Corps and Bharat Scouts and Guides etc.  Student youth of these organizations participate in the  nation building process, taking up special programmes on literacy. HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, environment enrichment etc. in addition to these schemes, we also have a number of student youth associations and youth wings, who also have a number of student youth associations and youth wings, who also take part in nation building activates.

Like wise, the not – student youth in the villages are mobilized through the network of Youth Clubs affiliated to the Nehru Yuva Kendras. It is estimated that about 8 million youth are participating in various activates through over one- lack sixty thousands youth clubs of the Nehru Yuva Kendras. In addition , India is fortunate to host of Non Governmental Organizations, to support youth programmes.

The government of India has launched schemes to promote Adventure, National Integration, provide assistance for training of youth in skill development etc. it also supports the Youth Hostel Movement. There are 50 Youth Hostels already functional in the country, motivating young people to travel to places of historical, cultural and educational interest.

To encourage training, research, guidance and documentation for youth work and programmes, a national level apex agency, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development has been established at Sriperumpudur near  Chennai to act as an agency for youth programmes, policies and implementation strategies.

Conclusion 

 Leadership, discipline and citizenship cannot develop automatically nor these qualities be acquired once character is formed. These qualities have been inculcated by proper training during the impressionable year of youth. Vivekananda advised the youth to move forward. His words were: “Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached”.

Great leaders and philosophers have expressed that the plight of the country can be changed only by making its youth become sensitive to the problems to the nation. Sincere, strong and vigorous youth, as Swami Vivekananda   considered, are the backbones of nation. Swamiji had unlimited faith in the youth. The nation’s youth are is most precious and latent resource. It is necessary to organize them and channelize their energies towards desirable goals for national development. 

About evirtualguru_ajaygour

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Quick Links

Popular Tags

Visitors question & answer.

• Gangadhar Singh on Essay on “A Journey in a Crowded Train” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.
• Hemashree on Hindi Essay on “Charitra Bal”, “चरित्र बल” Complete Hindi Essay, Paragraph, Speech for Class 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 Students.
• S.J Roy on Letter to the editor of a daily newspaper, about the misuse and poor maintenance of a public park in your area.
• ashutosh jaju on Essay on “If there were No Sun” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.
• Unknown on Essay on “A Visit to A Hill Station” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Download Our Educational Android Apps

Latest Desk

• The Future of Democracy in India | Social Issue Essay, Article, Paragraph for Class 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.
• Democracy Recedes as a Global Ideal | Social Issue Essay, Article, Paragraph for Class 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.
• Centre-State Financial Relations | Social Issue Essay, Article, Paragraph for Class 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.
• Presidential System is More Suitable to India | Social Issue Essay, Article, Paragraph for Class 12, Graduation and Competitive Examination.
• Sanskrit Diwas “संस्कृत दिवस” Hindi Nibandh, Essay for Class 9, 10 and 12 Students.
• Nagrik Suraksha Diwas – 6 December “नागरिक सुरक्षा दिवस – 6 दिसम्बर” Hindi Nibandh, Essay for Class 9, 10 and 12 Students.
• Jhanda Diwas – 25 November “झण्डा दिवस – 25 नवम्बर” Hindi Nibandh, Essay for Class 9, 10 and 12 Students.
• NCC Diwas – 28 November “एन.सी.सी. दिवस – 28 नवम्बर” Hindi Nibandh, Essay for Class 9, 10 and 12 Students.
• Example Letter regarding election victory.
• Example Letter regarding the award of a Ph.D.
• Example Letter regarding the birth of a child.
• Example Letter regarding going abroad.
• Letter regarding the publishing of a Novel.

Vocational Edu.

• English Shorthand Dictation “East and Dwellings” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines.
• English Shorthand Dictation “Haryana General Sales Tax Act” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines meaning.
• English Shorthand Dictation “Deal with Export of Goods” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines meaning.
• English Shorthand Dictation “Interpreting a State Law” 80 and 100 wpm Legal Matters Dictation 500 Words with Outlines meaning.

• Arts & Entertainment
• Crime & Security
• International
• 4 minutes 4 change
• Chronicles of a Chronic Guyana Chronicler
• Frederick Kissoon
• Its in Our Nature
• LCDS in perspective
• Oil, Gas & You
• Talking Culture
• The Science of COVID-19
• Beyond the Runway
• Big Little Voice
• Consumer Concern
• Dentist Advises
• Lead Stories
• Fables of a Wondering Mind
• Focus On The Village
• Psychologist
• The Write Mind
• Youth Perspective

• |  April 4, 2024
• By Staff Reporter
• -  April 4, 2024

THE Pele Alumni Foundation hosted a two-day annual Youth Development Seminar which opened on Tuesday. The seminar, aimed at young people aged 11-17, opened at the Marian Academy Auditorium, Carifesta Avenue. This is the annual Alumni’s programme for youths during the Easter break which concluded yesterday (Wednesday) saw over 150 youths participating.

The programme, which began in 2012 runs youth through career guidance and development, while providing scholarships for young students. Alumni Chairman Denis Carrington, said that the goal is to help fill education gaps in communities. “We formed a charity to fill that gap, if it is one person we can help, we get donations in the [USA] States to support exclusively, education purposes in Guyana. The purpose is to help subsidise some of the scholarships of some of the high school recipients.”

Carrington says the impact of the foundation is being realised one child at a time. “We had initially six students in high school that we supported, [through] lessons, books, transportation. Once they finished high school, we now have seven students enrolled at [the] University of Guyana in which we are paying all their fees. [We are] working along with Mark Kirton.”

Carrington said while the Pele Alumni has a footballing background, their focus goes beyond just sports. “Not because we have graduated from university we have forgotten where we came from, so since 2012 we have made the trip to support the endeavours,” He added. President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) and businesswomen Dee George was the feature presenter on the opening day and demonstrated the importance of time, among other things, to those present.

The seminar was designed to help the youths learn Acceptable Social Behaviour/Proper Decision Making, Self-Awareness, Conflict Resolution, Computer Literacy & Cyber Security and Suicide and Mental Health, among other topics.

There were also other incentives for some participants with students collecting laptops for their presentation skills. The youngsters benefitted from a field trip to the CARICOM Headquarters as the wrap-up for the session yesterday.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More from this author

• | 2024-04-04

Mailing Address

Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown, Guyana.

General Numbers

(592) 226-3243-9

[email protected] (Editorial) (Advertising Department) [email protected] or [email protected]

E-Papers Daily

Business supplement.