Every year on July 15th, the international community celebrates World Youth Skills Day, an official occasion established by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 69/145 of December 2014.
This day, overseen by UNESCO and the International Labour Organization (ILO), aims to raise awareness of the importance of investing in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and developing young people’s life and digital skills to reduce unemployment and empower them to drive sustainable development and global economic transformation.
The Syrian Future Movement affirms that empowering young people professionally and intellectually is the true safeguard for the country’s future, especially in light of the ILO’s 2026 reports, which indicate that global youth unemployment rates continue to face structural challenges, necessitating proactive policies that align emerging skills with the demands of the modern labor market.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that the recovery of the youth sector in Syria faces severe obstacles, as evidenced by field indicators. Conflicting estimates from UN agencies indicate that the unemployment rate among Syrian youth within the country has exceeded 70%, in addition to more than 2.4 million children and young people being out of school. This necessitates a rescue intervention to rehabilitate lost skills.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the need to combat the “forced migration of Syrian minds and talents,” based on human rights and demographic data for 2026, which shows that young people (between 18 and 35 years old) constitute the largest group of migrants and refugees. This underscores the need to provide local alternatives and a safe and stimulating professional environment that gives young people a genuine reason to remain and invest in their homeland.
The Syrian Future Movement connects the aspirations of the younger generation to the international system through a civilizational, values-based, and ethical approach, and believes that bridging the “digital divide” is a human and developmental right. This is especially relevant given that reports from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) highlight the limited access of young people in conflict and recovery zones to technological infrastructure and training in artificial intelligence and digital economy skills.
The Syrian Future Movement is committed to tirelessly working to create a suitable political and developmental environment to ensure the success of the transitional phase in Syria. It believes that shifting from a “temporary humanitarian relief” mindset to a “sustainable capacity-building” strategy is the solid foundation for reintegrating young people into the national economy and protecting them from extremist networks and organized crime.
The Syrian Future Movement recommends the following:
- Launching the “National Project for Accelerated Vocational and Technical Education”: The Syrian Future Movement recommends that the Ministry of Education and civil society organizations, in cooperation with UNESCO, design intensive vocational diplomas (ranging from 3 to 6 months) in craft and technological fields to immediately reintegrate young people who have dropped out of school into the labor market.
- Establishing “Joint Innovation and Digital Economy Incubators”: The Syrian Future Movement proposes establishing advanced technology training centers in Syrian governorates, under international auspices, focusing on equipping young people with programming, e-marketing, and modern systems maintenance skills to open up opportunities for “remote work” and overcome the economic and geographic blockade.
- Obligating International Organizations to Local Employment: The Syrian Future Movement calls on UN agencies and NGOs operating in Syria to allocate at least 40% of their project budgets to employing and training local youth, and to rely on Syrian expertise and skills to ensure the localization of knowledge.
- Enacting Flexible Laws for Emerging Entrepreneurs: The Syrian Future Movement calls on the legislative and local authorities during the transitional phase to exempt youth-led startups from taxes and fees for three years, while facilitating legal procedures and licensing to encourage self-financing initiatives and revitalize the local market.
As the Syrian Future Movement celebrates the efforts of young people on International Youth Day, it reaffirms its unwavering faith in the strength and intellect of young Syrians and emphasizes its commitment to opening doors that have been closed to them so they can become the true leaders of tomorrow’s Syria: a nation of knowledge, citizenship, and productivity.
