Letters | Hong Kong can find its a competitive edge in youth empowerment
Readers discuss the benefits of viewing the youth as drivers of change, alleged cases of bullying in Malaysia, and the possible closure of a school in Hong Kong
At the recent United Nations General Assembly plenary marking the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth – which I had the opportunity to attend – the message was remarkable: young people are not leaders in waiting, but decision-makers of today. Around half the world’s population is under 30, yet their perspectives remain under-represented in education policy, employment opportunities and civic participation.
This gap between aspiration and practice matters. Youth are already leading movements in climate action and digital innovation, but their ideas still need greater access to platforms where decisions are made. As the UN secretary general observed, they are not simply beneficiaries but vital drivers of change.
For Hong Kong, this presents an opportunity. The city already has strong foundations in education and an internationally connected business ecosystem. Building on these strengths, schools could place greater emphasis on student-centred learning, expanding project-based and cross-disciplinary approaches that invite students to tackle real-world problems and design their own solutions.
At the same time, businesses have scope to reframe corporate social responsibility through a youth-centric lens: by creating advisory councils, supporting youth-led initiatives and introducing reverse mentoring programmes that weave young perspectives directly into strategies on innovation and sustainability.
The theme of the UN meeting, accelerating global progress through intergenerational collaboration, offers a pathway forward. Constructive dialogue between experienced leaders and younger generations can generate solutions that are both pragmatic and future-oriented.