Statement on International Youth Day .. Sudanese Youth: Leaders of Today, Builders of Tomorrow
“On this International Youth Day, the Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy affirms that Sudanese youth are not only the hope of tomorrow but the leaders of today. Despite war, displacement, and shattered institutions, they persist in creativity, resilience, and peaceful action. Protecting their rights, ensuring their participation, and empowering their voices is essential to building a just, democratic, and inclusive Sudan where young people shape their own future with dignity and hope.”
12 August 2025
Statement on International Youth Day .. Sudanese Youth: Leaders of Today, Builders of Tomorrow
On this International Youth Day, the youth of Sudan face one of the most challenging moments in their contemporary history. While the world celebrates the energy and potential of new generations, millions of young Sudanese are living through war, displacement, insecurity, and the collapse of institutions that once safeguarded their rights to education, sports, arts, work, and participation in decision-making.
At the Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy (NCPD)—a youth-centered organization founded in the heart of the crisis to be a voice and actor for peace, justice, and democracy—we affirm that war cannot justify depriving youth of their fundamental rights. Their active participation in ending the conflict and building sustainable peace is a necessity, not an option.
Sudanese youth, both inside the country and in the diaspora, have proven that despite destruction and displacement, they are capable of creativity, positive resistance, and revitalizing hope in villages, cities, and camps.
Therefore, we address our message to all components of Sudanese society, as well as to the United Nations, the African Union, and regional and international organizations, as follows:
Our Demands:
- An immediate and comprehensive end to the war in Sudan, and addressing the root causes of the conflict through an inclusive political process led by youth and women.
- Protection of civil, cultural, and sports spaces, and ensuring safe access for youth across all regions.
- Launch urgent psychosocial recovery programs, integrating sports and the arts into peacebuilding and trust-building strategies.
- Rehabilitate youth, cultural, and sports centers as platforms for dialogue, reconciliation, and training.
- Ensure genuine representation of Sudanese youth, including those from conflict-affected and marginalized areas, in all local, regional, and international initiatives related to peace and development.
We believe that youth are not only the “hope of tomorrow” but the leaders of today, and investing in their energy and creativity is the path toward a new Sudan founded on freedom, justice, and equal citizenship.
Our message today is clear: “We will not allow war to define our future … we are shaping it with our hands, our minds, and our dreams.”
Let this International Youth Day be a new starting point toward just peace, true democracy, and sustainable development that serves all Sudanese, at home and in the diaspora.
Nubian Center for Peace and Democracy (NCPD)
12 August 2025
