Article by:
Nomfundo Zondo
Nandile Mthembu
Sibongakonke Dlamini
Amahle Khumalo
Phumzile Ntombela

 

Every year, Youth Day is more than just a date on the calendar. It’s a celebration of energy, creativity, passion, and the power of young voices to shape the future. In 2025, as the world continues to evolve in the face of new challenges and opportunities, Youth Day reminds us of the immense potential young people hold to transform communities, innovate solutions, and ignite change.

 

The Origins and Purpose of Youth Day

Youth Day is celebrated in many countries around the world, often rooted in historical struggles where young people stood at the front lines for freedom, equality, and justice. It honors their courage while highlighting the ongoing need to uplift and invest in the next generation. In South Africa, June 16 commemorates the 1976 Soweto Uprising, where students protested against apartheid education policies. 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 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”. 

Regardless of the country or context, the core message is universal: young people matter not just as future leaders, but as leaders now!

 

The Power of Youth in 2025

Today’s youth is growing up in a world that is interconnected, fast-paced, and digitally driven. They are:

• Innovators building tech startups and climate
• Activists pushing for social justice, gender equality, and mental health
• Artists and storytellers creating content that challenges norms and builds
• Volunteers and changemakers shaping grassroots change in local

But young people also face real challenges like unemployment, inequality and education gaps. That’s why Youth Day is also a call to action: to support youth empowerment with real opportunities, not just rhetoric.

 

How Can Youth Be Supported?

• Education for the future: Curriculum and skills training should reflect the realities of the 21st-century
• Spaces for participation: Young people deserve a seat at the table in decision-making
• Mental health support: A thriving youth population is a mentally and emotionally healthy
• Mentorship and investment: From funding startups to guiding career paths, adults have a key role in opening

 

A Message to Young People

To every young person reading this: your voice matters. Your ideas are valid. Your dreams are powerful. The world needs your energy, your boldness, your kindness, and your courage. Don’t wait for permission to lead, start where you are, with what you have. Great change has always begun with brave youth daring to imagine a better world.

This Youth Day let’s not just celebrate young people let’s empower them. Because when youth rise, the world rises with them!

Nomfundo: “Young minds, big dreams, limitless possibilities”
Nandile: “Youth is not a time, it’s a state of mind”
Amahle: “ Lets unite to make this country a better place for future generations.
Phumzile: “The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow”
Sbonga: “ To honor June 16 is to listen to the youth, uplift their voices and never let history repeat its silence”