UN.GIFT celebrates International Youth Day

18 August 2010.- This year is all about connections, dialogue and innovation. And who could manage this better than a crew of 20-Somethings?

August 12 marked the launch of International Youth Year, a time when energy, imagination and initiative are the crucial ingredients to be mixed up amongst the youth community from around the globe. One of the blenders will be UN.GIFT, the engine that will bring awareness about human trafficking.

'Dialogue and Mutual Understanding' is the theme for Youth Year that aims to promote the ideals of peace, respect for human rights and solidarity among youth from different countries and cultural backgrounds. The start of the event was celebrated at the Vienna International Centre, where young people up to 26 could take a free guided tour and learn more about the work of United Nations.

Information tables and stands were set up by VIC-based organizations and the City of Vienna's Youth Department. UN.GIFT was there welcoming visitors and sharing information.  UN.GIFT has been working on bringing awareness on human trafficking to youth through the Start the Freedom prevention campaign, launched in partnership with the Organization Stop the Traffik.

Start the Freedom creates global classrooms where youth around the world connects to exchange ideas on how to stop human trafficking. The campaign offers resources online for those who want to join the anti-trafficking movement and spread the word in their schools.

The International Youth Day idea was born in 1999 and has been developing with the help of universities and local newspapers and on the on-line social networks since. UN.GIFT is also reaching out to youth through its own social networks: facebook, flicker, youtube, twitter.