Resolution declaring Youth Day in New York City, to be held annually each year on August 12th, coinciding with International Youth Day.

Res. No. 501

Resolution declaring Youth Day in New York City, to be held annually each year on August 12^th, coinciding with International Youth Day.

By Council Members Eugene, Koo, Mendez, Palma, Rose, Rosenthal and Rodriguez

Whereas, Youth Day (YD) is a special day celebrated by many countries around the world to appreciate and celebrate the achievement of youth in each country; and

                     Whereas, YD is celebrated also to promote the contributions made by young persons to the development of their nations; and

                     Whereas, There is no one day selected around the world for Youth Day, as this varies among the countries that celebrate Youth Day, often aligned to a certain occasion or event in the past significant to that country; and;

                     Whereas, The Altius Directory (AD) states that there is also a celebration of youth around the world known as International Youth Day (IYD), celebrated since 1999 annually on August 12; and                     

                     Whereas, According to the AD, the aim of IYD is to endorse consciousness, particularly among youth aged 10 to 24; and

                     Whereas, According to the United Nations (UN), the theme of IYD in 2014 was “Youth and Mental Health”; and

                     Whereas, The UN advises that youth with mental health conditions can often experience stigma and discrimination, which can lead to exclusion and/or discourage people from seeking treatment for fear of being negatively “labeled”; and

                     Whereas, The UN further notes that the 2014 observance of IYD was to raise awareness on this important topic, as well as highlight the experiences of brave, young individuals who have chosen to speak out about these issues; and

                     Whereas, The AD also notes that the particular consciousness sought to be raised among youth by participating in International Youth Days includes consciousness in the particular fields of starvation, poverty, education, employment, health, drug exploitation, childhood felony, recreational events, child and young women, and the environment; and

Whereas, According to Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), in the United States, GYSD is a coordinated annual event, held each April, which gathers young people from around the world in a program of conducting community service, service learning,  youth voice, and other activities that benefit the youth’s communities, their countries and the world; and

                     Whereas, Speaking about GYSD, Jane Goodall commented, “I have often said that every individual counts, every individual has a role to play, and every individual makes a difference. Global Youth Day proves it.”, and

                     Whereas, According to the Archdiocese of New York’s Office of Youth Ministry (ANY), New York Catholic Youth Day is their annual Catholic youth celebration, a day filled with prayer, music, fun, games, and powerful speakers and conversations; and

                     Whereas, A Youth day in New York City could be used to draw attention to the need for more youth programs than currently exist, and to underline the important need for such programs to be available for young New Yorkers for all walks of life; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York hereby declares Youth Day in New York City, to be held annually each year on August 12^th, coinciding with International Youth Day.

MB

LS 2774

10/27/14