The World Assembly of Youth (WAY) was founded in 1949. It is the international coordinating body of national youth councils and national youth organizations*.
The headquarters of the WAY is located in Malaysia, Malacca.
Goals of the World Assembly of Youth:
- increasing interracial respect and promoting international cooperation,
- information support of youth organizations,
- promoting the exchange of ideas between youth of all countries,
- assistance in the development of youth activities,
- assistance in expanding the work of voluntary youth organizations,
- support for national youth councils,
- promoting the democratic participation of young people both in their organizations and in the life of society as a whole,
- promoting tolerance, understanding, solidarity and cooperation between young men and women,
- encouraging the full participation of young men and women in the development process of their countries,
- improving the state of equality between young men and women.
The WAY is in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It works closely with a number of United Nations: UNAIDS, UNESCO, WHO and others.
The WAY brings together 140 member organizations from all the continents. Its full members are national youth councils from 92 countries. In addition, 6 organizations have the status of associate members and 26 organizations have the status of an observer.
Regional platforms such as the Asian Youth Council, the European Youth Forum, the Caribbean Youth Forum, the Andean Youth Integration Forum, the Pacific Youth Council, the Arab Youth Union, the Pan African Youth Union, the African Arab Youth Council, the South African Development Community Youth Movement, the International Youth Union «The Great Silk Road», the Commonwealth Youth Council and a number of other organizations have the status of advisory members of the WAY.
The Russian Federation in the World Assembly of Youth is represented by the National Youth Council of Russia.
*The reference is prepared based on the collection’s materials: International Youth Cooperation / V. Dubravina, V. Olinchuk, M. Osipova, O. Popova, A. Simonovskaya, D. Sokolova, V. Torotenkova. – M.: MIREA – Russian Technological University, National Youth Council of Russia, 2020.
