World Youth Skills Day

The United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (UN-OSAA) will convene the 2025 Academic Conference on Africa under the theme "Seizing the Moment: The African State and Its Promise." The Conference affirms that rebuilding the African State lies at the heart of peace and development — and that Africa's vision and scholarship are indispensable to shaping a more just and inclusive multilateral future. Theme of Day 1: The State of the State in Africa: Presence, Perception, and Performance in a Changing World The 2025 Academic Conference on Africa, the third in a groundbreaking series by UN-OSAA, has become a platform for intellectual disruption and policy innovation — elevating African scholarship in global discourse and linking research to action. More than an academic gathering, it is a space for forward-looking dialogue where Africa's leading thinkers, policymakers, and practitioners confront urgent challenges from distinctly African perspectives. It will...

This panel will present testimonies from individuals who have taken part in vocational training and skills certification processes, identifying enabling factors, obstacles, and a range of perspectives on their formative experience. It will further explore their motivations, incentives, and professional outcomes, drawing lessons to inform institutional practice with a particular focus on satisfaction and the tangible impact on people's lives. Watch other Voices: The experiences of those at the forefront!